“Miss….”
Jinx’s greyish blue eyes blinked slowly finally focusing on the murky grey water below her. She pulled away from the handrail of the large schooner to see a small little boy with green eyes and yellow hair looking up at her. Her response was light, her tone way younger than initially expected due to her appearance, “Pardon me?”
The young boy was startled for a second, as his eyes roamed over Jinx’s quite out of place demeanor. The woman in front of him was covered head to toe in dark greenish brown clothes, her face covered by a small sheet of lace thin enough to see the lines of the face but no details, “My mom says I am not allowed to talk to you...but Jimmy says you have a monkey! May I see it?”
Jinx paused, surprised by the request, seeming as most children didn't take much interest in her. It took her a minute to respond but when she did her voice had a sweet monotonous timber, “You know darling, you should listen to your mother. Talking to strangers is very dangerous...Right Esmeralda.”
Slowly a small brown hand lifted up the edges of Jinx’s skirt and a small tan capuchin with a small light pink bow looked out. A few seconds later the creature was bounding up the boys leg to sit on his shoulder, squawking lightly as she bounced her little fists on the boys hair. Jinx smiled behind her lace as the boy started laughing, “Esmeralda here, loves to play the drums. Bongo's on the brain. I call it. She came from the deep jungles of Madagascar on a ship just like this. I bought her from a funny little Persian man with pointy shoes and beard that extended all the way down to his belly button!”
The little boy lifted up his chubby hand to pet the monkey whilst giggling wildly at Jinx's retelling of the story, “She’s very funny! You’re so lucky to. We don’t have any pets. We aren’t allowed them at home. My mother says not to talk to brown men either. She says they only want trouble.”
Jinx leaned down lifting her gloved hand forward so the small monkey could swing onto her shoulder, “Well mother’s are usually right on most occasions but keep your mind open when it comes to people, Love. They might surprise you.”
Suddenly a shrill voice erupted a few feet behind the young boy, “Oscar! GET AWAY FROM HER NOW!”
Jinx eyed the woman about to say something when a large bell was rung and men began to shuttle around the deck, yelling that the port was in sight. Oscar looked back at his mother then, “I suppose I should go. Thanks, miss
Jinx shook the young boy's hand, “Haven...Darling, Madam Haven. It was my pleasure. Now run to your mother before we both get into trouble.”
The boy smiled tipping an invisible hat before he ran away to his mother. Jinx stood up watching him run, a smile tugging at her lip. She sighed turning around to stare at the waters surrounding her, “I don’t know why I said that...Esmeralda. There’s nothing but trouble where we are going...but I guess that doesn’t matter anymore does it.”
Esmeralda squeaked and curled her tail around Jinx's neck as a response. Jinx smirked slightly before she headed inside the ship, shrugging her depressing thoughts away, “Anyways...pip pip cheerio..to London we go!”
-------- A few hours later in London
Jinx stood at the edge of the port by the large schooner, a large brown trunk with a large J. H. painted on the side standing beside her. She stood stock still, as crowds meandered around her, their looks both revolted or nervous when they got close enough to notice her. She paid no heed to either reaction, knowing they could only see her clothes and nothing of her real figure. Her annoyance was also spawning mainly from the lack of transport that was supposed to arrive at 9 promptly. She tapped her foot, beginning to regret the whole trip when suddenly a large honk erupted to the left of her. She turned slowly as a thin man with long dark hair, a bushy mustache and slate grey eyes in a chauffeur’s outfit ran over to her, “Ahh...Miss Haven…I’m assuming?”
Jinx stiffened, “I'm afraid to say yes. I technically would be Mrs. Bishop, but...”
The chauffeur stiffened cutting her off, “Mr. Bishop has remarried actually…”
Jinx didn’t speak for a moment before releasing a brief, “Oh.”
The chauffeur cringed slightly, “Sorry. They didn’t give me much information to go off of. Please let me take your trunk. My name is Jonah Birmingham and I was sent from the Ministry. I am at your service, M'am. We have a few other stops to make before we arrive at the institute..and we are running late, so, unfortunately, I must urge you to hurry along.”
Jinx raised her hand and stepped aside so he could get to her trunk, her voice slightly choked, “Yes. Yes. Sorry. I forget myself. Miss Haven is perfect. Of course, Edgar remarried. Old habits die...hard. So the ministry can afford a motorcar? I have only ever seen one in pictures. Even in the Colonies, only the highest of the elite could have such contraptions. Interesting technology...these vessels.”
As she was talking, she walked over to the car, looking over the dark brown leather seats, the dark copper, and steel pipes and paneling. A mechanical mystery to behold. She waited for Jonah to finish placing her bag in the trunk before he opened the door for her. She got in slowly ignoring Jonah’s hand to help her into it. He didn’t pay any mind and followed suit moments later, started the car after placing on some goggles and a riding cap, “Yes. Mr. Weisskampf has always being fond of modern invention. As well as the unexplainable. Such as...”
Jinx cut him off with a smarmy reply as she stared out the window, “Me..”
Jonah laughed as the car pulled away from the port, “Among others, Miss. With whom we are to pick up before we arrive at the institute. Group of persons who are of particular interest to the crown, much like yourself M'am.
Jinx sulked, unhappy that she would have to spend time in such a cramped space with people. She looked down at her hand the space between her glove and long sleeve revealing a small strip of pale blue skin. Jinx pulled the fabric hastily over herself, whilst Esmeralda crawled over the seats to stare out the window, "Others eh? All servants of queen and country ready to serve at her majesty's calling!"
She let out a maniacal laugh looking out the window at the people of London, not sure if she was responding to the people outside or the ones waiting for this long ride, "Poor Bastards!"
