Announcements: Cutting Costs (2024) » January 2024 Copyfraud Attack » Finding Universes to Join (and making yours more visible!) » Guide To Universes On RPG » Member Shoutout Thread » Starter Locations & Prompts for Newcomers » RPG Chat — the official app » Frequently Asked Questions » Suggestions & Requests: THE MASTER THREAD »

Latest Discussions: Adapa Adapa's for adapa » To the Rich Men North of Richmond » Shake Senora » Good Morning RPG! » Ramblings of a Madman: American History Unkempt » Site Revitalization » Map Making Resources » Lost Poetry » Wishes » Ring of Invisibility » Seeking Roleplayer for Rumple/Mr. Gold from Once Upon a Time » Some political parody for these trying times » What dinosaur are you? » So, I have an Etsy » Train Poetry I » Joker » D&D Alignment Chart: How To Get A Theorem Named After You » Dungeon23 : Creative Challenge » Returning User - Is it dead? » Twelve Days of Christmas »

Players Wanted: Serious Anime Crossover Roleplay (semi-literate) » Looking for a long term partner! » JoJo or Mha roleplay » Seeking long-term rp partners for MxM » [MxF] Ruining Beauty / Beauty x Bastard » Minecraft Rp Help Wanted » CALL FOR WITNESSES: The Public v Zosimos » Social Immortal: A Vampire Only Soiree [The Multiverse] » XENOMORPH EDM TOUR Feat. Synthe Gridd: Get Your Tickets! » Aishna: Tower of Desire » Looking for fellow RPGers/Characters » looking for a RP partner (ABO/BL) » Looking for a long term roleplay partner » Explore the World of Boruto with Our Roleplaying Group on FB » More Jedi, Sith, and Imperials needed! » Role-player's Wanted » OSR Armchair Warrior looking for Kin » Friday the 13th Fun, Anyone? » Writers Wanted! » Long term partner to play an older male wanted »

0
followers
follow

Syx Gryffen Pires

"Isn't it funny how day by day nothing changes but when you look back everything is different..."

0 · 1,051 views · located in The Manor

a character in “Je T'Adore”, as played by kelsiikhaos

Description

Image
Image




Image
Image

║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦

Nicknames:
Sparrow- At the beginning when Sabine first knew him, he was thinner than a stick. Still sometimes used.
Bear- Now that he is pure muscle, it is obvious why Sabine calls him this.
Ghost- Due to his pallor skin.

Apparent Age:
23-26

Birth Date:
December 21st, 1469 | Sagittarius

Gender:
Male

Ethnicity:
British

Sexuality:
Bisexual | Leans more towards women

Role:
First Human Changed

Dialogue Color:
#0000A0





Image
Image
Image

♦║
♦║
♦║
♦║
♦║
♦║
♦║
♦║
♦║
♦║
♦║
♦║
♦║
♦║
♦║
♦║
♦║
♦║
♦║
♦║
♦║
♦║
♦║
♦║
♦║
♦║
♦║
♦║
♦║
♦║
♦║
♦║
♦║

Height:
6'

Weight:
172 lbs.

Hair Color:
Chestnut Brown

Eye Color:
Green-Gray

Skin Color:
As pale as snow

General Appearance:
Syx has a wider body than you would expect. He is very fit. All of his weight is in muscles and it shows when he removes his clothing. Before he was changed into an immortal he was a smaller lad, more of a stick figure in size, and he would be confused with someone that didn't eat. After being changed, he has now dedicated a lot of his time to getting toned and gaining weight the right way.
He stands quite tall and his torso is thicker although he lacks abs that he is so dedicated to acquire.
Before and after being changed to an immortal, his skin color has remained the same. No matter if he is stuck in the sun all day, he will stay as pale white as a piece of paper. He both loves and hates this. He hates it because his skin refuses to change no matter what he does. He also feels as though he resembles a walking corpse.
His hair is usually kept long and shaggy, though in the past he has changed it to blend in with the era.
Syx has large eyes that are always darting from side to side, noticing everything. They change color from green to gray, but they tend to stay the lightest shade of green.

Attire:
Syx prefers to wear clothing that adorns a lot of his body. He likes dusters and trench coats and prefers to wear long sleeved button up clothing or a pullover. He is not much for jewelry but always has on a pair of diamond stud earrings. Syx occasionally will accessorize with: hats, specifically beanies, gloves, scarves or other nice looking pieces like suspenders or cuff links depending on his mood.





║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦
║♦

Image
Image
Image
Image
Image

Personality:
Syx is very skeptical and hesitant towards new people. He always tries to figure people out before getting to know them too well. He tends to keep to himself a lot, although he can be very social if someone he knows approaches him. He isn't much of a talker, but if you get him started on one of his favorite things, it will be hard to get him to shut up.
Syx tends to smile a lot. Whether he is angry or hurting inside, he keeps a plastered grin on his face. He is very good at hiding his emotions and no one actually knows that he struggles with major anxiety and depression because he is so good at keeping a mask on. The only way you could ever tell is the occasional glimmer in his eyes when he is angry or sad. He is definitely what you would call passive aggressive and if he finally blows up because of anger, it is safest to say that getting away from him as soon as possible is a logical choice. But it takes a lot for him to even get angered due to his high tolerance for others and his massive amount of patience.
He loves hiding away in his room and reading or being outside. He takes care of his garden almost daily and enjoys working out whenever he has spare time or if he is upset. You can usually find him swimming or coming back from a run at least four times a week.
Syx absolutely adores Sabine. He feels honored to be the first one that he helped. He literally saved his life and he is forever grateful for that. He would do whatever Sabine asks of him and one way to inflict anger onto Syx is by disobeying Sabine or saying something badly towards him. He would protect Sabine with his life. Because without him, he wouldn't have one.

Likes:
- Monuments
- Movie
- Learning New Things
- Music
- Drinking
- Working Out
- Traveling
- Bookstores
- Surprises
- Jokes Of All Kinds
- Running
- Halloween
- Mashed Potatoes
- Swimming
- Animals
- Anything Cherry

Dislikes:
- Being Late
- Bullies
- People Who Think They Are Better Than Everyone
- Burnt Food
- Clutter And Disorganization
- Being In A Large Group
- People Touching His Hair Or Face
- Talking To Girls - He Gets Nervous
- Technology

Hobbies:
- Swimming
- Working Out
- Cooking
- Shopping - Not For Clothes
- Gardening
- Running
- Collecting Books

Skills:
- Great Chef
- Amazing Agility
- Listening
- Organizational
- Analyzing People
- Patience
- Very Skilled Fighter
- Gardening
- Reliability





♦║
♦║
♦║
♦║
♦║
♦║
♦║
♦║
♦║
♦║
♦║
♦║
♦║
♦║
♦║
♦║
♦║
♦║
♦║
♦║
♦║

Image











Pet(s):
Sabine gifted Syx with a black German Shepherd on his 390th birthday. His name is Fang.





