Hellfire Gala: Is this really a good idea?

[The Sleuth]

OOC: Steph, not sure what condition Alice is in at this point, so I will be intentionally vague!--K

IC:

Rhys was not thrilled about going to this Hellfire party one bit. Things had been crazy enough since they started to piece together what Stefania and her family had done to them, so being in any room with members of the Priest family was a bit more than he could stand.

"Ruarc, are you sure Riordan is going to this as well? Why?" Rhys asked as he smoked on his pipe.

"Alice will bop you on the head about that," Ruarc replied as he waved his hand and made the pipe vanish. "Not good for her or the baby. Think before you puff, brother dear. And Danny told me those Hellfire twits want some sort of Hollywood glamour and star power in their midst. Michael the Maniac invited him personally."

"Then it must be a trap!" Rhys sputtered as he watched Artie Dastan walk in. "I take it the ladies will be down shortly?"

"Artie, I hope Greece was fun," Ruarc said with a wink. "At least for your sister. I hear she ran into Lord Byron. You must have been thrilled."

[Magnifique]

"Rhys, are you smoking again?"  Alice called down as she walked down the stairs.  Usually she didn't mind if he smoked, but with the baby coming soon, it wasn't a good idea at all.  "Go outside if you're going to do that!"  she said, finally stepping into the living room.

Ruarc gave her smile and she realized that he had already taken care of the problem.  "Thank you, Ruarc.  Lily and Kelsey are still getting ready.  Lily is freaking out because she thinks that she's going to look to goth and Kelsey is freaking out because her hair isn't curling.  I couldn't take it anymore... Plus I feel like a whale in this dress!"  She shook her head and then laughed.  "Oh, dear ... Now I'm the one complaining."

She wobbled over and leaned up again the wall.  "I feel like if I sit down, I won't be able to get back up again.  Oh, I don't even know why I'm going to this party!  Everyone is going to stare at me.  I'm as big as a barn and I feel like I've been pregnant for years..."  she said through a fit of tears.

[The Sleuth]

"Frankly, darling, I would not mind staying home," Rhys said as he made sure to tuck his pipe far away from Alice. "And you look magnificent, as you always do. And if anyone says a cross word to you..."

"We'll all level them," Ruarc said as he smiled at his sister-in-law. "Rhiannon, Joe and Tessa should be here any minute. Do you want Rhiannon to check on the ladies when she gets here, Alice? And no, Artie, you going up there will only make Kelsey more nervous."

"Truly, Alice, if this is making you a bit vexed, we can send Ruarc with the checkbook so he can make that donation Michael Priest is so looking forward to," Rhys added as he shook his head. "And I'm sorry, darling. I wasn't thinking before about the pipe. Something about this just feels a tad off to me."

[Magnifique]

"No, no..." Alice said, trying to regain her composure.  "We should be there.  I'm sure once I get moving I'll be fine."  Alice wiped away the last of her tears and then forced a smile.

All eyes were on her, wondering if she was truly okay.  "I'm fine," she said sternly.  

"Knock, knock," Joe said as he knocked on the screen door and then opened it up.  He held the door for Rhiannon and Tessa to go through first.  "So, are we all set for the party.  Alice?  Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Joe," Alice replied.  "Hormones, nothing more."

"It'll be soon, Alice," Joe said with a smile, giving her a hug.  "Pretty soon, you'll have your baby.  Rhys will finally get that boy he always wanted.  Hopefully he want have his father's demenor though," he said with a chuckle.

"Very true," Alice agreed and then smirked at her husband.  "Rhiannon, Tessa you both look beautiful tonight."

[Watson]

Joe pulled his pocket watch out that was tucked inside his vest and looked at it.  "We had better get going, shouldn't we?"

"We're still waiting on Kelsey, Lily, and Shanae," Alice said as she placed her hand on her belly.

Joe sighed, he could be ready at the drop of a hat; he just couldn't understand why women took so long.  "Well, at least if we are a bit late we'll miss the media circus."  He smiled as he looked at Tessa; he still couldn't believe that she was his and Rhiannon's daughter from another reality.  "Are you ready for this, darling?" he asked her.

