Scene Summary: A Wing and a Prayer

A Wing and a Prayer
Chronicle	DC Chronicle
Game Date	December 6, 2015
Real Date	May 1-5, 2016
Characters	Chas Voyager Maeve Glaistig
Locations	The Butterfly Pavilion
Previous Scene	In Want Of (Chas, Maeve)
Next Scene	Heed the Spark or Dread the Fire (Chas) Warm Thoughts (Maeve)
Content Warnings	None
Original Scene	A Wing and a Prayer

A Wing and a Prayer is a scene from the DC Chronicle featuring Chas Voyager and Maeve Glaistig. It depicts Chas and Maeve visiting a butterfly garden together.

Scene Summary

Chas waits for Maeve on Constitution Street, where he gives a few people directions and chats with a few more while looking forward to seeing her again and worrying that she might be nervous. Maeve arrives in a rented car and gets out, uncomfortable with seeing anyone after her recent performance at Limbo but glad that at least Chas has always been well-behaved. She greets him and he is pleased to notice that she is wearing the scarf he gave her as a gift last time they went out. They walk down the street arm in arm while Chas teases Maeve about never coming out to see the other Toreador and she tries to convince him to tell her where they are going, which he refuses to do, preferring to surprise her.

They reach the National Museum of Natural History and Chas takes Maeve in through a side door, using Auspex to see in the darkness; he assumes that Maeve will do the same and jokes that the surprise is ruined, but Maeve holds onto his hand to avoid giving away that she cannot see. They enter the butterfly pavilion and Maeve asks what it is, causing Chas to explain that he hoped she would enjoy a glimpse of what the city looks like in the summer since she hasn't seen it before. The butterflies begin to wake up and are drawn to Maeve, roosting in her hair and swarming around her as she and Chas walk through the garden.

Maeve thanks Chas for his thoughtfulness and he is surprised by the butterflies' interest, since they avoid him at the same time. He compliments Maeve on her performance at Limbo but guesses that she enjoyed it less than the audience did, to which she replies that she enjoys it but finds it tiring. Chas, assuming that her ability must be something exclusive to the House of Sage, asks why she sings so often if it's difficult, and Maeve avoids the question, only saying that she doesn't have any other skills. She teases Chas about never performing himself, and he jokes that he might if she keeps flattering him.

Chas reluctantly takes Maeve's arm and says that it's time to leave, secretly concerned about spoiling the evening if security notices them and causes problems, wishing he could spend more time with her as he does. He gives Maeve a box containing a butterfly-shaped brooch, which she accepts and thanks him for, offering to buy him a gift after this second one he has given her. Chas teases her that she doesn't have to since it's his job as Primogen to spoil the Toreador, and tells her that her presence is a gift, asking if he can see her again in the future. Maeve agrees and thanks him for his help as they leave the building.

Script Summary

The script summary for this scene pares it down to only dialogue and action directions, allowing for a quicker and easier read through what was actually said and done by the characters. Click on the "Expand" tag to the right to view the entire script summary for this scene.

A Wing and a Prayer Script Summary

Chas is standing on the street. He gives directions to a couple who walk by. Maeve gets out of a rented car and waves at him.

MAEVE: Good evening, Chas. I hope you didn't have to wait long.

CHAS: Maeve. I didn't, but I would have for the privilege of your company. Shall we?

He offers his arm and she takes it as they begin to walk down the street.

CHAS: You know, I was beginning to despair of you. Your assistant accepted my invitation, but without any indication from you about what part of DC you had decided to see next. I was worried maybe you were just agreeing to be polite. Not that I wouldn't take the opportunity to see you even if you were just being polite.

MAEVE: Oh, Mr. Voyager - Chas. You must never despair of me. If you did, I would be entirely without friends.

They turn down a side street. Chas puts his hand over Maeve's.

CHAS: I don't think I can believe that. I suspect that wherever you decide to go, friends spring up like dandelions, and are similarly hard to get rid of.

MAEVE: You're the one I should be worried about. Again, you're so mysterious about where we're going. I'm beginning to suspect you're making it up as you go along.

Chas chuckles. They arrive at a building and Chas leads Maeve down some stairs and inside.

CHAS: If you had told me where you wanted to go, it wouldn't be such a mystery.

He uses the Auspex discipline to see through the darkness.

CHAS: I won't be so cliche that I tell you to close your eyes, but hopefully you'll enjoy it enough to make up for the lack of surprise.

MAEVE: I'm sure I will.

They walk down a hall. Chas opens a door, turns on the lights and adjusts the temperature, and waves Maeve in. They hold hands.

CHAS: After you.

They enter the room, which is an indoor garden.

MAEVE: Oh, it's lovely. But are you going to tell me what it is?

Chas loosens his scarf.

CHAS: It's the butterfly pavilion at the Smithsonian museum. It's after hours, of course, but I have someone on staff who works here as a docent now and then. I thought you might like it, since you came to our fair city during the bleak midwinter. You can use it to imagine how nice it'll be in the spring.

MAEVE: You were right, thank you. I do like it.

Chas points upward at a butterfly on the ceiling netting.

CHAS: See? I'm afraid they were asleep, if butterflies sleep, I actually don't know. Give them a moment or two.