History:
Syx lived a hard life. He never knew his father. He had abandoned his mother when he was still a bun in the oven. His mother, Adreyna raised him the best that she could but she struggled with alcoholism which passed down to Syx at a young age. By fourteen he was without a mother and living on the streets. She was affected by the Black Plague that had swept the town and Syx was lucky to avoid the sickness. Syx came home and found her unconscious body in bed. He shoved her until she turned over so he could see the expression on her face and knew she was gone. He was unsure of what to do. He aimlessly walked around the house, messing with things he had not been allowed to touch before. He somewhat enjoyed not being told what to do. He went to his mother's purse and withdrew anything of value. He left with a few substantial things in a bag and left.
A few years later he was stumbling about along the street. Drunk. He had slept wherever he could find shelter on the very edge of town. He begged on the streets which fed his alcoholism. He had never had a girlfriend. He contemplated suicide more than once. Sometimes he would tell himself, this was the night. He once went into a bathroom and begin digging a knife into the flesh of his wrist, cutting towards his elbow. He only managed his left arm before he passed out from the pain. Once he had tried to hang himself and the rope had broken. He felt like a failure. He couldn't even kill himself correctly! But he had no idea that he would soon have a purpose for his life.
Bouncing off of walls and tripping over his own two feet, Syx accidentally fell into a group of men that night. They had helped him stand on his feet but he was so drunk he almost fell backwards. The men caught him and held him to keep him from falling again. They antagonized him and called him gay for falling into a 'pile of men'. They beat him almost completely unconscious. His vision was blurry. He had a concussion. Multiple ribs were broken and one had punctured a lung. He smiled. Gladly accepting the fate he thought was coming. The pain was unbearable, but he was about to be relieved of his horrid life. He would see his mother soon and he was excited for that. His eyes fluttered shut as he saw a figure step over him and he felt himself being lifted as if he were a feather. He thought he was floating away, going away to Heaven or Purgatory or whatever there was and then he was completely out of it.
When he awoke he was face to face with Sabine. He was nervous at first, always wary of anyone new, but almost immediately he was entranced with the demon. He learned about him some and about what Sabine had done to help him. He had saved his life. It took some time, but Syx finally realized that Sabine was more an angel than anything.

Image

So begins...

Syx Gryffen Pires's Story

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Kira Grey Character Portrait: Syx Gryffen Pires Character Portrait: Natalia Catherine Estbury Character Portrait: Lonan Auraxtin Character Portrait: Sabine Cayne Character Portrait: Thea Basset
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

Sabine Cayne


Everything has been so quiet recently. Sabine went through those periods occasionally, where he became quiet and perhaps a bit brooding, spending expanses of time staring vacantly into the middle distance as if reliving memories. There wasn’t much that could bring him from these reveries, though they didn’t stop him from seeking out his pets to keep company with. It was a good time to ask him for items and then sneak away quickly, but also good for a long hair brushing session or for some reading, because when Sabine hit these moody patches his activity would slow down supremely and he could spend several days without leaving a room, whether his or another of his choosing, unless someone moved him somewhere else. On the brighter side, it was most assured during these periods that the mellowed demon would not have a fit of anger, he hardly seemed aware enough of his surroundings to grow mad at anyone.

That meant that the humans had had nearly a week to do as they pleased, for the most part, as long as they didn’t draw too close to Sabine and get caught in his arms for a few hours. But in the evening of one warm, lazy spring day, the demon’s eyes came back into focus as he sat slumped over in an armchair in the library, the book he’d been trying to read lying facedown on the floor below his empty hand. He rose slowly, like a man on stilts, and wandered down the halls to his rooms, located at the heart of the winged manor, running his fingers through his mussed golden curls and blinking slowly. It took a minute to place himself back in the century and location he currently existed in.

While he didn’t need to sleep, the humans did, and as the hour grew later, he could feel sleep descend on the manor. He could not sleep. Not anymore. At one point in time, sleep had been one more human delight to explore, but recently it seemed that nightmares plagued his dreams more often than not, and it was easier to hide from the problem than to wake up with the chill of fear wrapped around his throat time and time again.

Instead the demon busied himself with cleaning up, staring at the mirror that hung above his washstand as he filled the basin from the jug that stood next to it. While they had running water in a few rooms on the first floor, most notably the kitchen and in a hastily designed bathroom conveniently but noticeably attached to the manor. It was too much of a pain to run plumbing lines through the old house, so they were isolated to one wing of the ground floor. While the lovely roll top was nice, as was the cistern that flushed the toilet, they weren’t more than luxuries for humans that no longer required food or water to survive, and therefore could not perspire, and only needed to bathe if they managed to get themselves incredibly dirty, and only produced waste when they did bother to eat, which was more for some than others. So the running water was mostly used for washing clothes and occasionally the floors.

Nonetheless, there was something about running the damp cloth over himself that Sabine enjoyed. Maybe it was the reminder of how human he looked now. He couldn’t get over how amazing that was. While there were difficulties on the inside that he’d never bothered to fix, he couldn’t verily do so now without risking the pets dying of starvation. He had no clue how long it’d take him to rewire everything, it had taken ages to get the outside of the body to work right, and the only things he’d managed to perfect were the skeletal, muscular and cardiovascular systems. They were all that were really important to him anyway. He didn’t eat nearly enough for his lack of a digestive system to cause him trouble, and he didn’t mind being ill for the sake of his pets when he did eat.

The demon stared at himself for a long few moments in the mirror, studying his sad blue eyes. Wasn’t he acting the fool? How could he be so morose when there was so much here for him? This is what he’d wanted. He had a safe place to live, he had company, what more could he ask for? Persisting in such a manner would be foolish, it’d be akin to giving up. He couldn’t do that. Not when time continued passing, bringing new human opportunities with each new wave of life. Not when there were still humans in the house, they didn’t deserve to be ignored in such a way. He shouldn’t burden them with such things. It was time to lift his chin up and carry on as he needed to. He’d gotten what he wanted, so he should be happy! The demon smiled at himself. This was a common ritual. Every time he fell back into brooding, he had to remind himself that this was the life he’d chosen. He’d made this. If he wasn’t proud on it, who would be?

After combing out his hair, he dressed again as the moon reached the peak of the sky, draped a coat over his shoulders like a cape, and wandered outside. If there was another soul in his path, he either didn’t notice them, or they were too skilled at hiding for him to spot them. The night air was lightly chilly, sending a shiver through his form as he strolled through the gardens, looking at the flower buds vainly trying to bloom. The last snow was long behind them, and spring had graced the home with its presence.

Sabine sighed. Even after all these centuries, there were still some human emotions that were entirely foreign to him, and some that he still could not control. His soul didn’t fit quite right into his body, and it seemed to be leaking out more than usual. But the fact that he disliked these fits of rage and moroseness he was wont to only seemed to make them worse. Nonetheless, this sensation of peace was welcome. It was something he’d come to like about the human world. He could feel sad or angry as much as he wanted, but everything always came back to this odd, still feeling in the pit of his being. Calm. It was a good feeling.

