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[http://users.livejournal.com/white_grin_/]

Date: December 11
Status: Public?
Setting: Just Outside the Manor
Summary: A pidgeon shows up with a note, which is strange--do people send things by carrier pidgeon anymore? (Aimed to Adam, anyone can find it, but the bird may give you problems.)


The day was peaceful, in the ever-perfect Tadfield, and the stillness went unbroken for a long time. And when it broke, it was in an entirely natural way. A flurry of wings sounded, and a pidgeon landed on one of the lower branches of a tree. It seemed tired, as if it had flown a very long way. There was a piece of paper attached to one of its legs with, of all things, a rubber band. It looked around the yard intelligently, as if searching for something or someone.

Comments

[average-adam.livejournal.com]

It had snowed lightly the night before - the first snow of winter - and Adam was determined to go out and see it. He'd spent far too much time cooped up inside recently and he needed to be outside and alone for a while. It was times like this when he really missed Dog, but it was for his own safety that he'd been left at home.

Bundling up warmly, he thought he'd take a walk around the grounds and see how the animals were handling the snowfall.

[http://users.livejournal.com/white_grin_/]

One animal, in fact, was handling the snowfall in an... interesting way. Or, at least, it seemed to be.

The pidgeon, still looking sharply around, eyes intelligent (if weary), spotted the young Antichrist as he stepped out the Manour doors. It gave a sharp coo of triumph, flapped its wings, and sped toward Adam, landing on the boy's shoulder and tugging lightly at his hair with its beak to get his attention.

Handling the snowfall strangely, indeed.

[average-adam.livejournal.com]

"Hallo," said Adam brightly to the pigeon on his shoulder. "Where did you come from?"

Then he noticed the message around its leg.

"Is this for me?"

Carefully picking the bird up, he gently removed the rubber band and unrolled the piece of paper to see what it said.

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Dear Messire Young, the message read,

My name is de Carabas. Skipping over the pleasant introductions, as I'm sure you can find out anything about me you like: I have heard that there is a... neutral house, under your jurisdiction, out in Lower Tadfield. I have reason to believe that I am in grave danger, and would ask you for sanctuary.

I would owe you a great deal, of course. You may put me to work in this safehouse, in any way you see fit. Added to that, I believe I would still owe you a significant favour.

If you accept my company, please give your response, written or verbal, to the pidgeon delivering this note. She is highly intelligent, even for her kind, and will know where to find me. If you decide not to offer help, I will not hold it against you in any way.

Cordially,
the marquis de Carabas

All of this written in a fancy, looping script. The pidgeon peered at the letter, then looked at Adam. It--she, apparently--waited patiently for some kind of response.

[average-adam.livejournal.com]

Adam read the note through twice and thought for a bit. The plea was not entirely unexpected, but it did open up some interesting possibilities. The man was no more dangerous than many others around the Manor and they really could use a new front desk person now that the Metatron had returned to Heaven for a while...

Making up his mind, he turned to the pigeon.

"Please tell the Marquis that he's welcome to come to Tadfield Manor. I have an easy job that he'll like, I think, and that work will pay for his room and board. I accept his offer of a favour and he'll be safe here. He can show up anytime."

Adam put a hand into his pocket and pulled out a handful of bird seed. Holding it up to the pigeon, he said, "Can you remember all of that, girl?"

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The pidgeon cooed in appreciation, and pecked at the seed. Then she fixed Adam with one bright eye, signaled that she understood with a bob of her head, and took of, wings making a whirring noise as she flew.