MAEVE: Thank you.

She lets go of Chas' hand and begins to walk down the path.

MAEVE: I've always been very fond of gardens.

A butterfly lands on her ear and she puts her hand up to it.

MAEVE: And they like me, apparently.

Another butterfly lands in Maeve's hair.

CHAS: I see they do. I would say they obviously recognize a lovely flower when they see one, but then I'd have to exclude myself. Maybe it's the color. Or maybe you're just as much of a siren for our little winged friends here as you are for the rest of us.

MAEVE: It's very lovely and warm - Chas, you always know just how to cheer me up, thank you.

CHAS: I meant to compliment you on your performance at Limbo again... But I got the impression that you didn't enjoy it as much as we did. Difficult for me to imagine. Am I wrong?

Maeve sighs and coaxes the butterfly in her hair onto her hand.

MAEVE: Oh. It's not that I don't enjoy it. I do love singing for all of you. I imagine anyone would. It's just occasionally a little uncomfortable, I suppose. It does take a lot out of me, and no matter how nice a piece, it can sometimes be... overwhelming.

More butterflies wake up and begin to swarm around Maeve.

CHAS: Well, I can't claim I have the same arts as you. But I can imagine. Those kinds of gifts, I understand, are usually also heavy to carry.

He follows Maeve down the path.

CHAS: If you don't mind my asking, then why do you sing for us so often? Not, even a little, that I would encourage you not to. The famile would have my head if they thought I deprived them of you. We'd miss you. But then again, the great ones are always recluses, I'm told.

MAEVE: You're a musician yourself, Chas, or so I've heard.

She shooes butterflies out of her face.

MAEVE: Why do you perform? Or are you one of those great recluses? I think, in the end, it's the only thing I really know how to do. Otherwise, I would spend all my nights at home. If you like, you can assume it's just for you, though. To give you something to tell the family so they won't blame you if I happen to be absent.

Chas laughs.

CHAS: That is the most stunning gift to a man's ego. I'm not sure I deserve it.

MAEVE: Oh, try to. Don't let me feel my faith is misplaced.

CHAS: Keep up the flattery. Maybe you'll flatter me up onto a stage for you at some point, and we'll answer all your questions about performance.

Maeve shoos more butterflies out of her hair.

MAEVE: Although I don't think I believe you. If flattery got you to do things, I would never see you. You'd be in the Harpies' clutches at all hours of the night.

CHAS: You're very observant. Not, of course, that flattery doesn't stir my unbeating heart a little, but you know our family.

He shakes his head.

CHAS: I'd never get anything done, would I?

MAEVE: Certainly you would get less done, but I doubt you'd mind. You like us, my dear Mr. Voyager, or you wouldn't be half as happy in your position as you are.

CHAS: Well, we should go and let the garden go back to sleep. I don't know if butterflies sleep, but we should probably stop disturbing them.

He offers Maeve his arm and she takes it.

MAEVE: Yes, we should.

CHAS: Before we go, though...

He takes a small box out of his jacket pocket and hands it to Maeve.

CHAS: Lest you think I'm just 'making it up as I go along'.

MAEVE: Oh, I was teasing you, Chas—

She opens the box to reveal a butterfly-shaped brooch.

MAEVE: Now you've gone and made me ashamed for it. Thank you, it's beautiful. I should find something for you, if you're going to keep on this way.

Chas nods at her.

CHAS: You're very welcome, but don't go on a search on my behalf. It's my duty, as you so eloquently just reminded me, to keep all of my family members happy and content.

He leads Maeve toward the door and turns down the lights and heat before they leave.

CHAS: Of course, if you'd like to give me a gift, your company is always appreciated. I'll be perfectly happy counting the evenings until next time.

They walk down the hallway and out the door. Chas helps Maeve climb the stairs.

CHAS: If I could assume there will be a next time?

MAEVE: Of course. You have been a great help to me already, Chas. I hope you know that I appreciate it. Not many Primogen would take their family members to a butterfly garden to relax them. DC is lucky to have you.

Trivia

• The last meeting with Maeve Chas thinks of took place in City Lights; the scarf Chas notices Maeve is wearing was given to her as a gift in the same scene.
  
  
• The previous night's mentioned performance is seen in In Want Of; Maeve discomfort with seeing anyone after it is due to the fact that she provoked widespread lust with that performance.
  
  
• Maeve's annoyance over entering the dark building is due to the fact that, although Chas assumes she has Auspex as a Toreador, she does not and cannot see.
  
  
• Chas wonders whether butterflies sleep; while they do not experience human-like sleep, they do enter a quiescent state at night in which they rest and remain inactive, usually hiding in foliage.
  
  
• The docent at the Smithsonian whom Chas refers to is Veronica Hancock.
  
  
• Maeve's mention of being fond of gardens is a reference to her sire Dominic Vaughn and The Garden that he maintained.
  
  
• The butterflies' interest in Maeve is due to her having the Animal Friendship Merit; their avoidance of Chas is more typical, as animals generally dislike and avoid vampires when they can.
  
  
• The brooch Chas gives Maeve is made of platinum with blue sapphires and diamonds, and retails for about $2,500.