The fact that he was vainly struggling with these stupid emotions that so easily overcame him was not something he could share with the humans. Theirs was supposed to be a carefree existence. He didn’t want to burden them with the trouble, even though his anger seemed to be doing the job for him. Sometimes, in the dead of night like this, he wondered if he should just let them go, but he knew it wouldn’t be fair to do so. They would die agonizing deaths by starvation. Or at least, he figured that was what would happen, based on their actions once they started to grow extremely hungry. He’d never let any of them die on purpose, he wasn’t about to kill a human for the sake of an experiment.

They had enough troubles on their own.

He just needed to remind himself that he needed to feel happy with the way things were. Then everything would be just fine. Life would continue on as it always had. As the sun began to stain the horizon with early morning colour over the trees, Sabine sat down on a stone bench, facing an angelic fountain he’d acquired a long, long time ago and never had the heart to get rid of, though now the stone had been worn down so the poor cherub was barely distinguishable. It was a trinket of a time since past, a gift from someone long forgotten.


It was funny. Sabine’s memory was vast, but as the years passed it worsened not because he lost the memories, but because it was too difficult to find them, lost in a maze of similar events and just the passage of human time. The blond demon stared over the statue at the lightening sky for a few moments, letting his eyes slide shut and peace settle over him. Life would continue for the household as it always did. Everything would be fine.

Everything would be just fine.

As the sky blushed shyly, the sun poking its head over the trees, Sabine rose. Things had been too quiet. He needed everyone to be together for a little while. That usually cheered him up a bit. It was an easy way to make sure everyone was doing alright. A nice breakfast would do the trick. Everyone would come together to make food, and then those who desired to eat could, and those who did not could sit for a while, and they could be a happy household for an hour or two. It’d be fun!

They were all probably starting to get on the hungry side anyway, Sabine had gotten in the habit of waiting for them to admit they were hungry before obliging them because, while some of them came willing enough, trying to feed others was like trying to drag a cat out from the attic. So it was easier to just let them come to him, but his morose mood of the last few days had prevented some of them from deigning to approach him. Nonetheless, most of them were too embarrassed about the violent measures they would enact if they let their hunger become too steep and they usually took precautions to eat before it got to that point on their own. While he didn’t particularly mind having his throat bitten out or his wrists scratched up on occasion, it bothered them. It didn’t hurt him, but that didn’t seem to change their opinions of it.

Probably just a strange human thing.

Sabine rose, pulling his coat closer around him so it wouldn’t fall off, and stretched like a cat before turning to flit off into the manor and alert everyone. Those who’d noticed that he’d vacated his spot the night before wouldn’t be surprised to see him bouncing around, but those who hadn’t would certainly be startled by his sudden mood change, especially since he had a habit of bursting into places when he was excited about something.

It was a bit of a pain to find everyone, he’d let them chose their own rooms, which mean that they were quite scattered. He didn’t stay too long after finding any one pet, just enough to tell them to go down to kitchens and start getting things ready for breakfast. Some were still in their rooms—some were still asleep—and others had already risen and were wandering about. Most of the time, meals were not spent together, since there was no real need to eat, but the best way to handle Sabine’s occasional whimsy was to sit at the table for a while until he floated off again, his attentions easily diverted. It was also a good time to ask Sabine for new items, whether pets, clothing, or other trinkets, because he was usually in a good mood when everyone was gathered together.

Those who were more reluctant to join the group by method of their own two legs would be carried down by Sabine, and he’d made good on the threat before. Well, he quite enjoyed it, but those who were carried tended to enjoy it a lot less, especially if they were in no mood to go wherever it was that he wanted to take them. But Sabine was a significant bit stronger than the humans—a fact that he often forgot—and he could easily carry two humans at a time, whether they liked it or not.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Kira Grey Character Portrait: Syx Gryffen Pires Character Portrait: Natalia Catherine Estbury Character Portrait: Lonan Auraxtin Character Portrait: Sabine Cayne Character Portrait: Thea Basset
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

❖Aedan Huntington❖


❖❖❖❖❖▀ ❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖▀ ❖❖❖❖❖


Image2 Years. Aedan had been with Sabine for two whole years now. It was almost strange how fast time seem to fly by him in this house. It felt like only just yesterday that he was waking up in Sabine's bed, the demon hovering over him and asking if he felt all right. He could still remember it so vividly. He had awoken expecting to be in the gutter and wrapped in pain's embrace but he had felt no pain. No residual ache from his ordeal. Apparently he had been unconscious for a week before Sabine's blood had finally done the trick and healed him, save for his right eye that remained discolored and sightless though the demon swore up and down that his eye was fine. Sabine had scared the hell out of him at the time but then he remembered the blood. The intoxicating aroma and the bright color staining Sabine's wrist… It was the source of great discomfort for Aedan.

The thought sent a shiver down his spine of how he had lost all human control of himself and latched onto the man's wrist and laved at the slowly healing wound. He had licked and sucked at the man's skin and even found himself curled up in the man's arms; the man he feared was going to hurt him just moments ago. He had truly acted like a starving animal and the memory disgusted him and yet excited him. He remembered the thrill he felt in his core and the desperate need for more than just blood. He had craved being held and still sought that physical comfort from Sabine whenever he was around the man. It made him feel weak and out of control but he couldn't help it. It had been a long while since he had warm safe arms around him or a gentle touch and Sabine seemed to fill that void though Aedan had difficulty wrapping his mind around all of it.

Then there was the issue of all the other… pets. They were all so different and strange. Some of them tried to talk to him but then there was those he really didn’t want to have anything to do with. They were all quite the characters. He never would have thought he’d be thrown into a world where he’d interact with them. They all had lived for so long and seen so much of the changing world. He knew it was now his fate to but he still had a hard time reconciling the fact that he was immortal. He had only lived two years like this so he was still well within his time period and his regular life span. He knew eventually he’d hate the fact that he was stuck at his current age but he’d deal with that hurdle later on. He wondered how much more the world was going to change around them. Though he didn’t converse with many of the other humans, he realized he could learn so much from them if they’d actually take the time to talk about their history.

Aedan still didn’t know his place in this house and worried that Sabine would tire of him and send him out into the cruel unforgiving world again. Though he didn’t much like everyone here, this place was better than being alone again. Besides, from what he could tell, not drinking Sabine’s blood meant certain and excruciating death. He didn’t want to feel that pain. Besides, he could just avoid those he didn’t really want to interact with. The house was big enough that he didn’t have to talk to them or see them.

Aedan sighed to himself as he sat up in bed and looked out the window. Spring was always a nice season, what with the birds and flowers blooming. He did prefer the somber winter though. There was more mystery in it. He smiled softly to himself before he got up and walked to his vanity station and prepared himself for the day, ensuring that his pale blond hair and clothes were in perfect condition. Maybe it did make him vain, but he didn’t want to walk around disheveled. It just wasn’t in him to give up on himself and appearance had always been an important part of his human life. Aedan touched the skin just below his right eye and looked at the discolored color reflected at him in the mirror. One eye was a cornflower blue and the other… as cold and lifeless as the frozen lakes. That was unfortunately the imperfection he had been left with after his rather sad encounter with people he once called friend. Sabine commented that he liked the two different colors he sported but Aedan hated it. It was proof of his sins.

