It's a long way down to the bottom of the river

[Christine Daye]

Christine meets her guests in the lobby of the theatre, after her performance is done and the audience leaves. The lobby is a large space, gilt and scarlet, with wide stairs up to the balcony, and several sets of double doors to the stalls. But she doesn't take her guest that way, instead to a set of stairs less decorated, obviously not for public use, behind a door tucked beside the box office counters.

Up these stairs, and into a large, yet comfortable office. There's a writing desk, well used, covered in books and papers. Old posters of previous shows decorate the walls, or at least those portions of walls not covered by packed bookcases full of musical scores, scripts and the other detritus and paraphernalia of the theatre. A bust of Shakespeare sits on one shelf, a gilt crown at a jaunty angle on his head. A Venetian carnivale mask in reds and greens and gold lies next to an abandoned, stripey, solitary, knitted sock, next to a gilt goblet, too large to be lifted in anything other than both hands.

Perhaps more importantly for the guests, is the meeting table, around which is set several comfortably stuffed, if slightly threadbare, chairs.

Christine ushers her guests in. She's bright eyed and manic, still dressed in her performance gown of green and crystal. She's fairly shivering with excitement, the crystals catching the light and refracting it, sending rainbow sparkles against the walls and the books.

She talks at a rate of knots, barely pausing for breath.

"...oh... come in.. come in... please.. make yourself comfortable.. if there's anything that I can fetch for you... then please just let me know... I hope the room is agreeable... it's where we meet investors and playwrights and sponsors and the like... businesslike without being too fussy... one must show a sensible head in this business as well as a fantastical one... it is how Maestra and I work so well together... she has the sensible head... and I... well... " she giggles "... thank you so much for coming! I do so very much appreciate it! It's quite troublesome... all this business... it's noisy enough in my head at the best of times.. but now... to have... well... I'm not entirely sure what it is I have to be brutally honest with you... I do hope you can help! ...oh... and isn't is wonderful news about Mr Dukes? I've not spoken much to him, I'm afraid... but he was very kind when I went to his seances... and Blodwen liked him... and trust me... I don't let just anyone touch Blodwen! She is special... too delicate for most people... they don't know how to hold her... you see? ...but yes... excellent news... I'm sure that he shall make a wonderful sheriff... though I do worry for poor Mr Jackdaw... all this changing of positions is not good for him... or me! I find myself terribly confused by who is what at the moment!"

She giggles again, completely manic.

"...but then I am often confused... so I would not pay any attention to that if I were you... please... sit... make yourselves comfortable and tell me how I may be of service..."

[eponine]

Epi takes her, brushes off her skirt and then looks up, after many a conversation with Christine she almost doesn't notice her fast paced and manic conversation, nowadays managing to follow almost all of it.

"Thank you for meeting with us Miss Daye, I hope you do not mind if I attend, as well as you being a friend of mine I would also make a good learning opportunity for me." she looks at Albert and smiles and the vibrant fiery eyes that only he knows the meaning of appear for a brief second before she looks back at Christine. "Perhaps you could tell us a little about Egypt, as an overall venture and what the aim, who went, and the length of time you were gone to begin with to give us an idea of what you may have encountered."

[Christine Daye]

Christine folds her hands meekly in her lap as she sits.

"Well, first we went on a boat and there was pina coladas and Katherine got drunk and kissed Miroslav... no... that was after she fell overboard.... and then there was the mermaids... they came for pina coladas too... and Miroslav and Matthias got drunk and were dancing... and then there was Lunaris looking for secret passageways on the ship, even though I told him that the ship's resonance frequency was Bflat and you only get secret passages with the naturals... and we got to Cairo and went shopping and I married Lunaris... but not really... and anyway I was only second wife... and we didn't kiss... because that would have been reeeeeeeaaallly awkward... and a bit eeeeewwww.... besides Argos would have objected... have you me Argos? He's Constance's dog... very friendly... hardly eats people at all... oh and I forgot.... Jackdaw impaled Verity... but that's alright because Verity liked it... and then Katherine got all jealous... and tried to knee Lunaris in the unmentionables... and that was after she fell overboard... lucky she didn't get eaten by the mermaids... oh and we met Sobek... an Egyptian god... and the cats... they didn't like me... but niether did the camels... but they're a bit smelly... and the Prince of Cairo was simply lovely! And so was the Prince of Alexandria... and I met a djinn.... was that in Cairo or Alexandria? I forget... and then I fell in the river and got flayed by a demon... it was quite horrible..."

She smiles brightly.

[eponine]

Epi smiles "It sounds a very eventful adventure! so what was the purpose for the voyage?"

[Christine Daye]

Christine blinks in surprise.

"...oh... to get to Egypt, of course!"

[eponine]

Epi nods slightly.

"Why go to Egypt?"

[Christine Daye]

"Princess Ionna of Alexandria is very fond of the harp."

Christine says this like it should be blatantly obvious.

[eponine]

Epi bows her head slightly as though to as 'of course'.

"Forgive my ignorance I am not as knowledgeable of the musical circles as you. When did you first notice the voice?"

[Christine Daye]

"...the voice? .... you mean the extra soul?"

Christine pulls a face as she thinks.

"...well, it was after we got home... I first noticed it when I was practicing... one of my harp studies by Albioni... it's quite tricky... some quite fiendish demisemiquaver runs... and I... just felt it... in the back of my mind... it tickled... and Bleithneyria and Fionnuisce are really not happy! "

She looks cross.

"I was so hoping that this would be an easy fix... that you would already have a ritual to hand... ah well..."

She sighs melodramatically.

[eponine]

"I empathise with your frustration Miss Daye but we need to understand all the facts and if possible the source if we are to do anything and possibly do some research before we can pursue any avenue, the mind is a delicate thing, and yours in particular if I may by so bold, understand I do not wish to offend you but I do not think the other ladies in your head if I went investigating without full understanding, I remember all too well what happened last time I tried to do it.."