Chapter 10: London Town

The next day a very green around the gills, Bitsy, sat watching Rav sleep. She looked at Katrina, "Didn't your father have a house in London? Kat" Smiling, Kat nodded, she hadn't thought of that house in a very long time, she remembered the times they had taken trips to town and her father taking her to a puppet show and buying her a sweetmeat because she had been so good.

"Would you mind very much if I used the house, for awhile? I'm going to go to London shortly." Kat who had been sewing, her hand stopped in mid stitch. Looking closely at Bitsy she realized that she wasn't joking, she was very serious. "Your going to London, for Brand?" Kat said. Giving it some thought, Kat looked at Bitsy "dear, you know about what happened, don't you." Bitsy nodded, "thats why I have to go, to talk to him, he may not want to see me, or talk to me, but I can try, I just can't leave things as they are, its breaking my heart, Kat"

Kat could only promise to talk to Collin about what Bitsy had asked. Bitsy understood and asked Kat to let her know as soon as possible. A short time later, Bitsy went home to take a nice long nap.

Later that night, Kat lay curled up next to Virlane, she was almost asleep when she sat up suddenly, Virlane opened an eye and looked at her. "Bitsy would like to borrow my fathers home in London, for a while, she wants to go see Brand." Virlane ran his paw over her cheek and chuckled, "from the look of excitement on your face, you would like to tag along I presume." Kat kissed him and smiled "Bitsy has no idea how big London is, or how to possibly find Brand, even if she sent him a message, there is no guarantee he will respond, and knowing Bitsy the way we do, she will go try and find him by herself." As Virlane pulled her onto his chest with a purr, she giggled "I have a plan." Nuzzling her neck he said "tell me your plan later, your about to be distracted."

Several days later, Kat sent for Bitsy, the look on Bitsy's face was shock, Kat had turned their large family room into a London waiting room and ballroom. Dragging Bitsy into the guest bedroom she laughed again as she watched Bitsy look at all the ladies attire, there were gowns, corsets, stockings, drawers, hats, walking dresses and ball dresses. Looking at Kat, Bitsy said "I'm just going to find Brand, talk to him, then leave, there is no need for all this, Kat, besides fairies don't wear corsets and all those dodads." Laughing Kat picked up a very stylish hat and put it on, posing she grinned at Bitsy, "but I'm going with you, we are going to take London by storm, Brand can't fail to notice. Listen to me Bitsy, Brand is hurt, he is off in London, instead of licking his wounds, if I know Brand he is letting them fester, so we have to take bold action. You can talk to him when we first arrive, but I think you will find I'm right, you have to dance in front of him, flaunt yourself in front of him, show him what he has missed, remind him of what he left behind. Then give him a chance to remember the fun times you two had, I'm hoping they will over ride the bad times." Kat had a few other plans but wasn't about to tell Bitsy about them.

Kat spent weeks teaching Bitsy how to dance, how to use a fan, how to walk in a ballgown without falling down or tripping over the small train, The hardest part was convincing Bitsy to wear the corset and knee length drawers. Trink and Keebler who had never seen Bitsy as anything other then a fairy, stopped dead in their tracks, staring at the young woman standing in front of Katrina. That young woman was also trying to jerk up the top of her bodice at the time "I can't wear this it isn't decent, why if I take a deep breath, I'm going to pop right out." Slapping her hand Katrina laughed, "so don't take a deep breath, and your not going to pop out, at least I hope not, and it is all the style these days, so stop fussing." Trink wandered in whistling, "woohee, girly, now this is what I called a finely turned out pretty." he informed Keebler, Keebler who was having a hard time not staring at Bitsy's chest, was as bright red as an apple, "that you in there? Bitsy." They all laughed and had a merry time, while Kat filled them in on the trip to London. Trink not to be left out informed Kat that he had to go along and would need some fine looking duds so as not to shame the ladies. Keebler who had no intentions at all of getting anywhere near a big human town promised to keep an eye on Bitsy's oak house.