Aedan picked up his eye patch and positioned it securely over his sightless eye before he picked up his papers and his favorite black dip pen. The handle was decorated with a golden scrawling to match the cap that went over the actual dip. He looked at the variety of ink bottles Sabine had helped him acquire. Blue. Definitely blue today. Once he finished gathering up what he needed, he headed to one of his favorite places in the whole manor; a little alcove beside a window that opened up to the garden. It let in the natural light and sometimes he’d leave the window open to smell the aroma of the roses. It was a very calming place though it was stationed in the hallway. It provided him a very comfortable place to do his writing and watch the others that lived in the manor. The garden itself gave him quite the inspiration to.

Aedan sat down in the cushions and set his ink beside him on the little wooden extension in the alcove and tapped the end of his pen against his lip as he debated what he would write about. Hm, maybe he’d write something about that little dark cloud that wandered the halls sometimes. He had managed to catch Lonan wandering about a few times and Aedan couldn’t help the instant curiosity he held around the mysterious and gloomy man. He shored up his fascination up to the writer inside of him. He saw Lonan as a dark mystery and a tortured soul, not that he was the only one in this house that had a horrid past. Yes, he would write about man.

Just as Aedan dipped his pen into the ink and carefully tapped the excess off, he was startled to see Sabine all but floating through the hallway and calling him for breakfast. Breakfast? Only last night Sabine had been a lazy mass of gloom in his chair. Aedan had gone in there to ask Sabine about one of his books and then had been quite literally pulled into cuddling session for hours. He hadn’t minded it at first, but when it had been four hours later and his foot was asleep from the position Sabine had forced him in, Aedan had squirmed and fought in the man’s arms until the man had finally let him go. He thought for sure his leg would never recover. The antsy feeling that shot down his leg afterward had not been fun. Sabine’s random mood swings still unnerved Aedan but he didn’t question it. He liked it when Sabine was this happy and bubbly. It brought new life into the quiet house. Maybe he could ask Sabine for some book bindings and ink. He was running low on his black ink and he really wanted a hard cover binding for his poetry manuscript.

Aedan tapped the edge of his inkwell and wiped his pen clean before he put everything back into his room and entered the kitchen as was requested of him. He really wasn’t that great of a cook so he’d let someone else start the cooking. Instead, he started to set up the table with all of the plates and utensils that they would need. It really did look like a nobleman’s kitchen set up since that was what he was used to and he found he liked the familiar set up. It reminded him of the good times at home. He wondered what news Sabine would share with them today. And if he was quick enough, maybe he could nab one of the seats beside Sabine before Natalia or Syx. He didn’t want to sit next to either of them though so if those spots beside Sabine were taken… he’d probably sit beside Kira. He liked Kira. She was such a cute little thing and he just wanted to hug her all day.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Kira Grey Character Portrait: Syx Gryffen Pires Character Portrait: Natalia Catherine Estbury Character Portrait: Lonan Auraxtin Character Portrait: Sabine Cayne Character Portrait: Thea Basset
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

Image
Image
Location: His Room ---> Kitchen
Dialogue Color: #0000A0

Sniffing. Whimpering. Panting.

These were the noises that filled the room, stirring the large man from his slumber. His pale eyelids fluttered open slowly to find a large black nose inches from his own. An over sized tail began thumping against the floor once the dog had noticed his master's eyes were now ajar. Another small whimper and a pink tongue lay against the exposed hand that sat on top of the covers. A smile was forged across Syx's features and he peeled the covers away from him. He knew his best mate was hungry and he needed to start the day.

Syx made his way downstairs to the kitchen to fix Fang breakfast. His bowl was placed on a tiny rug and he scooped up the metal tin then set it on the counter. He retrieved a bottle of skimmed milk from the fridge and mixed it with wheat flour and broth before placing it in front of the excited dog. He slid his hand down the dog's spine as he lapped up his food, before proceeding back upstairs.

He began his morning routine by going to the bathroom and washing his face, then head to his room to start his morning workout. He started with one hundred jumping jacks and began to lose himself in the act as he counted and held his breath steady. He began doing squats and lost count after two hundred forty-three. He was thinking about what his day would most likely consist of.

The day before he had sweat hard while slaving in the garden. He'd already planted the flowers around the edges of the manor, but he had yet to begin planting his crops. He had merely tilled part of the land and some of it still needed tilling and then he needed to plant seeds and water as well. Then the hardest part would be done and the fun of checking them consistently for withered leaves or critters would begin. Last year a few rabbits had found their way to his heads of cabbage and he'd thanked them by using them for some of Fang's dinners.

He came back to his mind and realized his legs were aching from doing so many squats. He raised his brows and chuckled to himself before lying down to begin doing sit ups. He was nearing three hundred when Sabine poked his head into his room. The expected grin flashed over the pale man's face and he lit up, as he did every time the demon surprised him. Sabine informed him that he desired for everyone to meet accordingly downstairs for breakfast. Syx's eyes momentarily went to the window of his room to see how high the sun was and he nodded in agreement. It wasn't until Sabine had mentioned breakfast that he felt his stomach moving underneath his skin. He was getting hungry and didn't even realize it. He promised he would be downstairs in a few moments then finished his morning exercises before going to his wardrobe to change.

He dressed himself in a button up long sleeved shirt and a waistcoat with nice pants. Even four hundred years after being blessed with this lifestyle, once in a while Syx was still surprised to be a part of such a change. He had never been subjected to wealth, so he took advantage when acceptable. Which reminded him that he needed to ask Sabine for the next book in a series he was reading. He looked at his reflection for a brief second while running both sets of fingers through his almost always messy hair, then headed back downstairs to begin preparing everyone's meal.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Syx Gryffen Pires Character Portrait: Sabine Cayne Character Portrait: Thea Basset
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

Image

The library was large, extremely large. It was technically three rooms. The first, the smallest, had double doors opening up into it from the hall. Straight across from the double doors was another door, leading to the next room. Shelves lined the walls top to bottom beside both these doors. The other two walls were taken up by tall windows. There was a couch, a large armchair, a few tables and lamps, as well as wooden stools to reach the higher shelves. This room housed the newest books, available for borrowing at any time. They were shelved by language, sorted by author, and then sorted by title. Thea was the one who took care of them all – it was easiest to ask her if you wanted a certain book. The second had both fiction and nonfiction reading materials. Anyone who wanted to read something from this room was asked to stay in the library while they did so. These books were put into order by age, especially since the nonfiction section had to be updated constantly. The room was lit by a skylight that illuminated Thea’s desk perfectly. The locked door behind said desk led to the third room, where the oldest books had been carefully placed into glass cabinets.

Thea woke slowly, as usual. It took her a while to realize she wasn’t sleeping anymore to begin with. Then she lifted one eyelid, just for a moment, to judge the amount of light in the room. It was bright. Too bright. Scrunching up her face, Thea decided to keep her eyes closed until she had mentally prepared herself to actually, physically get up. Falling asleep at her desk wasn’t unusual for her. Her body was already complaining at the thought of movement. What if she just stayed like this? That sounded fun. Her feet were already on the ground anyway. That was upright enough in her opinion.

