We searched every place he could think of, and at last it seemed quite possible that she must be at.. Batavian House. For Papillion's crates were still there, right where she had left them, unopened and filled with pretty things. Girl things.
Domitian ran up the walkway ahead of me to the porch and began pounding his fists to the door.. yelling at the top of his lungs for Marius. By the time I caught up, I.. opened the door for him. It wasn't locked. It never is.
Marius was there on the other side with a glass of wine. He looked much the same as he always looks.. with his stoicism and his non-plussed manner. It is why I lean upon him as I do. Marius is my rock of Gibraltar. Even when Domitian yelled again, demanding to know where Papillion was.. my Master merely pointed up the stairwell with a slight shrug. I don't think he was so particularly engrossed in what must've seemed a lovers' spat.
Domitian suddenly pulled from the door and continued his frantic search for Papillion around the back side of Batavian House. But my own search.. ended right there. For Marius sent me down into the wine cellar. This time, merely to clean up whatever mess had been left down there by the lady Asia.