Kat who had sent word ahead to have the house opened and prepared for a visit, finally decided that everything that could be done had been, that it was now time to go. She had list after list of things for Virlane to do, about Rav, about what to feed him, and it went on and on. Finally Virlane laughingly said "they might, just might survive without her for a very short time." She laughed and said "see that you do." The next morning 3 coaches pulled out of the bailey on their way to London. One coach was for Bitsy and Kat, the other held, Trink, Mary and Drapper, Mathew was riding up top as guard. the third was full of luggage. The trip was long and tedious, Bitsy had spent part of the trip with motion sickness, she finally figured out which herbs to mix up to get rid of it, she had never experienced such a thing and decided that she didn't like coaches.

The coaches arrived in front of Katrina's townhouse and the weary travelers stepped out. A crowd had gathered as the coaches drew up in front of the house, they almost went bug eyed when Trink got out of the coach. He turned to the crowd and doffed his hat making an elegant bow, then turned to hand the ladies down from their coach. Kat, her head high, the Duchess down to her delicate pointy slippers thanked Trink and stepped down, then turned to wait for Bitsy. Bitsy stepped down next, she also thanked Trink and smiled at the crowd as she heard someone say "what a pair of beauties."

The door was opened by the butler, he bowed deeply, he was elderly with a shock of white hair, he had been in the old Dukes employee for a very long time. Bowing he welcomed Katrina home and welcomed her guest. He informed her that everything had been made ready, that as she requested a room close to hers had been made available for her maid and one for the person called Trink.

Finally reaching her room Bitsy fell back onto the bed with a sigh, she couldn't believe she was so exausted just from a trip. Wings were so much easier and much more convient. Mary finally came into the room and helped Bitsy out of her clothes, talking a mile a minute about the house and the servants and how grand it all was. Bitsy only heard half of what Mary had said she was soon sound asleep.

The next few days they all rested and did a little sight seeing as Katrina sent out notes to all her fathers old friends. Soon the house was full of visitors and the invitations started to pour in for balls and every other imaginable entertainment. In one short week the two were sipped tea at tea parties, attending dinner parties, Walking in the parks with Kats old friends. Word quickly spread through town about The Duchess of St.Clair and her stunningly lovely friend.

Bitsy lay in her bed and thought of Brand, all this was taking so long. She had tried several times to contact him, she thought she had reached him but then just went blank as if she had lost the thread. She had, had no idea that London was so big, so noisy, so dirty. so full of people, never in her life had she imagined there were so many people in one place. Kat had been right from the start, it was almost impossible to find someone here unless you knew where to look.

Brand lay in his bed, thinking of a tiny fairy, he'd been such a fool, if he had just tried even once to talk to her, to say something, anything. He had pushed her away, shut her out of his life, sometimes he didn't know if he could live the pain. Sometimes he didn't know if he could live with himself anymore. He thought once or twice he could hear her calling his name, he must of not been drunk enough at the time, even totally sotted her could still hear her voice.

Bitsy was a wreck, they were on their way to her first ball, she still wanted to reach down and jerk up the bodice, but if she fidgeted one more time she thought Kat would throw her out of the carriage.

Brand was in the ballroom leaning against a wall, trying not to appear bored out of his mind as his Grandfather introduced him to one lady after another. He knew the old man was trying to marry him off, trying to get him to settle down, but he could try all he wanted, Brand had no intentions of marrying any of these shallow, mindless little twits.

His head snapped around as he heard who was being announced at the head of the main staircase. In a resonating tone the footman announced, Her Grace the Duchess of Virlane and St.Clair and the Lady Britina, the Countessa Du'Lane. Kat slowly walked down the steps smiling as she heard the assembled group sigh as they saw Bitsy.

Brand stood up and stared just like every man in the room, she looked magnificent, her dress was of midnight blue, the tiny puffed sleeves slashed with a shimmering light blue, a ribbon tied underneath her breasts of the same light blue. Her hair was piled ontop of her head, a few dark blue flowers were in her hair, little tendrils of hair spiraled down the side of her face. The only piece of jewelry she wore was a delicate good necklace of what appeared to be butterfly wings, but she knew they were fairy wings, a present from Mar.

Following in Kats wake, Bitsy smiled and curtsied and smiled and curtsied until she thought either her face or her knee's would give out soon. Kat seemed to know everyone and they were soon surrounded by people. As the band started to play, some young man stepped quickly forward and asked her to Dance. Smiling graciously at him, Bitsy soon found herself out on the dance floor.