She had to feed the geese, though.

With a sigh, she lifted her head off of her arms and stretched her back. The candle in the lantern she had been using the night before had melted completely and was now a solid piece of wax flat on the bottom. She would have to scrape it off. There was a full cup of tea still on the desk, next to the collection of Grimm’s Fairytales she had been reading. It was the newest edition. Thea liked to see which stories they took out every time they republished. Still drowsy, she nearly dropped the cup as she brought it to her lips. Bitter! She grimaced as she chided herself for not realizing the leaves had been steeping for many hours. The shock of the flavour had caused her to spill a little tea onto her dress. Well, here was her motivation to move around. She rose from her seat and made for the door, vowing to deal with the cup and lantern after she was clean. The girl braided her hair as she went downstairs to her room. She grabbed the first thing she saw when she reached her closet. She regretted doing so once she started dressing herself. Its square neckline was adorned with lace ruffles, and the pale blue cloth of the bodice was bunched up towards the back to reveal the patterned skirt underneath. It made her feel overdressed, though some would consider it rather simple. At least it had short sleeves. She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and stopped to admire the way the dress filled out her figure. Thea hadn’t properly looked at herself in a while. She poked her cheek. Had she finally gained some weight?

Sabine, who had come to invite her to breakfast, was pleasantly surprised to catch Thea making faces at herself in the mirror. When she heard him speak, a blush spread across her face almost instantly. She looked down as she turned towards him. With a hand to her chin, he raised her head. She allowed their eyes to meet for only a second. Still a little embarrassed, she waited quietly as he tucked loose hairs away from her face. They left the room together, Sabine venturing further into the mansion while Thea headed towards the kitchen. Judging by the scents wafting from it, Syx had already arrived. She was eager to help while he was the only one cooking. The geese would have to wait. Especially if it involved taste-testing.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Kira Grey Character Portrait: Syx Gryffen Pires Character Portrait: Lonan Auraxtin Character Portrait: Sabine Cayne Character Portrait: Thea Basset Character Portrait: Aedan Huntington
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK


░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
Image

░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
ImageccImageccImage

░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░

Everything in life, it seemed, could all be summed up as a circle.

Not in the literal geometric shape sense, but just the concept that everything living is connected and never ending; everything recurs and everything is passed down generation to generation, branching off into its own sections. Kira often thought about this theory to life, and it became a similar theme in many of her journal entries over the too many years of her existence. Trees sprout from the ground, grow tall and vast, bearing their fruits and leaves, only to drop their seeds and wither away, sprouting new life in their wake; And if one were to die or get uprooted physically before it could spread their life, well then it still lived on throughout the other trees that were planted from the same seed of the same tree it had once fallen off of. The same could be said with flowers, humans, and animals alike. Humans and animals give birth, but even if their close knit line of genes was to be cut off, they all had to start from one singular point in time. Everyone is connected in some way, branched off by the same singular starting point. She wasn’t sure if she believed in the tale of Adam and Eve her Mother and Fathers church used to boast about— the tale of the first man and woman. But she knew, somewhere deep down, it all had to start with one single thing. Yes, everything evolves and adapts, but it still comes from the same point that must have started everything. However, everything must have an ending point if it begins, correct? Everything must end, flowers wither away, humans and animals die, it’s all a natural and essential part of life. It allows the regeneration, the circle, to continuously keep going and to change, growing bigger and more vast. But, there was something she knew of that was interrupting that cycle, something that seemed so unnatural and caused her to think of ways that this circle could be morphed or broke off, creating something entirely new.

Everything must live its respective and natural life cycle, but so far, Kira had not. While those younger then her — her baby brothers and sisters for example— died, Kira still lived on. It wasn’t by some coincidence either, though by an eerie happening she couldn’t began to even explain. Yes, she was positive in some way she could die, probably by rejecting Sabines blood, the new life force that made her circle completely stop, but that wouldn’t stop the fact that this new thing can happen to others, that it has happened to others and that she is fairly certain it could happen again. This is the only thing she knows that has rendered this circle useless in a sense. She just get’s tongue-tied every time she tries to explain to herself how this unusual phenomenon could fit into her circle.

But Kira still noticed she lived in a type of circular cycle, like everyone else in the house did. While it wasn’t the regeneration of life type, it rather was of habitual nature. She still found things she kept constantly doing, a habit of being that will never escape her. One of these things is what she was doing currently, moving softly in the night of the quiet manor, a hushed trek up the many steps of the house onto the top floor, turning and twisting down hallways until she found the slightly chipped wood door that creaked louder then the floor boards had as she tip-toed across them. Inside was nothing in particularly special or nice. If anything, it was more unpleasant than neutral. Chairs, tables, mirrors and paintings in frames lay long forgotten in this furniture grave yard, draped over with white cotton sheets— now yellowed with age— in order to protect it from any type of damage or dust that settled on everything else bare and left behind. She had found this room fairly early on when they moved into this new house, and Kira was sure others did as well but had brushed it as nothing but a dusty and cotton-draped area that would be the perfect setting for those scary stories children whisper to each other in playful fright. Yet, there was a diamond in the rough to this untouched place that made coming here a habitual practice for her.

The window.

Slipping easily between the small spaces between the furniture, she made her way to the back wall where the only window in the large room was placed. Unlatching the lock, she struggled as she always had to wedge it open as the wood was swollen from some previous damage or growth, causing it to squeeze and shut tightly. Kira, however, manage to open after putting her full force into it, as was always the case. The small girl then climbed onto the table, that she had made sure was sturdy enough to support her weight, placed right under the opening and slipped right through the now opened-window. There wasn’t necessarily a balcony to greet her per-say, but she could call it that if she had no other way to describe it. Really, all she climbed onto was a small awning of the roof that just so happened to sit under this particular window. It was like a balcony, but just one with no rails and one without the flattest and levelled of surfaces. Probably wasn’t as secure as a balcony either, but she hadn’t run into any trouble so far. The most unsafe thing of this climbing act was probably that she was doing it in a dress, as she had nothing else but dresses to wear. Nevertheless, Kira always managed.

On this top floor roof, Kira could look out over the entirety of the back yard, although she always found herself gazing up at the sky instead, currently darkened by the veil of night, laced with stars and looked over by the big and gentle glow of the moon. She generally only came up here at nights when she couldn't sleep. That was often. She found that nightmares only ever greeted her, so she would push sleep off, the fear of what she might see trumping the tiredness the heaviness her odd eyes weighed with.

Her nightmares usually consisted of three categories; the past, the present, and the future.

