Fancy Livin' in a House Like This! (Carriere)

[Christine Lucinda Dallas]

Christine Lucinda Dallas, known to most as simply Lu, had arrived at the mansion, seemingly of her own volition. Fleeing the uncomfortable situation of a very bad fight with her best friend, Erik Gunner, Lu had galloped away on her black Arabian. A good hard ride always made her feel better. She had discovered the strange woods full of deciduous trees in the middle of the desert. Curious, she had entered the forest and made her way to the mansion. It was the largest house Lu had ever seen, gables and dormers and chimneys and all sorts of gingerbread and architectural wonders everywhere.

She sat upon Effie, her horse and looked up, a smile on her face. She was fascinated. Not only with the look of the place, but thinking perhaps there were people in the house who could be persuaded to part with a bit of their money or jewels. Lu patted her revolver. It was the best persuader she knew. Of course if she didn't have to use it all the better. She was a great pick pocket, the best. Gunner considered himself the best, but Lu knew he was wrong. He was only second best.

Lu dismounted and tied Effie to a hitching post outside. She would be back shortly, surely with loot and Effie and Lu would run as quickly as wildfire back home. Gunner would of course forgive her for the little spat they had earlier and he would be delighted over whatever loot she would bring back.

Lu walked to the large wooden door and pulled it open. She entered carefully and quietly, then stood and looked about the place. She was at the corner of the house, where two corridors met at a 90 degree angle. The house was as quiet as death and there was no one anywhere. that Lu could see.

Lu pushed her straight-brimmed hat off of her head so the hat was on her back and held with the leather tie about her neck. Her dark duster was worn to her ankles and her boots made a sound as the heels touched the stone floor as she walked. Otherwise all was silent. It was rather dark too. She noticed a lantern on the floor and she picked it up and lit it before continuing on. Suddenly she heard footfalls, not her own. She quickly blew out the lantern and stepped into a recessed doorway to see who was coming.

[Erik Carriere]

Erik was walking through the halls, it had occurred to him that he had never actually came or left through the front door to the manor. Nor had he ever gone to the village which he might do today as well if nothing else came up. So, he was going to the front to see what it looked like, did it have some sort of garden looking area like the doors that he went through that led him to the outside? He would find out.

As he was reaching the area before the doors, he saw from his hallway that a light of a candle or perhaps a lantern went out and then a figure hid. Erik frowned and thought that it was slightly ironic that someone should be hiding from him in the darkness when it was himself who usually would hide himself from others with the blanket of shadowing. He didn't care to see who it was, and he didn't need to. Just as long as the person had no intentions of placing any harm to anyone, he was fine. But just in case... he kept his hand tight around the hand of his cane which had a hidden sword inside.

He stopped just before the hallway ended and opened out into the room with the doors that lead to the front of the manor. He listened for a moment, there was a very quiet breathing. Erik's eyes scanned the darkness, only slowly becoming harder for him to not see in the darkness. "Bonjour? Pourriez-vous sortir, je promets que je ne vais pas te faire de mal." He spoke in French as he had done with all of the residents so he figured that even if this was a new Erik or Christine or whom ever it was that was new to the manor, they would understand him. But what came next wasn't exactly what he thought at all for this new comer, well, except for being a Christine.

[Christine Lucinda Dallas]

The footfalls Lu heard stopped very near the doorway in which she was concealed. She heard her own breath and then tried to stop breathing, but of course it didn't work. The man who stopped there, a very tall man, she could only see in shadow and just by peeking a tiny bit from the doorway. He seemed poised for action. Lu wished he would go on his way.

Then the man spoke. A very pleasant voice, she thought. But in French. She couldn't understand a word that he said. Knowing she was caught, she decided to say something. She came out into the half darkness and brought out the lantern. She lit it, all the while keeping an eye on the tall man. He wore a hat and cape,, and...was that a mask? A white mask ove rthe upper part of his face? After Lu had the lantern lit, she stared at him a bit. "Sorry," she said. "I don't speak them Frenchy words. You speak English? What is this place?"

Lu felt a bit awkward standing there with the lantern, staring at the tall man. He wore formal clothing and then the black cape, hat and white mask made him look even more impressive.

She decided to see if she could play on his sympathy. She really had no desire to pull out her gun and try to hold him up. She didn't know who else was in this place. And Lu was always careful. Her robberies were usually quite surreptitious. She had never been caught yet. And she had no intention of ever getting caught.

She hoped the Frenchman understood English. "So, Mister, I was hopin' I might stay here for the night. I bein' a bit lost myself. Then in the mornin', maybe I could find my way back home, with just a point in the right direction..."

[Erik Carriere]

Erik watched as the person came out of hiding, a lady in fact. She lit a lantern that she seemed to already have had and stared at his mask. He recoiled slightly inside. Erik hoped she would not have the curiosity to try and look underneath, and of course the stranger would not be able to persuade her, that was reserved for special occasions and persons.

