| Contents |
| Scene Summary • Script Summary • Trivia • Songs Featured |
| City Lights | |
|---|---|
  | |
| Chronicle | DC Chronicle |
| Game Date | November 22, 2015 |
| Real Date | March 4-8, 2016 |
| Characters | Chas Voyager Maeve Glaistig |
| Locations | ChurchKey Washington National Cathedral |
| Previous Scene | Regrets of the Dying (Chas, Maeve) |
| Next Scene | A Midwinter Night's Tale (Chas) Don't Kiss, Do Tell (Maeve) |
| Content Warnings | Mind Control |
| Original Scene | City Lights |
City Lights is a scene from the DC Chronicle featuring Chas Voyager and Maeve Glaistig. It depicts Chas taking Maeve out to see DC landmarks.
Scene Summary
Maeve leaves her apartment reluctantly, reflecting on the fact that she would never have done so if Chas weren't a Primogen, but deciding to steel herself to be pleasant anyway. At ChurchKey, Chas is in a good mood and flirting with the bartender while trying to avoid other people hitting on him. When Maeve arrives, Chas takes her hands and compliments her, offering her two gifts, a daffodil and a silk scarf. Maeve is surprised and touched that he is so restrained for a Toreador and accepts both, putting the flower in her hair. They establish that they should be on a first-name basis and Chas is careful not to crowd Maeve. He puts the scarf around her neck and explains as they leave that she may need it because he has a destination in mind and it's cold outside.
They leave ChurchKey and walk down the street, chatting about Chas' upbringing in DC and Maeve's many previous home cities. Chas asks her if she is religious, and she says that she is not but adds that her sire was, thinking of how disappointed Octavius Sage would be to hear her admit her disinterest. Chas agrees that he is not very religious himself, but that he hopes she will enjoy his surprise anyway.
They arrive at the Washington National Cathedral as a service is in progress, and Chas leads Maeve into a pew at the back, where they sit and hold hands to listen to the Dvorak Requiem. Chas is swept away by the Toreador fascination with art, while Maeve pretends to be the same and is touched again by how thoughtful Chas was to bring her to hear a requiem while she is mourning, even if the music is much more suited to Octavius than to others she is also sad about losing. When the service ends, she thanks Chas and he encourages her to come back any time on her own to hear music before asking if she'd like to see the church itself. Maeve agrees and lets him lead her up a stairwell, and Chas uses Presence on the way to prevent any mortals from questioning or stopping them.
They arrive on the roof of the cathedral and Chas shows Maeve that she can see all the city's famous landmarks from there, joking that he has given her the entire tour of the city from a single location. Maeve notices that Chas seems to really love his city and he agrees that this is true, and mentions hoping that she'll stay for a while in case she might love it as well. Cold and still grieving, Maeve thanks him again but politely indicates that she would like to leave, and he takes her back downstairs, although he offers to take her on a more formal tour of DC and asks if he and the rest of the clan can expect to see her more. Maeve says that it wouldn't be appropriate to come out too much, but promises to try, and Chas escorts her to a car and wishes her well until next time.
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.
Maeve gets dressed in her apartment and then puts on a coat and leaves to get into a rented car, which takes her to the Woodley Park area. Chas arrives at ChurchKey and has a drink with the bartender until Maeve arrives. He stands up and holds out a hand to her.
 CHAS: Maeve! |
He takes her hands, then leaves a tip on the bar and leads her toward the door. He hands her a daffodil,
 MAEVE: Mr. Voyager. You're very kind to dpsare a little time for me. Thank you, it's lovely. |
She puts the daffodil in her hair.
CHAS: You look beautiful. I'm so glad you found some time to come out and see the city tonight. Don't worry, we're not all barbarians here across the sea. |
MAEVE: I would never have thought so. |
Chas takes a box out of his vest pocket and offers it to her. She takes it.
CHAS: It'll be a little bit of a walk, so I came prepared. I wouldn't want to be a bad host. |
MAEVE: You, a bad host, Mr. Voyager? I can't quite imagine that. |
CHAS: Chas. You were nice enough to give me your own name last time we met, so it wouldn't feel right if I didn't return the favor. Besides, you'll stick out. Everyone calls me Chas. |
MAEVE: Chas, then. |
She opens the box to reveal a cashmere scarf.
CHAS: It's a little chilly for the walk I have in mind. Here, may I? |
MAEVE: Yes, thank you. |
Chas removes the scarf and wraps it around her neck. They go outside and begin walking down the street.
MAEVE: So how long have you been in DC, Chas? |
CHAS: Oh, I was born and raised here. |
He gestures around them at the city.
CHAS: I can't claim to be the multicultural traveler that many of our family members are, yourself included. Born in Pipetown in the 1920s, really never felt the urge to leave. I guess I'm just settled that way. It's a good city to be in. |
MAEVE: It seems like it. It suits you, Mr. — Chas. You're both, hmm. Very bright, and very friendly. |
Chas helps her down from a curb and they cross the street, then continue walking.
MAEVE: It's different from what I'm used to, though. I've been in large cities, of course, but never for very long. I must be your opposite. All that time, and you've been settled in one place, and me with much less but so many places behind me. |
CHAS: We're also different sizes. |
Maeve chuckles.
MAEVE: Everyone is a different size from me. |
CHAS: Are you religious, Maeve? |
MAEVE: Ah, I'm not, actually. My sire was, but I'm afraid I never really understood it all that well. |
They arrive at the Washington National Cathedral.