The nightmares that dealt with her past were always memories, and not necessarily something made up by her dreaming mind. Those dealt with Tobias usually, her abusive ex-fiancé to who she always cowered away from, yet loved at the same time in fear. She also dreamt a lot of the ordeal of her being stolen with Sabine. She was curious as to if Lonan dreamt of that too. She also dreamt of her siblings, and although they appeared like joyous memories, they always left her feeling sad and empty when her eyes opened back into the realities of the morning. The ones that had to do with her present were mixed up with memories and imaginative situations. Those always had to deal with Sabine, more specifically in his more temperamental moments of angered outbursts. Then the future dreams happened, and those were the ones that scared her the most. She felt them almost to be like premonitions of the her actual impending future. Of her never ending circle. She just hoped the tragedies and heartbreaks that appeared there wouldn’t really end up occurring.

So instead of sleep, there Kira sat for a good portion of the late night to early morning, un detected and thinking idle thoughts to herself, coming up with stories and questions within her head to later write down in her journals pages. Only an hour or so later, she decided to go do just that, and she climbed off the roof and back into the secure room, where she quietly left only to stealthily make her way back down to her bedroom on the main floor, trying to stay undetected by those possible awake in the early morning, or those still resting in a lulled sleep.

Shutting her own bedroom door so very gently behind her, she scurried her way over to the single desk and chair positioned in the corner of the room, and pulled out her newest journal from the shelf, sat with her hundreds of others. This was another habitual habit of hers. She always wrote in her journal everyday, ether it be a story, or a question, or just a simple log of the events that had happened on that very day. Grabbing her quill, she dipped it into her jet black ink, and began scrawling on the page an early story and question she had thought so hardly about which fit certainly well in her circular theory of regeneration and new life.


    There once was a young and newly wedded man who’s wife was loving and a proper wonder-wench. This young lad was soon asked to go to battle, so his wife decided to sew him a pair of green tights to wear under his rough and uncomfortable plate armour. After the tights were finished, off he went, going on a journey of grande battles filled with despair and victory, while the wife patiently waited for her beloved to come back, hoping he was safe and sound. Soon enough, the man returned, along with his now partially ripped and in need of repair green tights. So, before he went off on his next crusade, his wife sewed up the green tights, but now with red thread. This same act began recurring over the coming years; man coming back victorious, wife patching up his tights with red thread before he left once more. Soon enough, the previously youthful married couple grew old in age, and by the time the now matured and war-torn man came back from his final battle, the tights were completely red, any remnants of the original green gone.

    Now begs the question, are the pair of tights still the same pair from the beginning, or are they a new and different pair of tights all together?
Kira set her quill down and stared down at the page, contemplating the question herself. She didn’t get too far into her thought process however, as a slight tap on her door set a surprised shiver up her spine. Turning around to face the tall man who seemed finally out of his previous hushed and a little less lively state, Kira stood up from her chair and greeted him with the same and genuinely kind-natured smile that was never washed away throughout these many years of her existence. Her curiosity to him being in her room was short lived and almost immediately answered when he informed her that everyone was going to gather for breakfast together. She nodded and thanked him, informing him she would be right out, and he gave her one of those loving smiles that often hit her at her core, before leaving her door frame probably off to go inform the next person of the plan.

Kira swiped the sides of her light and pastel blue dress with her slender hands, hoping to get off any remnants of dust that could have previously clung to it from the old furniture graveyard, before leaving her room and making her way to the kitchen, hoping the breakfast would go well.

As she arrived, the first person she spotted was her dear friend Aeden. He had only lived in the house for a mere two years, which to all of the previous resident wasn’t exactly the longest time, but she so dearly loved his company that she couldn’t imagine going a day without seeing him now. Giving a slight rub to her heavy with sleep deprivation eyes, she said softly, “good morning,” in greeting with a tiny smile to all those in the room. Walking over to stand beside Syx, the essentially resident cook of the home, she questioned curiously, “what can I do to help with breakfast?” Eager to help.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Kira Grey Character Portrait: Syx Gryffen Pires Character Portrait: Sabine Cayne Character Portrait: Thea Basset Character Portrait: Lionel de Cambrey Character Portrait: Aedan Huntington
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

Image
The past week had been blissful. With the master of the household lost to his thoughts, the manor could open up and breathe for the first time in what felt like years. Chambers avoided grew accessible. Dim corridors were brighter, more inviting. The air of empty rooms was for once clear, not cloying with traces of a demonic presence. Lionel relished all of it. Every hour without Sabine was a blessing he'd rather spend than count.

Such diligence came easily to him. Although the young lord was a lord no more, earnest habits of his past remained. Early to rise, Lionel's routine followed the sun. In the mornings he sought out readings in the eastern wing, settling with a modest tower of books and periodicals when he could. His latest objective was to pen comparisons of translated French novels to their original, and when that grew tedious, he browsed articles on the latest novelties of British culture. There was a new kind of photography taking the nation by storm, and though it made little sense to Lionel, he read it all the same.

Come noon, he ventured outside, sometimes to observe Thea's geese, sometimes to enjoy the breeze. Under normal circumstances, Lionel oft would ride to town, but never when Sabine was so welcomely listless! Pure autonomy within the manor was rare. He dared not squander the seconds anywhere else. Of course, he still twice visited Freesia in the week, for if he failed to visit the mare once in three days, she was sure to spurn him when he saddled her next. There were only so many apples in England to appease her.

So on and so forth, the lull went well spent. Livelier than ever, Lionel met each task with focus, a long lost glint back in his eyes. There was purpose in his steps, an eagerness to his stride, and perhaps rarest of all, genuine pleasure to his smile. Twice during the quiet days, he even smiled with teeth, though only in the privacy of his favorite room.

It was the room on the highest floor, facing southwest, the one with the view of the lower library and the sun's slow descent behind the tree-line. In the slow hours between afternoon and dusk, the sunlight would run through the windows thickened gold with warmth. It was a room that went unfrequented when the demon was awake. It was also where Lionel, with violin in hand, could finally feel like himself again. So every day of the calm, he played.

The dry wood against his jaw, the strings pressing grooves into his fingertips, the slight friction of rosin on the bow - there was nothing so exhilarating. His touch danced lightly on delicate notes. His strokes held strong on somber ones. With over a century of experience, Lionel's technique was impeccable, and so he could focus simply on devoting himself to the music. Each clean tone was a catharsis. Without fear of drawing Sabine to him with a song, Lionel could be as emotive, as vulnerable as he pleased. He could feel alive.

And now he was dead.

Slivers of sunlight filtered through his bedroom drapes, drawn shut despite the time. It was morning again. He had to get to the library, finish reading those translations. A funny notion when he couldn't even get out of bed. God, still in a nightshirt with the sky so blue - he'd have been a laughingstock in high society. Lionel cursed his sorry state, letting his arm fall across his eyes. He was wasting precious time. Sabine could revive at any moment. He realized with revulsion that he didn't care. He was too focused on the dry burn in his stomach and the crack of his throat.

The bloodlust was excruciating. He had gone too long without feeding. Counting the days before this reprieve, it had been more than a week. Wonderful. If this went on any longer, Lionel would have to take a pin to Sabine himself. In the back of his mind he knew that he should have fed at some point during this lull, but he couldn't tolerate the thought. It was different when the demon was lucid and prowling the halls, inescapable in the long run. Meetings then were inevitable. But to seek Sabine out of his own initiative when the demon was so easily avoided - that might have hurt more than the hunger.