Erik listened to her sweet voice apologize and then turned his head slightly, inquisitively, as she began to speak oddly in what he recognized as English. Well... he only knew that because he read it in books, of course, that was were most of his information came from. He did not yet speak since he was trying to piece together her words for a moment, he had never actually spoken to another in English and so his would probably be a tad bit rusty. But before he completely translated her words, she spoke again. It was English... and yet a version he didn't recognize and had a bit of trouble understanding but understood enough.

His eloquent voice soon spoke words in which she would understand, even if it were a bit more formal then her speech seemed to her. "Excuse me madam, if you do not mind me asking, where are you from? You of course may stay here for the night. Though I have a feeling that you will be staying here longer... I will explain if you wish me too. What is your name?" He rested his white gloved hands over the handle of his cane in front of him in a sort of rested position. Erik hadn't really gotten any enemies yet, though perhaps the Vicomte could be placed under that. He watched her carefully with inquisitive and pleasant looking eyes, giving a sense of strictness and yet a flowing gracefulness and dream likeness.

[Christine Lucinda Dallas]

The tall man had an eloquent voice and he finally spoke in English, albeit with a French accent. But she understood him. She was rather fascinated with his eyes. They were blue and kind looking. But the skin around them was darkened, as were his eye lids. It was rather striking. She wondered why he wore the mask. Perhaps the rest of his face was discoloured. Whatever it was couldn't be as bad as Gunner, who had hardly any flesh on the bottom part of his face. And whatever it was, would certainly not upset Lu. She had seen many things that would frighten most other ladies.

This man looked like some sort of rich, fancy fellow. His shirt had ruffles at the neck and the cuffs. She liked his looks. She smiled. "So I can stay the night? That's real good of you, Mister. You can call me Lu, Lu Dallas. Short for Christine Lucinda Dallas. Them words is a mouthful, ain't they?"

The she realized he had said, I have a feeling that you will be staying here longer... I will explain if you wish me to... She frowned andlooked down at th e floor thoughtfully. "Yeah, you better tell me what you mean by that. I want to be back home by t'morra....got someone waitin' fer me."

His question about where she was from stumped her. She was from right here, where they were. Not the mansion of course, but the Arizona territory. She narrowed her eyes a bit and looked at him. "Where you think I'm from, Mister? A better question might be, where are you from? You're French, ain't you? So what're you doin' here then?"

"If you mean how did I get to this place, I don't rightly know. I was ridin' west, and believe you me, I know this country like the back of my hand. But there was that woods, with all them trees what don't belong out here on the desert." She smiled and gestured by tapping her temple. "I decided to investigate."

"So," she said. "Where do I sleep? I'm gettin' mighty tired." She put her hand over her mouth to stifle a fake yawn which turned into a real one.

[Erik Carriere]

"Of course you may stay the night, madam. It is also a pleasure to meet you Lu." He spoke gently and bowed his head a bit towards her. Yes, a Christine, he was correct. Of course, he had only met only one other woman here who was not named Christine. Of course there were others who were not named Christie but he had yet the chance to encounter them.

She then told him that he should explain, at which he nodded and rested himself against the wall a bit. "You probably wont be back... by tomorrow. None of us has gotten to go home since coming here. As for the someone waiting for you, they will probably come here as well." He started off quietly. It was hard to explain without sounding absolutely strange. Then again, everything here was absolutely strange, he had gotten use to the craziness though. She looked confused and then asked where he thought she was from. She also didn't know how she had quite gotten to the manor.

Erik nodded. "None of us understand how we got here. All I have talked to, they came in very strange and unexplainable way. I came here when I had accidentally fallen asleep. Then I woke up here. For a very long time I believed this all to be a very strange, and unusual detailed, dream. But when months pass and many... events... occur, that doesn't tend to be an option anymore. One thing many of us has learned to accept here is that... this... this may be our new reality. Whatever this reality is..." He said, with his eyes cast down, looking off as if there was something important beyond the floor. He then blinked and shook his head slightly then looked back at Lu. "Is there anyone you usually stay with?" He asked, in case she didn't have a room in the dorms, perhaps she would have to stay with her Erik, whoever that may be if he is here.

[Christine Lucinda Dallas]

The tall man was very polite and his voice was gentle. Lu liked him. "So, I told you my name, Mister...what's yours?"

Then he said she would probably not be back by tomorrow. Lu laughed. "It's only a short run from where I was staying. Won't take me more than an hour or so by daylight to ride back." She smiled and said in a teasing tone, "You underestimate me, Mister." But then the tall man went on to say that none of the rest could go home either. "What? That don't make sense...and it ain't fair, neither..." She thought at first he was joking, butt he seemed dead serious. He intimated that perhaps Gunner may show up here too. "Well, that wouldn't be half bad if Gunner'd show up here...." She paused. "Gunner, he's my best friend. We're like this..." She entwined two of her fingers about each other to illustrate that they were the best of friends.

