Not the end of me

[Syrrus]

The rain hit the earth like poisonous arrows. Burying itself into the ground, slithering like snakes. The sound of heavy drops upon the rim of his top hat pulsated like drumbeats. His eyes flicked from side to side and he searched himself through his own forest - lost and with that, forgotten. It was a notion that scared him often, if not always; to be forgotten. Sir Victor Philip Edwards, moved through the darkness as if it was clear as day, his eyes falling, time and again, upon the watch in his hand. The golden pocket watch lay neatly upon his palm and through the rain a faint ticking could be heard, like a humming from a bird. He was late home, late and therefore in trouble. His great mansion could not be far away, yet he did not manage to find it no matter how hard he seemed to try. The rain was pouring all to heavily, digging itself into his long coat and dark trousers, mud staining his once perfectly shined leather shoes.


Victor looked like any rich nobleman from the good days would, all though seemed both supernatural when it came to technology, always interested and always searching for new answers to questions no one had asked yet, as well as still having difficulty with certain things; like human interactions. Being raised as a noble no one questioned his strange behavior, the fact that he was to polite, so formal at all times; almost as if he had lived during a different era. People of the local town always brushed it off as a way of being raised, though no one could remember his family or where his name came from. The Edwards was unknown and they who had wished to look it up, to research his origin would find themselves at a loss; for the towns library had burst into flames, out of nowhere, one would add.


Strange things always happened when someone attempted to locate, research, question or even simply visit the young master Edwards. There was none in town who knew, of course, for they who wanted to know more about Victor often did so in secrecy, seeing how much the towns folk loved him, and never wished for anyone to pry into his private business. Countless, numerous deaths had happened on occasion, something no one could explain and even the Scotland Yard were at a loss. It all looked like suicides, if nothing else.


The young man continued to walk the path through the forest, wondering who was playing a trick on him and forcing him to walk in circles on his own grounds, without knowing where he was.

 

[amlia]

The feeling was dreadful. If there was anything she hated more than angry, thieving merchants then it was the rain. Lord, she despised them both. And now.. where was she? Trees surrounded her and mud soaked her feet, leaving her blind and slow in the darkness. The angry clouds covered a nearly full moon, dampening her luck even more. Angeline Foster often found herself feeling ahead of her to be sure that her mind was not playing tricks on her and that the shadows in front of her were indeed trees and branches. Sometimes they were, sometimes they weren't.


Water everywhere. It left her once-wavy hair to cling to her face and all the way down her back. The dress she wore- one much like most ladies in the time-did just the same and added another factor to leave her nearly immobile. Her legs ached and her eyes squinted and she wanted nothing more to sit and if she did that she feared she would not be able to get back up. She would not admit that she was afraid.


Then there was a figure.


The woman was absolutely sure now that her mind was not tricking her and that there was somebody walking just a little further ahead over her. Everything was a blur around her aside from that one figure. When the lightning struck and lit the world for a fraction of a second she could make the man out more clearly. A hat covered his head and what seemed to be a long coat covered his body. "Hello," She called and hoped she could be heard above the awful rain and the following rumble of thunder. "Hello!" She was sure. Sure that he'd be able to hear her. A hand wiped the dark hair from her grey eyes and she struggled to pick up her feet to approach.


"Please, Mister, I'm lost. Could you help me?"

 

[Syrrus]

The sound of a feminine voice hit him from behind. Without turning, he simply curled his fingers around his watch, to let the locket close over the glass and hide the time from everyone who wished to pry. He peered over his shoulder, pulling the rim of his hat upwards with one long finger, covered by a black and leathery glove. He gave her a smile almost instantly and hid the pocket watch within his coat pocket; just by the heart. "Good afternoon, madam, what a dreadful day to meet such a lovely vision." He turned his frame to face her, tiling his head and listening to the pouring water that fell of his hat like a miniature waterfall.