Katrina was having a wonderful time, laughing and dancing, she was also watching Brand. The second Bitsy walked out onto the dance floor he looked ready to kill, his fists knotted at his sides. She was a bit disappointed that he hadn't asked Bitsy to dance, but the evening was still young.

As Bitsy walked off the dance floor, thanking the stammering, blushing young man, everyone started to titter and point. Bitsy turned around just in time to see a very dapper Trink bowing his way across the room, He finally got to Bitsy and bowing said "you forgot your fan, Countessa, it won't do for you to become over heated." then he handed her the fan. The young man stood staring down at Trink. Trink grinned at the man "what's wrong, you've never seen a dwarf before?"

Brands shout of laughter filled the room, his Grandfather looked at him and chuckled, it had been a long time since he had heard Brand laugh a laugh that wasnt filled with derision or sarcasm. Trink hearing Brands laugh, strolled over, or perhaps a better word would be strutted over to Brand. Trink grinned up at Brand and bowed deeply, then bowed to the elderly Gentlemen next to him. "Anything worth drinking around here?" asked Trink to the two. The old Gentlemen, motioned over a passing footmen and spoke to the man, who soon returned with 3 glasses. Trink toasted the old gentlemen in thanks and took a sip and grinned. About to say something, Trink heard Brand make a low growl and turned. A very handsome older man had asked Bitsy to dance and the two had just walked out onto the dance floor. Trink sat down next to the older gentlemen forgetting all protocol, inquiring who the man dancing with Bitsy was, he was told it was Cranston, a very well known ladies man. Looking down at his empty glass Trink muttered about small glasses and stinginess. the footman brought Trink another slightly larger glass, Trink grinned his thanks at the old gentlemen. Just as the band struck up a waltz, Brand set his glass down on a table with a distinct shattering noise and strode towards Bitsy.

Trink nudged the old boy and grinned "this should be fun." Instead of being put out Brands Grandfather grinned back and watched the dance floor with interest.

Brand walked up to Bitsy and swept her out onto the dance floor without saying a word, he crushed her against him as they swirled and twirled about the room. "What are you doing here? Bitsy, you don't belong here, this isnt your world, your kind of people." He felt her try and pull away, tried to put some distance between the two of them, but he wouldn't let her.

"I know it isnt, but it was the only way I could find you and see you, Brand." she said softly as she tried again to put some space between the two of them. He looked at her face, his eyes sliding down to her breasts, he could almost see her nipples it was so low, he felt her thighs brushing against his as they danced. He felt himself getting hard, he wanted to take her right there on the dance floor, almost shoving her away from him as the dance ended he snapped "I told you once, go home, I don't want you here." Then he strode out of the room.

Trink hopped off the chair grinned at the old gentlemen, "I'll take care of the boy for you, I need to have a talk with him anyway." then Trink followed after Brand. "Yoo, boy, wait for me." Called Trink, Brand turned around and glared at the elf, "What are you doing? Trink, go back to Kat and Bitsy." Trink gave Brand a sad look "your a mean one boy, why, our two girlys, they don't understand about the need for a good drink or a fine pretty." Brand just said "come on, then." and kept walking but Trink saw him slow down his long stride.

Hours later the twosome strolled none to steadily, into Brands Grandfathers, library. Trink was laughing and slapping his knee, "why I had no notion London town could be so entertaining, boy." Brand grinned at Trink. Brand rang for a footman then instructed him to bring 2 of their best bottles of brandy. After he had left Trink and Brand grinned at each other.

Casually Trink tossed in a mutter, "Rav's been looking for yea, keeps flying all over the lair sayin "Brand, Mine, Brand, Mine. Poor lil mit misses yea, but your prolly happy to get away, taken to puffin smoke at everyone he has, I don't wanna be there when he tries out a few flames or two." said Trink covering his beard. Brand grinned at Trink "looks like your about due for a trim, Trink." the two started laughing again.

Trink tossed in another mutter, "nice of Kat to bring our girly to London Town, why she deserves to have some fun, havin such a hard year and all, getting caught in storms, almost freezin off her little hiney, gettin in fights with witchs, bein raped and beaten almost to death, fixin Wind all up right and tight, you leavin cuz of your old gramps, yup its been a hard year all right." Trink took a long swig from the bottle he'd been holding onto and let what he muttered sink in.