The Baroness led me to her hall of memories as she had called it. A great long hall it is. Crimson and gold wallpaper lined the walls it was traditional in style and kept in with the layout of the rest of the estate. The woollen carpets colour complimented the wallpaper. Three medium sized chandelears hung from the celing there crystals so delicate. Great giant portraits of men hung from these walls. three in all. A gold frame surrounded them. It is imitation gold so far as I can tell. 

Still the Baroness and I had our arms locked and we stopped at the first portrait. The Baroness gawked at the first photo. Her frail bicep tightened like an anaconda strangling its prey. She looked at the portrait with sheer disgust. So far as I could tell at least.

The portrait was of a man in a sharp and expensive suit. He was standing all proud all six foot plus of himself. He had kind eyes I made a note and a melancholy smile. He was before this mansion in a great field that had far to many acres to explore in a day. Wild flowers, yellow in colour, bloomed around this man.   

"My first love," the Baroness said stoically. "I was still but a teen yet a woman grown. He was three times my age, do you know what his problem was?" 

"No Baroness," I found myself answering. 

The Baroness finally ceased flexing her bicep and my frail arm could breath. She looked at me and I looked at her. I saw hate in her ageing hazel eyes. I noticed it with the big woman also. Where are all these negative vibrations coming from? Is there something in the air? I figured this had something to do with her first love. 

"My child, when you are here you will learn to adreess me and others by there proper title," she spoke as though she was British, that is where I placed her accent. She is very posh no doubt more Sloane in her younger years. "Its is only right," she continued. I thought Baroness was her proper title and then I realised I involuntarily paid her a confusing gaze. Damn, wish I had a mask. "I'm sorry child, I know this has happened all to fast. Usually, we vet our initiates over the years. But doctor Minerva speaks very highly of you. As does some of out other ladies. Some I believe you have met?" 

"Baroness?" I guessed. "Sorry if I am being rude. I certainly do not intend to come across that way. I am still unsure with what is going on. I am so confused. I may have witnessed a murder!" I exclaimed. "This is certainly not how I foresaw my day going." Sure, the first part was hectic what with the robbery and the graduation but everything that has unfolded made me feel uneasy. 

"Soon child you will be inundated with the order of SOW. It is my duty as host and as the primary vetter to cast a keen eye on you. As for title, yes you may call me a Baroness but us ladies have special names - code names if you will. For I am the Grand Fae, to be clear. Your grandmother, Zofia, is refered to as the Grand Queen. We are all given a new name upon initiation." 

"Initiation," I blurted out. But the Baroness or the Grand Fae had a little more to say. 

"Tell me child, did you see a murder?"

"No but I heard a gun-"

"You saw nothing," the Baroness sternly said. "We made sure of it. We would have ideally sent you out a female driver. Alas, there was only a male who could transport your fine self and your dear grandmother. We have more power then you think."

"So you are here to vet me?" 

"I am child," she clarified what I had asked but she would not go into details not yet at least. "Homosexual," I heard a curious word. Had she just changed the topic? I needed more information. The Baroness had ceased looking  at me and looked upon the great portrait of the man. "Reginald Woodrow," she said his name with sheer venom. 

"The man?" I stupidly asked. Off course it was the man. "This Reginald Woodrow was a," I gulp nervously and I try to remain politically correct and polite. "He was a homosexual?" I decided to use her own terminology. 

She could not stand it any longer. she focused ahead and with one step forward I had to follow.  "Come," the baroness said. we took a few more paces toward the next portrait. She was too kind to tell me about her next so called lover.  

"William Harding was the real love of my life. Ah such blessed memories. After Reginald absconded to the Netherlands to live out his days as a liberal homo. He died, and I inherited this place. Fortunately. I hosted a gala, a fund raising event for the suffragetes and the Presidents highest ranking solider was present. The dream William Harding. I was twenty two if memory serves me well. he wooed me of my feet. But alas he was never around and got himself blown up." She sighed. I was only with him seven years but they were the best years of my life."   

  "This might sound like a stupid question but eh, why am I here?" I found my self posing the question.

"You are going to find out soon enough child,"

Then the lightes dimmed and then got brighter.

Come child, the ceremony is about to begin.

I was curious to learn more. More about the order of SOW. More about the Baroness and her lovers. 

"So," I found myself sheepishly saying. "have I passed the test?"

"We are soon going to find that out, child."

Thus ended; The Hall Of Memories.