Victor had a handsome face, sculpted to perfection by what could only be gods. A sharp yet strong chin, high standing cheekbones, piercing green eyes - which looked like a stone gray in the bouncing light of the lightning. His hair was moving itself down over his neck, though not further than to his shoulder, probably slicked back over his skull, though due to the darkness and the hat it was difficult to tell its colour, though one would assume it to be black. "I am sorry to hear that you have lost your way - I myself is quite ashamed to admit that even I am quite out of my depth." He had to, almost, shout through the loudness of the crying sky, his chuckle still managed to contain some warmth. "You are infact in my lands, this..." He pointed with his walking stick, a cane with a crystallized bulb at the end, around them. "...is my backyard, or so I fancy. Quite large I admit, not to brag of course. Though I believe--"


A light could be seen at the end of the forest, a glittering flame that could be nothing but a small candle in a large standing window. Victor had to hide his frown by pulling on his hat, covering his face momentarily, and all too short, by the rim; before looking at the young woman again. "How silly of me." He pointed towards the faint light in the distance. "It appears as if I have been walking in circles, would you like to join me inside, for some warmth?" He reached out his arm for her to take, smiling gently downwards.


"I am Lord Edwards, Victor Philip, it is a pleasure though inconvenient to meet you, ma'am."

 

[amlia]

Because he had stopped she managed to breathe a sigh of relief. He had heard her. While approaching, his face lit up again due to the second flash of lightning. She flinched at the crack of thunder and again wiped some of the water from her eyes. She took notice of the flash of color she got from his eyes and decided that overall he seemed to be a rather.. mysterious man. Though the forest and the storm could easily be causing her to think such a thing.


When she was told that this was his backyard she immediately went to apologizing, desperate to keep out of even more trouble. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't know this was your property. Forgive me." She look a look around, her eyes seeming to continue playing tricks on her. The light at the end of the forest caught her attention, however, and she grew a puzzled look upon her face. Her eyebrows, set atop large grey eyes knitted together curiously. She hadn't seen it before.


"That would be wonderful, thank you." She returned the smile in a manner quite similar to his, relieved that she was invited in. She just needed a place to dry off and wait for the rain to pass. The twenty year old placed a hand at his arm that he'd offered, "My name is Angeline Foster. Thank you for this, really. I'm so glad that I found you."

 

[Syrrus]

Victor led the young woman through the forest. The rain bothered him less by the minute, what was haunting his mind, clouding his thoughts, were nothing put the faint light that grew larger until a window could be spotted, and with that window a large mansion. The house had a gothic look to it, yet with what one could assume to be early seventeen-hundred design of architecture. Thick dark brick stones, long beams of elegance and tall windows. A slithering pathway reached their feet and the young man sighed in relief at the sight of his home, for the small candle light in the tower window was all he could see, no one was seemingly at home. "I apologize for the state of the manor." The young man said, addressing the woman next to him as he aided her up the short stairs towards the large doors. "I haven't had time to see to my own housing lately and a house as old as this need a large amount of care - which I am unable, seeing how I live all by myself." He smiled at her a he fished out a old and rusted black key from his pocket.


"It may need a woman's touch, for sure." Unlocking the door he pushed it open, gently. The door opened soundlessly and made way for the two, Victor standing with one hand on his heart, the other on the door handle and with a bow in his stride, making way for the young lady. "Welcome to my humble home."


The house was large indeed, the entrance hall stretched wide, with red wallpapers and dark wooden floors. Paintings decorated the walls, figures that could only be old owners of the house - Edwards own family, perhaps - stared down upon their guests from their sitting between ornate frames. The house was dusty, for sure - but not unpleasant. The red carpet stretching far from the entrance towards the large dark stairway and the balcony looking down upon the otherwise bare floor.


As Victor entered, he closed the door behind the young lady, locked it and placed the key in a bowl, smiling at her. "Living this far from the village you can never be too careful, the Key is hear, would you feel inclined in leaving without my knowledge." He lit a the lamps hanging from the walls with the snap of a switch and sighed, once more as he removed his hat and placed it over the hanger by the great door.

 

[amlia]

She wasn't in as much of a hurry now that she had a set destination and a companion with her. She endured the last few moments of the walk in the storm, putting up with the mud and the water. The man, who called himself Victor, became a help in keeping her balance and direction. As the manor came into view, Angeline had come to a stop in order to take in the looks of it. Only now she managed to clear her vision and see all the different structures of the large mansion. She at any other time would have been uncomfortable, but he seemed too kind to give her any reason to be.