Then the man related his own story of how he had arrived. He seemed to be compoletely truthful and sincere. Lu was a bit taken aback when he told her that the mansion was their new reality... In answer to his question, she said, "Yeah Gunner an' me...like I said, we're the best of friends. I 'spect we'll be gettin' married one of these days..."

Lu shuffled her feet a bit. She didn't want to be pushy, but she really was becoming tired. "Ah, Mister, could you get me a room here that I can stay in tonight? I'll pay whoever is the proprietor...but I really need a bit o' shut-eye..." Lu had started to think that perhaps this was a hotel and that this man probably was wrong about not b eing able to leave. He must be mistaken....

[Erik Carriere]

"Ah." He said shortly then bowed himself slightly towards her. "I am Erik Carriere. However, you may call me Carriere. You'll see that there is quite the abundance of Eriks here... I've almost stopped responding to my first name for being called Carriere for the most part." He said smirking a bit. She told him that it was only a short run from where she was standing. He shook his head slightly.

"I am afraid miss Lu, I do not underestimate you at all. You see... did you notice anything strange on your ride here? Perhaps a change in scenery... quick change of weather... something out of place? And I must agree with you completely, none of it makes any sense. However, that is the way it is here." He then nodded, slightly confused by her gesture when speaking of 'Gunner'. She then went on to say that they would be getting married some day. He smiled slightly. "I am sure your gentlemen will be arriving sometime soon." Erik said with a slight smile.

Erik then nodded. "I apologize for keeping you waiting. Must not keep women from their beauty sleep unless they would be chewed out." He said smiling. "This way miss Lu." Erik said starting to lead her. "Oh and there will be no one that you will need to pay... everyone has their own rooms here. Unless of course you want to give away your money." He chuckled slightly. They then when up a spiral staircase, down several halls, up another staircase, though a few more halls, until finally they came to halls that had many doors on them with name plates on each. Erik then searched the name plates, passing familiar first names, and so on. Until he came upon her door. "Miss Lu, I presume this is your room." He said smiling.

[Christine Lucinda Dallas]

The tall man bowed and said his name was Erik Carrière but that Lu should call him by his last name. Lu looked surprised when he said that his first name was Erik. "Ain't that a coincidence! Gunner, his first name is Erik too..." She giggled at his reference to all the Eriks."An abundance of Eriks? That's the funniest thing I ever did hear!"

" Well Mr. Carrière, it's mighty nice of you to be so hospitable." Then he asked if anything looked strange on the way to the mansion. She thought a moment. "Yeah, sure did. I was ridin' away from our house, you see, me an' Gunner, we had a little spat tonight. I was just out for a ride. Anyway, I was ridin' in the desert and you know ain't nothin' grows in the desert save some scrub and the cacti and some yucca, but nothin' like a real tree. When, of a sudden, I see this here ... forest. With all the trees what grow in the places what have a lot of rainfall. I was sufprised and I went in. After ridin' through it for quite a spell, I saw this mansion. And well, here I am!" She smiled, shrugged and tipped her palms upward to indicate puzzlement.

When he mentioned beauty sleep, she decided to pull his proverbial leg a bit. "Oh Mr. Carrière, does that mean you think I'm beautiful?" she teased, flirting slightly with a wink of her eye. Carrière started on his way to take her to the dormitories and it was quite the distance, long halls and two staircases..."Whoa, give a lady a workout, Mr. Carrière, don't you?" She giggled, to let him know she was teasing again.

Finally they came to the dormitory area and the tall man walked in front of her and looked at all the doors and the names on them. "There are a lotta Christines, ain't they?" mused Lu. Then he pointed out one of them. Lu's brown eyes opened up in surprise. She had expected a guest room, not a room of her own with her name on it...the engraved sign on the door said, Christine Lucinda Dallas... She touched her finger over it gently, as if not believing the words. "Yeah, that's my name all right...this means it's my room? So...why does a room I'm only staing in one night have my name on it?"

Thoroughly confused, Lu put her hand on the doorknob, then turned to Carrière. "Is it okay if I go in?"

[Erik Carriere]

Erik was completely unsurprised that her Gunner fellow was also named Erik. He then chuckled when she said that an 'abundance of Eriks' was the funniest thing she had ever heard. "Quite. I don't think it happens often, and especially if it were not without coincidence." And he fully believed that them all being here was the last thing related to coincidence. His father believed in it sometimes, but he certainly did not.

