Madalina and Vianola approached quickly, and the smaller woman settled into the chair that Vianola pulled out for her. She seemed energized, ready to talk about what they'd found. Pelleas nodded to her as they took out their case notebook.
"Go on then," They said, "You seem like you've got information."
"I do." Madalina said softly, with a small sigh.
"Vianola and I went to the maid's house. She said the fire started on the first floor, and that she saw someone walking around in the perimeter before she left. They were tall, and wearing a hat."
"Did she say what kind of hat?" Pelleas asked, scribbling the information down quickly.
"She said it was a newsboy cap," Vianola answered, and Madalina nodded.
"She also said the first people to leave the grounds were the cooks. I wanted to speak with them next."
Pelleas leaned back in their chair.
"What do you think we should do next, detective?"
They hummed out a little noise, tapping the pen to the paper. "If I was you," They said slowly, "I would want to hear what the cooks have to say, and the gardeners too. I know you're also due to appear at the mid-solstice Winter's Kiss ball that's happening soon, so I'd also keep in mind what suspects may be lurking there."
Madalina nodded -- she'd nearly forgotten about the ball. Vianola too, judging from the inhale and then deep sigh she'd let out.
"Well, thank you." Madalina said, standing up, "It looks like I have my work cut out for me."
"And somewhere to start." Vianola added, standing up after her.
Pelleas waved to them as they left, and Madalina tried to remember where it was that the cook, Tilly, lived. Or Barry, for that matter. They'd never been very open about their lives outside of being the hired help.
"I'll have to look up their names. Perhaps at the library." She concluded out loud, as Vianola looked down at her. She looked up and caught her friend staring, a blush spreading across her face as she looked away.
Vianola smirked a little. "Don't get flustered on me now, bunny."
"Bunny?" Madalina repeated incredulously. Vianola had not used that nickname for her since they were school children.
"You didn't have an issue with that name before. Or is it because we're grown women now? It still suits you." Vianola smirked, and Madalina blushed harder.
"I'm no longer a quivering rabbit," She stated matter-of-factly. "I have at least graduated to being a hare."
Vianola barked out a laugh.
"If it's all the same to you, bunny, I think I'll keep calling you that one instead."
"Fine, fine. Call me what you wish." Madalina smiled for the first time all day. Vianola felt her heartstrings being pulled, and she tried to swallow the feeling down with her usual sarcasm.
"I intended to." She looked out over the city and the darkening sky. A blizzard was supposed to roll in tonight, cloaking the already grey skies with its falling snow.
"Say." Vianola said, looking down at her friend again, "Bunny, why don't you come drinking with me?"
Madalina's remaining eye widened.
"Drink? With you? Me? I don't –"
"You don't have to drink alcohol at the bar."
Madalina bit her bottom lip and then sighed before nodding. "Oh, alright. Just let me go home and put on something warmer first."
"Sounds good to me. I'll meet you at the Sinking Siren's bar."
They parted ways, and much too late into getting home did Madalina question if this was a date or not. Vianola was known for her straight forward nature, and also her flirting. She would have said if it was!
… wouldn't she?
Madalina shook her head and looked through her wardrobe as the snow began to fall outside. She decided on some heavy grey pants, a frilled white shirt, and a large, faux-fur lined pink coat. She tied her hair back into a simple ponytail, and re-touched up her eyeshadow and pulled on her snow boots and gloves. The hat she fixed to her head was a simple white beret, and the scarf that she donned had the pattern of snowflakes on it.
Now began the walk to the Sinking Siren. She grabbed her purse and locked up her apartment, quickly trotting down onto the streets and minding the blizzard. The snow swirled around the streets and she admired it for just a moment, the way that the flakes danced through the air, until the biting cold got to her.
She hurried along, and stepped into the Sinking Siren soon enough, with pink cheeks from the cold and chattering teeth.
The Sinking Siren was a popular bar, and the people running it were rumored to be actual sirens. She knew that they were once sky pirates, or so the popular belief was. She looked around for Vianola and spotted her at the bar already, making her way to her.
"Hi." She greeted her as usual, adjusting her gloves and her rose-shaped eyepatch. Vianola swung around on her seat and waved to her.
"There you are! You didn't become an icicle, bunny, good."
"In public – Vianola!" She chided, but found that she didn't actually mind it too much.
"Come oooon. Come sit with me already."
She did just that – tucking herself into the chair and swiveling it around to the front where the bartender, a woman with long dark blue hair and pointed ears asked her what she wanted to drink.
Madalina got a warm apple cider without the alcohol. She held it in her cold hands, and sipped away.
"Why did –"
"I'm glad you –"
Madalina and Vianola spoke at the same time. She looked over at her and laughed, shaking her head.
"Sorry. You go first, Vi."
"Well, I was just going to say that I'm glad you're here with me. I rarely see you having fun, you know."
"What! I know how to have fun!" Madalina paused. "Is embroidering not fun?"
Vianola laughed loudly, shaking her head.
As the two of them continued to chat and exchange quips, Madalina felt herself be at ease for the first time in weeks.
If only the feeling would last.