That was a lie. There was little, if anything at all, that could compare to the pain that accompanied the thirst, the slow rise of discomfort to desperation to death. The bloodlust was many things - the slow boil of a poison, the fever of disease - but above all, it was the leash that kept him tethered to this damnable manor.

Lionel grit his teeth. What a sight he must have made now, hair in disarray, lazing about utterly useless. He might as well actually be a house pet. Clenching his eyes shut, he could see the image of his friends, the disapproval writ in their eyes. They'd have only biting words for him, call him a slugabed. Ralph might laugh, but it'd be one of scorn. And Eliza. He opened his eyes at the thought of her, turned his gaze to the shimmer of slow-floating dust by his window. What Eliza would think of him… he didn't dare imagine her cond—

The door bolted open and Lionel flinched. His heart stuttered a beat in surprise. The human didn't need to look to recognize the looming presence behind him. For a moment he feared that Sabine had come for company. No, it was simply one of the household's mandated gatherings. The demon was gone just as soon as he'd come, and Lionel was left to deal with the surge of conflicting feelings. Disappointment, mourning the end to this respite. He was fine with that. But then there was the sense of comfort he felt from the demon's presence, from the promise of a proper feeding, and he was disgusted with himself. It was a strange concoction of regret and relief — and a bitter pill to swallow.

He hadn't thought himself so weak.

Well, now he was too tired of himself to be tired any longer. "Disgraceful," he muttered to himself, shoving himself upright. In a brisk motion, he stalked to his window and threw open the drapes. He cringed instantly, squinting at the light. Even so, despite how horrible he felt, Lionel found the sun rejuvenating. With the weather so gracious, he might make it through this breakfast yet.

Lionel's morning preparations were curt and well rehearsed. It took him very little time to wash and dress and descend to the kitchens on the first floor. Several of the others were already there, clearly having had far more productive starts to the day - frustrated with himself, he waved the bitter thought away. Enough of that, he was in company now, and in the case of Syx, Thea, and Kira, he was in good company. He owed them his proper attention.

"Good morning," Lionel said, greeting everyone in turn, Aedan included. Folding up his sleeves in a meticulous manner, he approached the kitchen counter, continuing. "My apologies for the tardiness. How far along are we? How might I help?"

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Kira Grey Character Portrait: Syx Gryffen Pires Character Portrait: Natalia Catherine Estbury Character Portrait: Lonan Auraxtin Character Portrait: Sabine Cayne Character Portrait: Hope Creighton
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

#, as written by Alasund
Image


It had taken her by surprise, the first time that Sabine had lapsed into introspection. Hope had been unsure how to react at the time, and even now, a decade later, she found the peace of the house... disturbing. Every time that Sabine lapsed into his moods, the house became quiet. It's as if the life and energy of the pets were all tied to their master in some way, and though that wasn't true, it could be forgiven if one thought that. Especially since Lonan vanished and little Nattia sat forlorn watching her precious from a distance. The others lapsed into the background, as if too loud a noise would attract the attention of the brooding lord.

Hope always felt restless during these periods, unable to find a way to settle down into the silence. It was... well, in all honesty it was boring, but at the same time, she could not bring herself to ruin the peace herself, and instead paced the halls with a broom or a feather-duster, taking out her restlessness on the dust that tended to gather. Very few of the other pets had a pride in their own work, or a dedication to keeping their living space clean. It was quite often that the other pets would notice her moving around the edges, cleaning or re-arranging as she went, industriously keeping herself busy.

How she woke up that morning wasn't different than most mornings. After all, the sharp barked "Everyone up. Dawn is close and breakfast must be ready for the matron." still echoed through her head. Though with no longer the same fear lancing through her, she still was already dressed and standing at the kitchen door before she consciously realised where she was. She had no more need to be up and at the door, but even so many years later, what had become rote for her still haunted her. A slight sigh and a twist of the lips later, Hope was headed upstairs. If there was one advantage to being up before the sun, it was that no one was aware she never slept in her upstairs room. Claiming it shortly after they moved here, Hope quickly found out that she struggled to sleep in such opulence, and what few times she could sleep, she found to be not very restful. However, her pride held her chin too high to suffer such fall of face, and she often waited for others to sequester themselves into whatever corner they slept in before sneaking softly down to the pantry. The servants quarters adjacent to the work rooms were instead where she slept, where the beds had a comforting solidness, rather than the quicksand-like beds of the rich. It was no wonder they were so soft, considering their surroundings and bedding.

Of course none of the other pets were wandering the halls at such an early hour, and Hope easily found her own room. Inside, her wardrobes of clothing and various luxuries that Sabine had lavished on her draped around the room, but Hope found a quiet piece of floor and her embroidery. Needlework had always fascinated her when she was a maid, and she fixed many clothes, her own and others, simply from the skills she had picked up mending things in the Workhouse. In this, she found the nobility and their preferences quite enjoyable, as simply making patterns on sheets of cloth was a relaxing, if useless, past-time. Her latest work was a simple flower, and she was proud of the detail she managed.

She knew the sun had risen by the time she had finished her latest section of embroidery, when her restlessness drove her from her room, but she had not paid attention to the passing of time. There was not much use to pay attention to every single moment when you had eternity before you. Watching the world around her move past was both exciting and terrifying. She had only gathered her tools of cleaning when the day immediately turned brighter, for on her way to continue yesterday's cleaning, Hope nearly ran straight into a much more lively Sabine. Of course, the sight of the demon reminded her of the gnawing at her gut that could not be dispelled by food, and of course it promised that the house would rise from the daze it had sunk into once more. He didn't linger long, merely informing her that the pets were to gather downstairs for a communal breakfast.

Even as she ventured back to her room to put her cleaning equipment away, Hope couldn't help but smile, and her stride was invigorated with new energy. The house was going to come back alive, and in the communal gathering, Hope would find the energy that she had been missing for the last week. Even if it meant that Nattia would be meddling once more, rather than sitting like a love-sick puppy at her master's feet.

The change of clothes was quick and efficient, no fancy dress for Hope, but she wasn't going to head to communal breakfast in the ratty clothing she used while cleaning. Efficient clothing was not suited for social gatherings, after all. By the time Sabine had done his first round, Hope was already gone from her room, and down the servants staircase to the ground floor. Unlike the others that had arrived just prior to her, she did not offer to help Syx with breakfast. He had it well in hand and she needed not add another pair of spare hands. Though he would likely appreciate Hope's aid, it would only cause tension in his other potential helpers, and Hope had seen Kira among that number, and hung back in the shadows.

It was only when Sabine arrived with both Lonan and Nattia on his arms that Hope moved from her spot in the background of the dining room, silently trying to avoid attention. Not that that was hard, since Nattia had eyes only for Sabine and the pest that was invading her space, and Lonan was too busy sulking or struggling. The obvious difference between their reactions amused Hope, but it was by far the mark on Sabine's face that suddenly brightened her day. Not because Sabine had been hurt to an extent, merely because she felt giddy already as the strings that she could feel beneath her fingers began to a play tune once more. This is what she had missed for the last week. She couldn't wipe the smirk from tipping the edges of her mouth into a grin, and she smoothly entered the kitchen area and headed for the chief cook.