The corners of her lips curved upward at the sight of the man welcoming her so warmly and she gave a small thanks while entering through the door. The girl's eyes lifted and her cast over the red walls, then landed at each painting individually. They gave off an eerie vibe, but she simply brushed it off as another trick her mind played. She was tired. That was it.


"I don't plan on staying," Angeline had assured him, sure that this was an inconvenience. She didn't want to be a bother, "As soon as the sun rises and the weather calms I will be out of your way." She nodded as if to confirm what she had said and took note of where he had set the key down.


"Lord Edwards, or Victor. I'm not entirely sure how you prefer to be addressed as, and I'd like to avoid being rude." Her eyes flickered back over toward the kind man, "I hate to ask, but would you happen to have anything dry?" She asked almost sheepishly after taking a look at her dampened clothes. The fabric still clug to her, forming to her somewhat thinner frame. "I didn't plan on getting stuck in this kind of situation."

 

[Syrrus]

Victor removed his coat and wrapped it around the coat hanger that stood planted against the wooden floor. He gave her a gentle smile, as a hand brought itself over his hair, pulling fingers through the curls and slicking it back over his head, neatly. The young Edwards, who looked to be at the age of middle thirties stood with a straight back, his waist coat hindering any eyes to fall upon his skin - which was visible due to the now see-through shirt, which was leeching against his skin due to the water. "Victor." He said, kindly. "Call me Victor, it is very much alright. At least in my own home. Perhaps if we met during a more fashionable circumstance I would prefer my last name at all times, though... I feel you 'bumping' into me has changed the view on what is proper, don't you think?". Victor spoke as he corrected his cufflinks, trying to pay close attention to what the young woman said; instead of the windy storm outside which was causing the whole house to shake.


"Ah yes, why of course. I should still have something..." He tapped himself on his pale chin in thought. "Yes, I believe I might have a suitable dress somewhere. Though lets at least get you into a more comfortable room. How does a warm fire sound?" He gave her a smile and walked towards the large circler room, past the stairs and towards another, smaller though still very large room. The library. "Come with me, ma'am." He said, as he walked and the first thing he did upon entering the library was to lit the fireplace, hand on top the beautiful mantelpiece


"The house is large, large enough to get lost and I would prefer if you keep to the library." He spoke, his voice echoing through the house. "Not because I don't trust you. But because I don't trust the house." He flashed a dashing smile. "As I said, it's large and only I live here - it is difficult to care for the upkeep and the upper floors as well as the basement might be a tad bit... unsafe."

 

[amlia]

"Victor," The girl repeated, a smile forming while she tested the name. She liked it, and decided that she would use it. Of course, like he had mentioned, if they had met any other way she would not have even thought to question it. It was a relief to hear that he would have something for her to change into, and she planned to do so the very moment she had a chance.


Following him to the Library, she spend those seconds eyeing down the artwork on the walls. They must have been family of his, and she was curious as to why he now lived alone. Especially in such a large, beautiful home. The large library made her stop in the doorway much like she had upon seeing the manor for the first time. Her curious eyes scanned the mass of books, then landed on Victor who stood near the fireplace to light it. The head and light drew her nearer, and soon she found herself standing before the flames. She watched him from the corner of her eye, her head cocking off to the side just a bit.


"Unsafe?" She repeated, "How so?" Her voice suggested that she truly wanted to know, and now she had wished that he never said a word about it. Her curiosity came as a curse most of the time, tempting her to nose around and do her research. She, at a young age, took interest in learning. She was fascinated with learning about the world about her. That would be partly why she was in such awe of the library.


The smile brought her from her thoughts and dragged one from her, one that some might mistake as flirtatious. Perhaps it was meant to chart him, though, "Surely it's not too bad.