Jinx’s greyish blue eyes blinked slowly finally focusing on the murky grey water below her. She pulled away from the handrail of the large schooner to see a small little boy with green eyes and yellow hair looking up at her. Her response was light, her tone way younger than initially expected due to her appearance, “Pardon me?”
The young boy was startled for a second, as his eyes roamed over Jinx’s quite out of place demeanor. The woman in front of him was covered head to toe in dark greenish brown clothes, her face covered by a small sheet of lace thin enough to see the lines of the face but no details, “My mom says I am not allowed to talk to you...but Jimmy says you have a monkey! May I see it?”
Jinx paused, surprised by the request, seeming as most children didn't take much interest in her. It took her a minute to respond but when she did her voice had a sweet monotonous timber, “You know darling, you should listen to your mother. Talking to strangers is very dangerous...Right Esmeralda.”
Slowly a small brown hand lifted up the edges of Jinx’s skirt and a small tan capuchin with a small light pink bow looked out. A few seconds later the creature was bounding up the boys leg to sit on his shoulder, squawking lightly as she bounced her little fists on the boys hair. Jinx smiled behind her lace as the boy started laughing, “Esmeralda here, loves to play the drums. Bongo's on the brain. I call it. She came from the deep jungles of Madagascar on a ship just like this. I bought her from a funny little Persian man with pointy shoes and beard that extended all the way down to his belly button!”
The little boy lifted up his chubby hand to pet the monkey whilst giggling wildly at Jinx's retelling of the story, “She’s very funny! You’re so lucky to. We don’t have any pets. We aren’t allowed them at home. My mother says not to talk to brown men either. She says they only want trouble.”
Jinx leaned down lifting her gloved hand forward so the small monkey could swing onto her shoulder, “Well mother’s are usually right on most occasions but keep your mind open when it comes to people, Love. They might surprise you.”
Suddenly a shrill voice erupted a few feet behind the young boy, “Oscar! GET AWAY FROM HER NOW!”
Jinx eyed the woman about to say something when a large bell was rung and men began to shuttle around the deck, yelling that the port was in sight. Oscar looked back at his mother then, “I suppose I should go. Thanks, miss
Jinx shook the young boy's hand, “Haven...Darling, Madam Haven. It was my pleasure. Now run to your mother before we both get into trouble.”
The boy smiled tipping an invisible hat before he ran away to his mother. Jinx stood up watching him run, a smile tugging at her lip. She sighed turning around to stare at the waters surrounding her, “I don’t know why I said that...Esmeralda. There’s nothing but trouble where we are going...but I guess that doesn’t matter anymore does it.”
Esmeralda squeaked and curled her tail around Jinx's neck as a response. Jinx smirked slightly before she headed inside the ship, shrugging her depressing thoughts away, “Anyways...pip pip cheerio..to London we go!”
-------- A few hours later in London
Jinx stood at the edge of the port by the large schooner, a large brown trunk with a large J. H. painted on the side standing beside her. She stood stock still, as crowds meandered around her, their looks both revolted or nervous when they got close enough to notice her. She paid no heed to either reaction, knowing they could only see her clothes and nothing of her real figure. Her annoyance was also spawning mainly from the lack of transport that was supposed to arrive at 9 promptly. She tapped her foot, beginning to regret the whole trip when suddenly a large honk erupted to the left of her. She turned slowly as a thin man with long dark hair, a bushy mustache and slate grey eyes in a chauffeur’s outfit ran over to her, “Ahh...Miss Haven…I’m assuming?”
Jinx stiffened, “I'm afraid to say yes. I technically would be Mrs. Bishop, but...”
The chauffeur stiffened cutting her off, “Mr. Bishop has remarried actually…”
Jinx didn’t speak for a moment before releasing a brief, “Oh.”
The chauffeur cringed slightly, “Sorry. They didn’t give me much information to go off of. Please let me take your trunk. My name is Jonah Birmingham and I was sent from the Ministry. I am at your service, M'am. We have a few other stops to make before we arrive at the institute..and we are running late, so, unfortunately, I must urge you to hurry along.”
Jinx raised her hand and stepped aside so he could get to her trunk, her voice slightly choked, “Yes. Yes. Sorry. I forget myself. Miss Haven is perfect. Of course, Edgar remarried. Old habits die...hard. So the ministry can afford a motorcar? I have only ever seen one in pictures. Even in the Colonies, only the highest of the elite could have such contraptions. Interesting technology...these vessels.”
As she was talking, she walked over to the car, looking over the dark brown leather seats, the dark copper, and steel pipes and paneling. A mechanical mystery to behold. She waited for Jonah to finish placing her bag in the trunk before he opened the door for her. She got in slowly ignoring Jonah’s hand to help her into it. He didn’t pay any mind and followed suit moments later, started the car after placing on some goggles and a riding cap, “Yes. Mr. Weisskampf has always being fond of modern invention. As well as the unexplainable. Such as...”
Jinx cut him off with a smarmy reply as she stared out the window, “Me..”
Jonah laughed as the car pulled away from the port, “Among others, Miss. With whom we are to pick up before we arrive at the institute. Group of persons who are of particular interest to the crown, much like yourself M'am.
Jinx sulked, unhappy that she would have to spend time in such a cramped space with people. She looked down at her hand the space between her glove and long sleeve revealing a small strip of pale blue skin. Jinx pulled the fabric hastily over herself, whilst Esmeralda crawled over the seats to stare out the window, "Others eh? All servants of queen and country ready to serve at her majesty's calling!"
She let out a maniacal laugh looking out the window at the people of London, not sure if she was responding to the people outside or the ones waiting for this long ride, "Poor Bastards!"