Obscurity, The Twenty-Fifth Chapter
In which the territory faces unrest.
e last read The Twenty-Fourth Chapter, in which a young debutante celebrated her engagement. If you have recently joined us, start with The Prologue.

In those days, the most savant thing one could do, was attend a salon in the home of some grande dame or other, and this particular salon was hosted by the Veuve St. Vincent. Not a single calling card from that woman went unanswered, so lustful were their recipients of being granted access to her most secretive lair—and they were certainly not disappointed by her ornamental aesthetic.
The black brocade walls were adorned with green embroidered silk curtains, and the most decadent chandelier glowed with the light of a hundred candles sending a scattering of jeweled light about the room. They sat in blue velvet chairs, overlooking a most overgrown courtyard, their gloved hands holding coups of champagne and aged cheeses marbled to antiquity, as the jungle tipped into the windowpanes from below.
Hand painted playing cards sat upon small marble tables, as well as gold gilded decks they could not recognize. A clock with hands of emerald ticked silently against its face of pearl. Butterflies were trapped in crystal decanters, from which the servants poured the most beautiful libations. Guests held green silk napkins in their laps and ate food so beautiful it was as though they were eating jewels with forks of gold.
Small drizzles of tobacco smoke warmed the air with a most delicious scent, while unlabeled bottles of orange liqueur sloshed merrily into their glasses, and yet the widow was the most exquisite portrait among them. Draped in blue velvet, the most astonishing shade they had yet to see slip from beneath her layers of black outerwear, there were a string of sapphires wrapped about her waist and layers of amber agate around her neck. Her dark hair was brushed delicately into pearl combs and her lips were like rubies—her eyes kindling blue as though they were far away oceans crashing against tepid glass.
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