 

[Syrrus]

The man got up to his feet rather quickly upon her questioning. Towering before her - being two heads taller - with a back straight, inches from her own face, still smiling all too kindly. "Unsafe, as I said it's a unruly home. I haven't been able to take care of it like a good master of the house would." His eyes fell upwards at the large painting above the mantlepiece, a painting with a hint of late sixteen-hundred style. A man and his wife, together with two children. A daughter sitting upon the mother's lap, the mother's hair flowing down her shoulder like rivers of blood. The man standing behind her, one palm over her shoulder - a stern expression upon his face. A son standing next to him, same expression all though with big round green eyes. "It hasn't been properly taken care of since the first owner came here and built it." Victor explain, gesturing towards the portrait. "If you do not know where to put your foot down you might fall through the floor." He chuckled and then wondered off. "So please, stay by the fire - keep yourself warm, I will be back shortly!" His voice echoed through the house, the noise causing the floorboards to creak.


His footsteps echoed further and further away, it was obvious that he had used the stairs upwards but the sound died out long before any proper hearing of where he had gone off to could be proven. The wind howled down the chimney and the rain darted against the tall windows, the curtains flowing down against the floor in heavy waves of expensive purple cloth.


The faint noise of footstep would soon be heard once again, though with them came nothing. No body, no ghost. Just simple sounds of light feet slowly walking across the floorboard. Shadows threw themselves over the doorway to the library without a source, leaving the young girl alone by the burning fire. The wind against the window, moving against the brickwork howled the sound of childish laughter, coming from deep inside the mansion. Noises of voices could also be heard, damp, heavy and far away. Possibly only animals outside in the forest. Foxes or wolves.

 

[amlia]

The speed he put into standing and approaching her caused her to shift her weight from one foot to another almost uncomfortably. Her eyes moved upwards to meet his for a moment, but then flickered back up to the painting when he gestured toward it. The woman's hair caught her eye before anything else, being the color that it is. Angeline could only guess that the boy standing beside the man would be Victor. But then the age of the house made her think that it could also be his father. She could always be wrong of course.


When left alone, the girl followed his instructions when it came to staying in the library, but did venture off away from the fire. She walked along the cases of books to the left, reading the spines of them to see what they held. For her, being here would be the equivalent of a child in a candy shop. Her hand landed on one particular book that caught her interest, but the footsteps forced her eyes away from the item. When Victor had not returned she frowned and went back to the book. The process was repeated, and she finally removed the book from the shelf. Turning back in the direction of the doorway, she opened it.


Lightning crashed, causing her to flinch. While the rumble subsided she was entirely sure that she heard voices and giggles, and so she approached the doorway. She stopped, however, reminding herself that he asked her to stay near the fire. It was too early to anger him, and she refused to go out in the rain again. He did say he lived alone, didn't he? The shadows told her otherwise. Finally the girl simply laughed at herself for thinking such things and returned her attention to the book.

 

[Syrrus]

The somber echo of what could only be piano keys drew itself through the manor house. It was a beautiful piece, though so faint it almost seemed as if it was the rain, drumming against pipes and glass to cause the noise. Time to time a sour note would be played, loudly and hard; almost like lightning from a clear sky. Victor, who walked the lonely corridors of the house with proud steps, holding a simple and light blue dress in hand, twitched at the noise and glanced through a open crack in the door to the old music room on the second floor. He felt his heartstrings ache upon the vision of a vivid red figure, something that looked like the embodiment of water and fire. It rippled and moved like the surface of a river and managed to look so tantalizingly pure as well as awfully hideous. For the shapes of pouring water which the creature was made out of also seemed to resemble torn flesh and gore. "Could you please keep it down." The young man whispered, causing the creature to play a false note and turn its head towards him, as if the skull wasn't part of the rest of the body. Empty eyes staring at him and a gaping hole where he mouth would have been did little but the same. The young man didn't flinch, screech or even twitch by the sight of the beast as it stood up from where it was sitting. "Thank you." The young man merely said and hurried back down the stairs, the creature joining him in the corridor to watch him walk downwards.


