<div class="floatleft">(http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg142/ElectricBadger/angel1-1.jpg)   <br/><div align="center"><em><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: georgia;">Muriel - Unknown</span></span></em></div></div>Muriel watched the others leave, fidgeting her hands and failing in her effort to avoid looking pained at the now-dim sounds.  With a suffering shake of her head, she slipped through the kitchen door.<br/><br/>At least, she considered, the concert would provide the bright one an opportunity to escape; all the others in one place, overwhelmed by sound and the smells of other humans, they would never notice.<br/><br/>Following that thought was another, that it was probably time to bring her food and water again.  She wasn't exactly sure how long it had been since she'd led the girl to the hidden basement and trapped her there for her own protection, nor how many times she'd been down to visit, but as Arman observed she rarely paid much attention to the concept of time.  That meant it had probably been too long.<br/><br/>The door and long, descending stairway vanished behind her as she entered the girl's room, blending into the rough worked stone and carved columns, but Muriel kept to the shadows.  A moment to look around; the simple cot, a chamber pot, the china dishes from the last meal she'd delivered.  A bare bulb dangling from the ceiling, the only illumination for an otherwise empty room.  It had never crossed her mind to bring entertainment; a few days didn't seem like a very long wait.<br/><br/>Muriel set down the tray - an old piece made of silver, tarnished and scratched, with an earthenware pitcher of water and a plate heaped with food.  The metallic clatter was likely the first indication of her presence and she gave the girl a moment to recover, pushing it across the floor with the tip of a finger and then jumping back towards the shadows, wary of the girl's brightness.<br/><br/>Normally she would flee as soon as she could, but today she needed to speak with the girl, to ensure she was prepared.  Her skin prickled, though, and she backed away another step, her costume wings twitching momentarily.<br/><br/>"Hello."