CHAS: I'm in and out on it myself, but I hope you'll like this anyway. Here, let me get the door. |
Chas opens the door and holds it for Maeve, who goes inside. He follows and takes her hand, leading her to a seat in a pew near the back of the sanctuary. A choral requiem is being performed and they both listen silently for an hour, holding hands. There is a pause as the service ends. Chas squeezes Maeve's hand.
MAEVE: Mr. — I'm sorry. Chas. That was lovely. Thank you so much. |
CHAS: You're very welcome, but you really don't have to thank me. I come here on my own once in a while, too. The evensong services are always a good place to sit and rest, and think if you're a thinker, even if you're not religious. |
He ruffles his own hair.
CHAS: Not that I have a lot of time for that, with the joyous duties of the family, but once in a while. You might want to avoid the boys-only choir nights until the end of the season, though. They're still a little rough. |
MAEVE: I've been warned, then, thank you. I can imagine you don't have very much time to sit and relax on your own, so I'll have to disagree, I think some thanks are in order for using it on me. |
CHAS: If you insist on gratitude, I won't stop you, but I'll try not to take advantage of it. |
MAEVE: Why, very kind of you. Although if you can concentrate on thinking about anything while that's going on, you're made of stronger stuff than I am. |
Chas laughs.
CHAS: Touché, madam. I don't actually do a lot of thinking here. I think so much everywhere else, I suppose it's more of a break. |
He stands up.
CHAS: Would you like to see the building? I have a particular view in mind. |
He offers Maeve his hand again and she takes it.
MAEVE: Of course. I'd love to see it. |
Chas leads her toward a stone stairway off the main foyer. He uses the Presence discipline on a deacon as they pass to prevent him from stopping them. They climb the stairs and chat about the music until they arrive on the roof. Chas waves at Maeve and spreads his arms to show the view of the city below.
CHAS: I know we've all said it before, but welcome to DC, Maeve. See, there's the monument, and there's the capitol, and there's the memorial all lit up for the night. So I've managed to take you on the full tour without making you go anywhere else tonight. |
Maeve looks silently at the city for a moment.
MAEVE: Thank you again. I feel duly welcomed. It's beautiful. You really do like the city, don't you? I mean, I've met quite a few Primogen, and they love the post for the challenge of its responsibilities or the prestige of its position, or because they love their clan members rather than the place. But you really love DC, don't you? |
CHAS: The city, the people... same thing, don't you think? The people build the city and make the city, after all. It certainly doesn't look like it used to when I was young, I can tell you that much. You should try being settled some time, if the idea strikes you. I'd have hated to miss out on watching it grow. Now I'm sure there are cities that rival DC, but, if you'll pardon the possible insult to your home... I really can't think of any at this moment. |
Maeve laughs.
MAEVE: You're pardoned. It's a beautiful sight, all other cities notwithstanding. Thank you for sharing it with me. |
Chas nods at her.
CHAS: You're very welcome, Maeve. In the future, I'd be happy to share any other sights with you that you'd like. Now that you've seen them all, you can take a few nights to figure out which one's you'd like to see. |
MAEVE: I'll do that. I shouldn't take up any more of your time, though. Half the night is gone, and I'm sure you have other duties to attend to besides showing me the skyline. |
CHAS: I would love to spend the remainder of my time on you, but you're right, we should probably head out. If for no other reason than you're starting to look a little blue around the edges. |
MAEVE: Oh, don't worry. Your scarf helps, thank you. |
Chas offers her his arm and she takes it. They walk back down the stairs.
CHAS: So will we see you a little more? You do brighten up a room. Or a cathedral tower, as the case may be. |
MAEVE: Perhaps not all at once. It's a little soon. It wouldn't be... appropriate. But I'll try. If for no other reason than to hear some more of your flattery. |
CHAS: I'll look forward to it. I'll have someone send your assistant a card. Well, if it's flattery that does the trick. |
They reach the end of the stairs and walk outside, where a car is waiting. Chas helps Maeve into it.
CHAS: I enjoyed talking with you tonight, Maeve. Until next time. |
Trivia
- Maeve's reluctance to go out is due to her mourning over the recent death of Ian Kross; Chas, like many other Toreador, incorrectly assumes that she is mourning her sire, Octavius Sage. Chas' decision to take her to hear a requiem is an attempt to help be sensitive of her mourning period by acknowledging her pain.
- The scarf Chas gives Maeve is a Fendi cotton and silk violet scarf and retails for about $250.
- Maeve notes that the daffodil Chas gives her acknowledges her sadness; one of the meanings of daffodils in the Victorian language of the flowers is grief or mental anguish. Daffodils are also often used to symbolize death in classical contexts due to the Asphodel Meadows, a part of the ancient Greek underworld of Hades where the souls of most mortals remain in eternal forgetfulness.
- Chas mentions being born and raised in the Pipetown neighborhood of DC, the eastmost neighborhood of the city; this is a clue that he did not come from a privileged background, as Pipetown was notorious for being low-income and heavily criminal during the first half of the twentieth century. Another famous Pipetown native is renowned American musician John Philip Sousa, who predated Chas by several decades.
- Maeve's flashback to Octavius' disapproval is due to Chas' question about religion; Octavius was extremely religious and very disappointed in Maeve for not following suit.
- Maeve's enforced hour of holding hands with Chas is due to the Toreador clan disadvantage; Chas is unable to pay attention to anything except for the art happening in front of him, and Maeve must pretend to be the same to avoid being recognized as not an authentic Toreador herself.
- Dvořák's Requiem, which the characters listen to performed, was written in the late 1800s and is considered one of the most significant funeral requiems in existence.
- Maeve reflects that Chas is the first Toreador Primogen she has ever been on a first-name basis with; previous Primogen of her acquaintance include Annabelle Treabelle and Circe, neither of whom she got along well with.