"I am sorry it took so long, my young--" He stopped in his tracks as another beast showed itself. One that looked as if it was made out of mud and left over limbs, dripping its gore upon the wooden floor and staining the carpet as it pulled itself along. Quickly the young man gave the creature a angry glare and closed the door to the library behind him, smiling happily at their guest - as if nothing had happened. "...Young madam. Here, I brought you a dress - I believe it will make a snug fit." Victor paid little attention to the book the woman was holding at the time, not noticing it or questioning why she was touching his things, as he placed the dress over the back of one of the chairs. "Please, get changed behind one of the bookshelves, I can't get a room cleaned for you at this point in time, I shall not peek." He smiled her way, turned his back and kneeled before the dancing flames in the fire place.

 

[amlia]

She hears his voice then, sure that it belonged to the man. If there were anything manipulating the sound of his voice then there was something wrong. Left to think after she had heard the footsteps and had seen the shadows, she had time to talk herself out of thinking that it was her mind playing tricks on her. She had not been imagining it and she was sure of that.


The pause caused her to look the way of the library entrance, catching a glimpse of the look on the mans face before he plastered on the smile. She brushed it off though and set the book aside on the arm of a chair near the fireplace. A smile appeared on her own face when she caught sight of the dress. The blue color sparked her interest- a color she enjoyed thoroughly. It complimented the color of her dark hair. Not that the color mattered. Clothes were clothes at this point.


Approaching, Angeline took the dress in her arms, handling it as though it were glass. "Thank you, this means a lot." By this point her hair had stopped dripping with the rainwater and began to dry at the roots and her dress she wore was not at fitted as it had been. She had fussed with it as well.


Before she disappeared behind the bookshelves, she paused, thought about it, and then continued. It didn't take a terribly long time to change, but an extra moment or two was taken in order to run her fingers through her hair. She was admittedly embarrassed because of the condition he'd seen her in. Especially for the first time. She liked to make herself seem quite the opposite most of the time; Strong, confident.


When she appeared from behind the shelves she carried the dampened clothing and wore the blue. Her hair had been pushed back behind her shoulders now, and she was finally somewhat satisfied again. "Victor," She began quietly, "Did you say you lived alone?"

 

[Syrrus]

When the young woman emerged, Victor was sitting upon one of the great Victorian chairs, comfortably in front of the warming fire. Giving the young lady a smile, he placed a book which he had pretended to read, on the table next to him. "You look splendid, if I may say so myself." She then questioned him, once more and he couldn't help but frown a worried brow at her, still smiling gently. "Yes, that's how it is." He looked around the great library and took a deep-breath. The cold did not bother him and his cloths was already dry. Rain mattered little to a man such as he. "Why do you ask?" He continued to watch her, kindly, and let his eyes dart around the room. From the windows to the fire, from the fire to the book, from the book to his lap and back to the young woman, just to restart the circle.


"Do you live in town?" He assumed she lived in the local aria, for why else would she had gone lost in his forest. Though at the same time it all seemed very convenient. "I visit there rather often." Victor attempted to change the subject, from himself to something more bright and joyful. He didn't wish her to discover or question too much, he knew what came to them why bothered with his and his families business.


The creatures in the house caused the upstairs to make an awful lot of noise, as something knocked what could only be a expensive vase off a shelf. The crashing echoed through the house and caused Victor to hide his face behind the palm of his hand. "Wretched bats." He muttered under his breath before chuckling, as if it truly didn't matter. "I suppose I'm not truly alone. If you have to know, there's no other human in my home, no; but some animals. I have some bats in the attic, destroying this and that, as well as a strangers cat who keeps trying to get into my cabinet."

 

[amlia]

She was eyeing the book in his hand when she came from behind the shelves, glad that he was preoccupied with that rather than trying to take peeks at her in the midst of changing. He seemed to be an honest man, and a kind one at that. When he told her she looked splendid, her gaze raised to meet his and all she did was smile. An involuntary smile, too. She planned to explain her reason for asking, but he spoke first.


"The next town over," She answered simply. She didn't know how else she could answer without having to go through a whole spiel about it. She didn't feel like starting conversation about how she struggled to pay to stay where she did now. "I ask because.." She decided not to bring up what had gone on earlier. Surely he'd think she was crazy. She gestured to the painting, "Where is your family?" He was so young. With a home this big, she expected some company. Little did she know, he had plenty.