Tessa nodded.  "I think so.  I wish Riley and the Doctor were coming us also.  I mean, I understand why Riley won't come but the Doctor ... he had turned down my invite," she said with a bit of sadness in her voice.

Joe looked over at Rhiannon, they were both still trying to figure out of the Doctor was Tessa's boyfriend or just her friend.  They both felt a bit odd asking her out right though.  "I'm sure he wanted to come, you said he was a busy man though.  We won't stay long tonight if you want to get home, Tessa."

"I'm sure I'll be fine," Tessa replied.

"You'll be with Kelsey and Shanae also.  You'll have fun with them," Alice added.

Joe nodded in agreement and then looked over at Rhys.  "So did you hear?"  Rhys gave him a puzzled look, and Joe sighed.  He obviously didn't know.  "I don't like to be the harbinger of bad news but I heard that the Radelecsu's will be there tonight.  Sorry, but I thought you should know before you see Stefania and Val hobnobbing with the other socialites."

[The Sleuth]

Rhys' eyes seemed to pop out of his head at the mention of that name. "That settles it then. Alice, you and I will stay right here. I am not, repeat not going to set foot anywhere that Stefania is lurking. I will not risk you or the baby."

"Rhys, don't you want to, oh, I don't know, smack Stefania into the next dimension for what she did?" Ruarc asked as Rhys glared at him. "Fine. I can do that. You can watch."

"To be honest, I really don't think any of us should go now. Kelsey, Shanae and Tessa do not need to be in the middle of this mess," Rhys continued as he watched Rhiannon move closer to Alice. "Don't you agree, Rhi?"

"Thank you for the compliment, Alice, and you look wonderful as well," Rhiannon replied as she looked back at her oldest brother and shook her head. "I don't know what to think about the Radelecsus. I just wish they go back to their homes and leave us all in peace. Joe, do you think we should avoid this party now? Alice, maybe we should leave this decision in your hands. Your health and the health of the baby are all that matter. Ruarc can pound on Stefania and her brother another night."


 

[adora]

"Did I hear that right?  Stefania and her family are going to be at the HF?"  Kelsey said as she walked down the stairs with Lily and Shanae.  The Radelescus had made a mess of everything in her life recently.  She crossed her arms and shook her head with a scowl scrawling across her face.  "I think we should stay here."  

Alice huffed a bit.  She didn't want to particularly see Stefania ever again but she did want to go to the gala.  "I think we should go," she said looking at Rhys.  He gave her that wide eyed 'no' look and shook his head back and forth slowly.

"Rhys is right, Alice.  We should stay put for the evening," Joe nodded in a agreement.  

"Mom, think of the baby.  Stefania will try something crazy again," Kelsey added.

"Do you really think she'd try something with everyone around?"  Alice said looking at Rhys.

"I think we should go," Lily said looking at Rhys and then to Ruarc then back to Rhys.  "If she is stupid enough to try anything we'd all be there to protect Alice."

Alice nodded.  "I'll be fine.  Please don't worry about me. We should all just go and try to have a nice time."

[The Sleuth]

Rhys was beyond words about this whole event by this point.  He did not want Alice in the line of fire if Stefania and her nitwit brother did show up, but with the sheer numbers they were bringing along, keeping Alice safe would be much easier.

"We will go, but..." Rhys started to say as he looked back toward Ruarc and Rhiannon, "if Stefania is there, one of us will portal you home, Alice. I do not want her anywhere near you."

"Let's get going then," Rhiannon said as she took Joe's arm. "Are Riley and Edward coming along?"

"Here," Edward said as he came running down the stairs. "Riley took a pass. And I probably won't stay long. I promised Branan I'd go for a bit."

"Then we should get going," Rhys said as he took Alice's arm, opening a portal so they could get to the Hellfire Mansion before the party was over. "And I thought you called him Dad, Edward."

TBC this group in the Willkommen thread at the Hellfire Mansion

Thread closed