Subj: Together We Stand-7
Date: 7/10/00 1:22:33 AM Central Daylight Time
From: Julianka
It was a solemn group that assembled the next evening at the Old House. "What shall we do Professor?" Quentin asked.
"Will this table work?" Barnabas indicated a large roud oak table.
"Admirably Barnabas. Chris, Quentin, if you will gather the chairs, we will begin," Eliot stated as he lighted a single candle and placed it in the center of the table. "Everyone, please be seated. Our hands must join." As he clasped Elizabeth's hand in a firm grip, he felt her fingers tighten on his own. Holding up their interlocked hands as an example, he said, "Usually, only fingers must touch and form a circle. But this will be a circle of strength in unity. For tonight, we make a pact. A pledge to free this family of a curse."
As Eliot looked around the table, one by one in turn they clasped hands. Carolyn held her mother's other hand, Chris took Carolyn's right sat Julia, then Roger, Quentin, Maggie, and last of all Barnabas on Eliot's left. The circle was complete. Eliot felt stronger, as if though physically touching joined them spiritually.
"No matter what happens, the circle must not be broken!" Eliot continued, "First, I will call on Alexandry Romanoff. You all must concentrate on Alexandry." "Spirits of the Dead pay heed! I call upon one among you who was foully slain by CountAndreas Petoffi. Petoffi murdered, by one mean or another, a great member of you. And yet, by some devil's bargain, still lives and breathes. Alexandry Romanoff, come forward now, speak to us, we who gather to avenge you and all the others and to abolish the curse two of our number suffers under!"
Slowly a white mist began to form. A tall dark man appeared and walked to the table.
"You was smart to call Alexandry first Professor Eliot Stokes," Alexandry commented.
"You know my name?" Eliot asked.
"Yah, I know you, Alexandry knows all off you, even though I didn't in life. In death, all is revealed! Christopher Jennings, you became the wolf before I finished telling you what you gotta know. Petoffi is close. In two nights he will be at Collinwood. That gadje don't know as much as he thinks he knows. He got the power and the skill, but he got no understanding. He won't recognize anything different than himself. He don't see anything but Petoffi. But there is powers bigger and more powerful than him. Laws and rules that govern even the spirits. That Petoffi, he think he can bend those laws, break the rules. but he don't see the price he gotta pay for his arrogance. It's coming time to pay the piper! Professor Eliot Stokes is correct. You gotta stand together. In two nights, call on Alexandry again at Collinwood. Be strong, be united, and we gonna get that Petoffi."
Alexandry spat, and he was gone.
"Mother, can this be happening?! This can't be real!" cried Carolyn as Liz consoled her.
Barnabas patted a trembling Maggie, "I feared this
would be too much for you and Carolyn. How I wish I
could spare you this!"
"None of us want to go through this Barnabas, we don't have much choice!" Quentin snapped. "We have a chance to do away with the curse forever. I would walk through hell naked with my hair on fire if it would get rid of this curse!"
"Really! Quentin, this is no time to be flip!" Roger snarled.
"Roger, Quentin, remember the seriousness of the situation! No bickering. We must cooperate with each other!" Elizabeth admonished.
Quentin, looking chagrined, motioned Roger to the sideboard. Pouring two brandies he said, "Roger, I understand that you have mixed emotions concerning me. In the original time line, I almost cost you your son's life, drove you out of Collinwood, and destroyed the family. But Roger, that Quentin isn't me. That Quentin was someone else. Someone who does not exist anymore!"
Roger dropped his head while Quentin was speaking, then leveled his gaze with Quentin's as he replied, "I understand Quentin. I'm trying to take it all in." Holding out his hand, he said, "I will remember what you meant to the family since you came back."
Clasping Roger's hand in a frim handshake, Quentin's eyes shown with happy acceptance.
Carolyn, putting her arms around Roger, happily said, "Uncle Roger, I'm proud of you!"
"Well Kitten, we've had ghosts, murderers, skinflints, and one or two psychopaths. What's a werewolf compared to that!" Roger scoffed.
This set off a fit of giggles through the room. Julia, snorting through her nose at the look on Eliot's face said, "Eliot, sometimes when people are under tremendous strain, laughter is the best medicine!"
Raising his eyebrows, he replied, "I am quite aware of that fact Julia. I am simply in awe of how quickly this family came together, and was able to face reality, bizarre as it is."
"Wonderful, isn't it?" Quentin said, joining them by the fire. "That's what keeps me coming back. Even when we could cheerfully rip each other's throats out, we turn a united front to the rest of the world."
"I'ts been a very stressful evening. I suggest that we all get some sleep. We will need all the strength that we can muster for the coming ordeal," Eliot stated.
"You're right of course, Eliot," Barnabas said as he placed a tray of fluted crystal glasses on the table beside a silver ice bucket containing a magnum of champagne. "But first, I think that we should toast the bride and groom! Let us not forget, we have cause to celebrate. Our family is far the better with the addition of you two to our ranks! Congratulations Elizabeth and Eliot!"
"Hear, hear!" Roger toasted.
And so, the evening that had begun in tension, ended in joy.
To be Continued . . .