Of Tea...and Things

Riding to Hounds

In precisely the perfect amount of time, the journey was completed and the ladies descended from the vehicle, resplendent in their hunting finery. They found themselves in a clearing of that bizarre wood wherein all places looked exactly the same and in which even all times seemed to be quite alike. The coach vanished but a pair of servants met them, holding the heads of the finest hunters my Lady Iris had ever beheld, though the beasts were still as statues, never stamping at flies, pawing in impatience, or idly reaching for some leaf or blade of grass. The servants were likewise impervious to all that passed around them, never blinking, glancing about impatiently, without any itching, twitching, or shifting weight nervously from one leg to the other, causing Iris to surmise that all four of the creatures were nothing more than mindless phantoms, much like her coach and entourage must certainly be. There was a glimmer of knowing amusement in the eyes of that rascally Aunt but nothing else to betray her vast mirth at the continuing discoveries of her protégé.

The moment the coach vanished and they approached their waiting mounts, the hitherto silent clearing was suddenly alive with color, excitement, noise, and energy as the rest of the hunting party appeared. Iris recognized the Fairy Queen immediately as they exchanged polite smiles that never touched their eyes. Our Lady exchanged a polite nod with an exquisitely pale woman in rather outlandish clothes, even for a panoply containing the very Queen of the Fairies, who studied Miss Iris and the aforementioned Aunt with a quizzically wrinkled brow for a moment, before nodding to herself and muttering, "the Bloodless," under her breath, but not too quietly for the strange ears of her perplexing companions to pick up.

"A Vampiress," said Aunt Mildred in explanation.

There were several other ladies of varying species and races, each bedecked in whatever was considered the height of hunting fashion amongst their particular people, much of which was quite incomprehensible to our heroine but seemed to satisfy the person in question, much as a wealthy dowager is allowed to content herself with her own fashionable whims, regardless of what Society as a whole considers right and proper for all and sundry, so Miss Iris did the very proper thing and let it all pass without question or comment. Soon the hounds and various servants arrived to begin the pursuit in earnest, and amongst that noisy throng was yet another lady, this one frolicking amongst the varied dogs and dog-like beasts assembled for the hunt. "A Werewolf," remarked Miss Mildred in explanation, "and the final addition to our party. You'll be off soon."

"You aren't coming with me?!" exclaimed the girl.

Mildred smiled, "we chaperones aren't allowed on such excursions, dear, it wouldn't be proper, or fair, as you can see there is only one huntress representing each particular kindred or race."

"Quite," agreed the nonplussed hunter, for there was nothing else to say, for at that very moment a horn blew somewhere amongst the throng and they galloped off into the perpetual mist and gloom of the forest, Miss Iris musing that she never did get around to asking what exactly their particular quarry was, but knowing that what or whomever it might be, she'd know what she must when she must. The whole party scattered like a flushed covey of grouse into pairs and trios as the horn sounded.

Miss Iris had no time for further introspection as she found herself galloping madly beside a widely grinning female of the Vampire persuasion, said the pale lady with a great laugh, "so you've slipped the fetters of your spinster chaperone have you?"

"Something like that," smiled Iris in spite of herself, "she said it wasn't quite the thing for her to accompany me on this little foray. This is my first hunt, so please forgive my ignorance, but what are we pursuing?"

"Trespassers," said the pallid maid in ravenous glee, "there is at least one mortal abroad in the Wood and his blood rightfully belongs to the first to catch him."