The crashing of the vase on the floor above them caused her to flinch and then stiffen, now unphased by the rumbling of the thunder outside and the pounding of the rain against the windows. She looked over the ceiling suspiciously while he mentioned bats, but didn't question it. She wasn't entirely sure of what she wanted the answer to be if she did. "Cats are so nosey." She commented.

 

[Syrrus]

"They are a nuisance." He added, nodding her way as he leaned back in his seat, gesturing towards the other; equally suited seat in front of him. "Please, have a seat." It wasn't often the young man had time to sit back and relax, to speak to a civilized person without a agenda. He peered into the dancing flames which threw light and shadows over his sharp face.


"My family?" It had taken him a while for the question to process, he looked up at the painting in question. The faces staring back down at him with a haunting gaze, enough to make anyone feel very unsure. "They're gone." He sounded a lot more somber than he intended, chuckling - a moment later - and looking back at the young woman. "Sometimes people just have a falling out. I have been alone in this house for what seems to be a lifetime. Who know where they're now?"


The sound of the great grandfather clock in the corridor shouted throughout the house. It appeared to be very late, one o'clock in the morning. The sound was a somber ringing which was left with what seemed to be a never evening echo as it climbed through the rooms of the manor.

 

[amlia]

When he gestured for her to sit she did a little jump as if she hadn't even noticed that the option to sit was there. She circled around from behind the chair and soon make herself comfortable on the piece of furniture. Giving a nod, her eyes flickered in the direction of the painting. "They don't visit?" She asked, surprised by that. "Never?"


"With a home this large I would expect an Inn of sorts, or a foster home," She looked about the library. Grey orbs shifted over the different shelves, the fire, the Victorian furniture. Remembering the book, he found it gone. It had been placed on the arm of her chair when he entered, and it was now gone. Frowning, the girl thought nothing of it.


"I can picture it," She said softly, her eyes moving to look over the different features again, "When it was first built, I bet it was beautiful. The floors, the walls and the art.." She smiled at the thought, falling in love with the manor just by what she had pictured in her head. That smile, however, was quickly wiped away when the sound caught her attention. It was a thumping and a knocking at the large doors of the library.


Angeline's eyes narrowed in that direction, "Surely that isn't a cat." Her attention was still on the door, but she still stole a glance to Victor. As soon as she mentioned it the sound came to a stop, but she knew she hadn't imagined it.

 

[Syrrus]

The knock caused the man to give the door a worried look, not because he feared what was behind it. Why would he fear they who were part of him? He had lived there far too long to even be startled by it. "There's a lot of books here." He said, paying no mind to the knocking, as he rose from his seat and approached one of the shelves, stroking a finger over the back of a heavy looking book. "I was always interested in poems as a child. Father traveled the world you see, and brought back numerous of books from around the globe. My favorite being the poems of Edgar Allan Poe, ever heard of him? A American writer, cold and romantic, horrific." He threw another worried glance toward the door before turning toward the young man, looking displaced but managed to give her a confident and kind smile. "Horror, was another genera of which I loved. I know, it is inappropriate, fear of bodily kind and not spiritual, though I feel very attached to them."


The man placed his hands together and chuckled slightly. "As a little boy I always thought ghosts and demons the be the one of fiction and tale, though I have met many who assume them to be real. My family always respected the idea and I was taught not to take the idea of ghosts lightly."


He stroke a hand through his black hair as lighting lit up the room, brighter and whiter than the fire place, which threw red strokes of colour around them. "Do you believe in Ghosts--" Victor asked, looking at her with a gentle smile. "--Ma'am?

 

[amlia]

Angeline's eyes stayed glued on the door even while Victor mentioned the books. He so easily changed the subject, and she would later fall for it by the mention of Poe. He had so intentionally changed the subject to the books, and she had taken notice. When the knocking had subsided however and he was speaking of the writer then she finally looked his way again. The large book caused her eyebrow to raise and her smile to show. Of course she's heard of him. Who in their right mind hadn't? "Then suddenly there came a tapping, as if someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door." She quoted the poem. With that came yet another thump. A single one, but firm and intentional. The girl nearly expected it that time, and a look came over her while she held his gaze. She knew there was someone- something behind those doors.