As she explained what went strange on her ride, she said 'you know how nothing grows in the desert', he was quite close to saying, 'No, I wouldn't know', except from what he read in books and he hadn't read much on the desert in his books. He preferred books with forests and oceans. She then explained how the forest popped up out of nowhere and she rode into the manor. "Interesting... I heard that quite a few of us came here through our sleep, including myself. A few of us walked through a door way and was suddenly in another place, being the manor."

He chuckled at Lu's amusement when she teased him, and he realized it. "Yes, and your quite the interesting beauty I must say." Erik said, mostly thinking of her personality and the way she spoke. And as the took the long walk, she joked about how it tired her some. "Well, perhaps it will make it easier for you to fall asleep. He said, laughing a little since it was actually difficult for him to sleep the first night he was here even though he had been extremely tired. When they got to the dorms, she commented on the many names of Christines. He laughed and thought of how many Christines he had heard of and knew. "Yes, more than I ever thought I would know of in my lifetime."

Lu asked why she had a room of her own if she was going to be staying only one night. "No one knows of a way to stay here only one night. Otherwise I would have left quite a while ago. However, if you do find a way to get home, I would gladly like to know the secret. And I am sure many others here would like to know also. But, for now, you will be staying as long as you need to till you do find a way. She then asked if she could go in and he inclined his head a bit and a sweep of his hand towards the door and replied. "Of course, Mademoiselle." He stayed outside of the door as Lu entered her room. The room held such a style that he had never seen before. He also was enjoying the expression of surprise and wondered if it was the same look he had when Lenoir showed Erik to hid domain for the first time.

[Christine Lucinda Dallas]

Lu was liking this Erik Carrière a lot. He seemed to have a sense of humour and he seemed pretty handsome too. Of course he was wearing the mask and she knew from experience that someone who wore a mask or kerchief over their face probably was not overly handsome, taking Gunner for example. But she didn't care about that.

He spoke about how some of the others had arrived here. And then came the surprise when Lu had come upon the door with her name engraved upon it and he had said that some people seemed to have a hard time finding their way out of the mansion. At that she gave him a puzzled glance. "Why don't they use the front door?" But then she wondered if he meant someting else.

However, those thoughts were put aside when she opened the door. It was a perfect replica of her rooms in the little house she had grown up in, back in Arizona. She was taken back for a moment and could almost see her mother Effie standing in the doorway calling Lu for dinner. Come, Lucinda, before it gets cold.. She almost expected to go through the doorway into the other room across from the main door way and see her father Tumbleweed sitting at the table and smiling at her, C'mon, Lu, eat yore vittles. Yer mother's outdone her self as usual...

She snapped back to reality then and looked about the room in wonder. There was her dresser with a big mirror and the cornstalk doll that Effie had made for her. There was her father's Winchester mounted above the doorway. A treasured photograph of the family was framed on the wall. The closet door was open and showed some of t he clothing Lu had not seen for years, since she had had to sell the ranch at Tumbleweed's passing. Her fur boots were there, as were several other outfits with trousers, including a bolero outfit. And her beloved Victorian dresses, complete with hats in boxes and shoes. She hadn't seen those for a while either except one of them she had kept at Gunner's home.

It was perfect even to the dark Victorian wallpaper she had begged Tumbleweed to put in her bedroom as a child. The four poster bed with its pretty quilt stood there looking comfortable. "Oh, Mister Carrière, how did they know how our house looked? How did they know?" She turned to him and smiled, as if it were all his doing. She grabbed his hand and shook it, then planted a small kiss on the cheek of his mask. "Oh, hope you don't mind that, but I just can't git over it...them people sure did a good job of findin' me a room!" She beamed happily.

[Erik Carriere]

Erik laughed when Lu asked why they didn't just use the front door. As much as this lady was strange to him and had a rather confusing accent, he liked some of her answers. She was interesting enough and did seem pleasant. "Its not quite as simple as that, though yes, many have left the manor through the doors but I haven't heard of any of us going beyond the village."

Erik then smirked when Lu opened the door and was surprised at the room being a replica, or what he assumed to be the replica of her own room. It was definitely an interesting looking room, it had a theme that he had never seen in his life. Then again, he hadn't yet gotten around much, though he new it was a western themed room from what he could remember from books and paintings. He could tell from the look on her face that he might have had a similar expression in his eyes, the look of wonder, at the resemblance of rooms.

Erik smirked and looked down slightly when she asked how they new. "Well if I kn-" He was suddenly caught off guard when she took and shook his hand then planted a kiss upon the mask of where his cheek would be. For a moment he was stunned, the only lady he had been kissed by was from his own Christine. As there were more variety of Christines, they came a more variety of mannerisms which he was having the... luck... of getting to acquaintance himself with. Unless many people acted like this and he just wouldn't know because he lived under an opera house for nearly all his life. Erik chuckled some. "It is alright, mademoiselle. I am glad to see you are happy with your accommodations."