"I read Edgar Allan Poe." She confirmed, thinking it over for a moment. "A strange man. Strange stories." The comment came second, her eyes following his back over toward the door just before the light lit the room. Next came the crashing sound of the thunder. It rattled the windows and caused her to tense the smallest bit. She had never been such a fan of storms this intense.


"I used to believe." The girl answered, but added, "But the older I grow, the less I find myself believing. It's always been taught that it just would no make sense. It doesn't sound logical to me. When you pass, you go to one of two places. It doesn't make sense for a spirit to be capable of staying on Earth."

 

[Syrrus]

The man's gaze moved away from his young guest and landed upon the door. His still stood there, with his hands behind his backs - thinking about something or rather. It was hard to read Victor, he looked as if he has all the control in the world, and managed to be a kind soul. He put weight on one foot as his eyes fell upon Angeline again. "Ghosts are not to be taken lightly, not where I am from, at any rate." He smiled at her, before moving towards the door. "I'd stay in that seat if I were you, if I am lucky it's another animal looking to cause trouble." He sighed, as if this was something that happened often, one hand upon the handle he opened the door lightly, just enough for himself to peek through.


There was something about the manor, for certain. Something that could drive a man insane. Victor wasn't one to keep pretending the secrets in Edwards Manor had something to do with animals and trespassers, it was beyond his status to lie. Though he knew, very well, that if the young girl were to see what lies behind the thick walls of his mansion; she's try to tell others and he would end up on the black list. People would have difficulty trusting him, not because they would believe her but because rumors stir peoples head to think the most peculiar things. Victor could become the reason for all their problems, once the fire had been poked. That being said, would the young woman figure anything out... He glanced over his shoulder at her, giving her a sheepish smile. ...Then he would have to do as the Master of the house said, and get rid of the problem.


His heart stopped for a second and he stepped back, leaving the door open. Perhaps the fact that a guest had arrived, with little but no notice, caused the creatures in his home to rebel, maybe - if she didn't seem locked up, they'd leave her alone. "Looks like there was nothing her, of peculiar." The man shrugged and walked towards the fire. "At least the light of the flames gives us peace." He continued to smile, just slightly.

 

[amlia]

She kept to what she had said and watched while he stood to approach the door, thinking that whatever was there was nothing more than an animal or some thing of the sort. She certainly did not expect anything supernatural, but she would probably be better off doing so. However, anyone growing up would scold her for believing in such beings. Because of this she simply stopped believing. Now that Victor was standing before her and implying that there was, in fact, such a thing as ghosts then she was confused. Who was she supposed to believe? Everyone she trusted who said no, or a near stranger who says yes?


The smile he gave her caused her to return one of the same manner. Only, she wasn't sitting like he had suggested. She stood and watched the door. She couldn't see anything behind it, but expected a voice of a child to be heard. Perhaps calling him father or brother- A voice to match the giggles that she could hear earlier on. "I suppose," she replied, looking the way of the flames after getting a look at the doorway. She was confused to say the least, but decided not to pry. If he wanted to speak about it then he would.


Instead of sitting again, Angeline had stepped back around the chair to go to the cases of books. She stopped at the shelf where he stood just before and looked over the spines of the books, "What do you like to do, then?" She asked and stole a glance into his own eyes, "In such a large home and being so alone, I couldn't see much to be done other than read."

 

[Syrrus]

"Where I was raised, we take ghosts very seriously." He smiled gently towards the young woman, as he sat down in his high-backed chair and stretched his long legs out in front of the roaring fire. The noises and echoes through the house truly proved just how big his property was, big, dark and lonely. The young man glanced towards his guest, still giving her that kind smile which suited his pale face all too well. "Of course it doesn't truly matter. Everyone to their own beliefs, don't you think?" He had difficulty holding up a civil conversation with the young woman. Not because her company frustrated him, or because he wasn't good with the whole 'social' business. Simply because he had started to feel slightly uncomfortable. Perhaps inviting her to his humble home had been a wrong decision indeed?


She asked him what he enjoyed doing and his face turned into a pondering expression. "I do not spend much time between these walls, to say the truth." He admitted, without harm. "I spend a lot of time in the nearby town, parties if often high in my priority list." He chuckled, heartily. "I enjoy a good dance with a beautiful young woman. A good meal and a drink. Though, for the times when I am locked in these rooms, with little else to do; I read. I read mountains of books." He gestured through the large library with a peculiar smile upon his face. "I must have read them all a few times over, already."


Victor then turned his face towards the young woman again. "But enough about me, I am quite curious about you. How come that you had gotten lost in the depth of my grand forest?"

 

[amlia]

She could sense that he had grown uncomfortable and had decided to back off for that reason. She felt she had done too much prying at questions she probably should not have. He led secrets and a past- that was for sure. She had no doubts. But at the same time she was a stranger, so who wouldn't be uncomfortable then?


It made sense to her now that he had mentioned parties, women, and a good drink. It was silly for her to think otherwise come to think of it. A man of his what seems to be wealth and authority was bound to live a lifestyle of such things.


Angeline had crouched the slightest bit to swipe away some dust from a book when he had finished speaking of himself. Her grey eyes blinked back toward him and she had pursed her lips together in a small, almost embarrassed smile. "It was nothing," she said quietly. "I apologize for coming on your property. I would have stayed away if I had known."

 

[Syrrus]

"Do not worry yourself! I am glad to have some company, in fact, I am quite happy to have got to speak to you, as your questioning and curiosity is quite admirable. Most people these days just stays happy with what little they know, no matter how trivia." Victor shook his head, smiling slightly before his gaze landed upon the fire and the flames which danced slowly over the wood. The heat was numbing, yet pleasant and he couldn't help but stretch his longs legs further in front of it. "I merely wondered how you got lost, did something go wrong on your travels?"


The man tilted his head towards her, wondering silently as to why she was there. Usually people kept away, even the villagers who knew him well, and loved him greatly, stayed away from his property out of fear. The tales and stories told about his house were enough to keep anyone at bay. Though it wasn't something that he were somber about, in fact, if was preferable as it meant less problems on his behalf.


"I can't say that I get many visitors, you see." He said, calmly.

 

[amlia]

She knew he would be most likely asking more questions as to how she had wound up on his land, and had been quite relieved then to hear that he admired her questioning and curiosity. It was better than him being angered by her prying and wondering. Giving off a small laugh, Angeline had shifted on her feet and slid a book from the shelf- carefully, of course. She didn't want to disrespect his home and she had no idea how old the books were.


Recalling the incident, she cocked her head off to the side in thought. It was silly, really. Possibly even embarrassing. "I angered the wrong person." She thought back to the way she had taken from the fruit cart. "See, I didn't exactly have the money to pay for a meal.." She had gone sober again, her smile wiping away and her eyes falling to the book in her hands. They occupied themselves by scanning over a few random words in the center pages. "The merchant, who I thought had been gone for the moment, alerted a man I don't particularly get along with.." She looked up, flashed a forced smile, and then went back to the book while she continued, "I couldn't exactly go home with a man four times my size on my heels."


The girl looked up quickly, worried then that he would look at her as a thief. Her gaze went to the windows where the rain had been pounding, then back to Victor. She didn't want him to push her back out there, "I was desperate. That's all."

 

[Syrrus]

"I understand, people can be quite difficult." He nodded, matter-of-factly. He had no idea how it felt to make anyone angry or upset. He hadn't done so in... gods know how long. In fact, he had not had a proper conversation with another human being for years. He did not count a drunken conversation - him being sober, as always - as proper conversation. Neither did the count flirting and gossiping as it either. "Well, for what it is worth; I am happy to have been of help." He chuckled. "I managed to get lost too, so I suppose it wasn't too hard for someone who isn't used to the surroundings."


How had he managed to get lost? He had no idea, perhaps he had simply been clumsy, or perhaps someone had played a cruel trick upon his mind. Maybe, just maybe, something had wanted him to run into the young girl sitting next to her.


Victor peered at the young woman once more, wondering if that could be possible. Was it? He doubted it, he did not believe in gods or purpose, everything happened without reason, that was something he had learned throughout the years. At least everything that had little to do with him.