"Syx, good morn. Four appears to be being more affectionate with our dear lord Sabine now, you should congratulate him." Keeping the grin and glee from her voice, she talks as she glides past Syx, and though her voice is quiet, it is clear enough for those also working in the kitchen to hear. It was hardly the most complex manipulation, but after the week of silence and restlessness, even simple meddling was savoured. Even mindless of the presence of Kira, she stopped next to Syx to survey the state of the kitchen as it was, "How is breakfast coming along?"

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Kira Grey Character Portrait: Syx Gryffen Pires Character Portrait: Natalia Catherine Estbury Character Portrait: Lonan Auraxtin Character Portrait: Sabine Cayne Character Portrait: Thea Basset
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

Image
Image
Location: Kitchen ---> Dining Room
Dialogue Color: #0000A0

Syx was filled with copious amounts of joy and excitement but also riddled with a myriad of anxiety. He was entirely enthralled to have everyone in the same room. The only reason they collected together was by force through Sabine due to the few of them that desired to be off on their own, which he understood. He enjoyed being alone; quite a lot actually. But he also desired to keep in touch with everyone in the house to keep tabs on their well-being, whether they enjoyed his presence or not.

Now he found himself preparing the table for the trays of food he would bring in to welcome these few people who did not care for him in the likes and the remainder of the residents. It always got under his skin when people disliked him for any reason, which was one of the reasons his anxiety was nearly at its peak. Sweat dripped down his back causing his button up shirt to cling to his back and his hands were constantly shaking no matter what task he set for himself. But he would never allow anyone except Thea see him as any more than his smiling facade.

The dining hall was adjacent to the kitchen. The long table furnished five chairs on either length, and one on either end. Although the manor only housed nine people, it had spots for guests. Syx found this a bit amusing. Not many of them ventured out from the house and when they did, it was never easy to make friends, much less someone they could bring home to this distorted family. Aedan had properly placed all of the plates and glasses among the table, as well the silverware was nicely wrapped into their napkins with silver napkin rings. Everything looked perfect. He grinned at Aedan and thanked him profusely for helping prepare the dining room. It was one less thing he would have to do this morning.

He remembered how quiet the house had been when Sabine again went into inactivity. He hated it. It felt like there was no time range between when he was last in his recession. He had sought him out only to find the demon sitting still in one of the many chairs in the library. Syx always got a bit down when he would find Sabine like this, hating the stillness the manor experienced and that Sabine would not be there to fleet around and intrude on him reading or to come and poke at his newly budding plants like he used to when Syx first started gardening.

Syx mainly used this time to work harder on maintaining his strong figure and to start readying the gardens again since it was finally Spring. He first planted the flowers, making sure there was a grand amount of Calla Lilies. He also included other breeds of Lilies, Roses, Tulips, Carnations, Daisies, Peonies, Dahlias, and Bleeding Hearts. Afterwards he had worked to till the garden which was a three day process since the garden was so large. He had felt cooped up in the Winter and cursed himself for being worthless, even though that was farthest from the truth. But when he was always reading after the chores and meals were completed, he got too antsy and it irked him when he couldn't find anything better to do than read or workout.

He returned to the kitchen once he readjusted everyone's plates to make sure they were all facing the same way and fixated himself on slightly moving glasses and candles and his freshly picked flowers among the table to assure himself that everything was indeed perfect.

Syx had hardly seen anyone except Fang in the week that Sabine resided in his own mind. He'd passed a few, but he kept himself busy outside for the allotted time. The night before last he was up late reading by candlelight and Fang had left the room suddenly so he figured Four had returned from his few day activities, whatever they were, and Fang had gone to investigate who was coming through the back door at this time. Although Fang would never harm someone of the house, but if it had been an intruder, he was trained to attack on command if need be.

Syx had already placed a ham in the top range so he could save the bottom to hold the food that was finished preparing to preserve its warmth. Three cast iron skillets adorned the range top. One withheld the sausage and bacon which hissed loudly at him to be turned, another contained the eggs which he was obediently flipping, and the last was occupied by a few grated potatoes that he'd seasoned to taste.
His hands still shook as he began slicing up fruit to serve to each individual and when Thea rounded the corner it startled him. He slammed down the knife, showing his surprise of her arrival. His heart was already pounding and if it hadn't been his best friend he may have yelped unexpectedly.

“Thea, good gracious, darling!” He stepped back from cutting apples and ran his hands through his hair in angst. She was the only one he even considered to show his true self to. They'd known each other for hundreds of years, so it was expected that she had seen him in all states, worst and best, and vice versa. She had even seen him when he got angry. Which was a terrifying image alone, much less to be the one to console him when he was indefinitely acting like a monster. He'd had to think twice not to throw her off of him. He still scolded himself for that evening.

“My apologies, Thea. I've been quagsagging since I stepped into the kitchen to begin breakfast. My anxiety is really quite horrid at the moment.” He gave her one of his trademark fake smiles but it was met with sad eyes.

He knew she would see right through him and turned back quickly to complete the remainder of the fruits. He placed several varieties of them into separate glass bowls for everyone then asked Thea if she would help place them around the table. While she was setting them about he paced quickly to the fridge to get the milk and began jirbling milk into all of the glasses he had set out. He loathed the idea that most of the food would go to waste, but in spite, he reminded himself that it was easily replaced. Though his heart stung for the less fortunate that were surviving off of gruel.

“Oh dear,” He said to himself, mid-pour.
He set the milk down, leaving the unfinished job to be done in a moment and hurried back to the kitchen while saying, “I've forgotten the toast!”

As he was rushing to the kitchen he came face to face with Kira.
“Good morning angel.” He grinned and leaned down to kiss her on the cheek then without skipping a beat pulled out a metal tray and began laying out bread to be cooked in the range.

Although he had a problem talking to new women, the women of this particular household did not bother him so, especially Thea and Kira. He adored their companionship and was always eager to see them. Natalia was fun to mess with and he was still getting to know Hope, but he enjoyed her as well. But if a woman approached him outside of the household, he would immediately begin stuttering and shaking. Women strangers, even clerks at markets, would have him shuddering in his boots with anxiety.

“I really appreciate it! If you could maybe finish pouring the milk in everyone's glasses, I would be forever grateful.” He grinned as he slid the tray into the heat then closed the range to focus on what lay atop it. He removed the eggs and meats from the cast iron skillets and onto glass plates and they followed the bread into the range. Now he attended the potatoes and looked back up for a moment to see Lionel now in the kitchen too. He grinned down at the man, his eyes lighting up to see so many of his friends here already. It was certainly a happy occasion and his anxiety had dwindled profusely as more faces came to greet him and were so willing to help him.

“You're not late at all, sir, you're early, in fact.” He smiled again and tried to think of what needed to be done, then snapped his finger and pointed to him.

“I have yet to start the coffee, if you could do that for me I think we will be set unless anyone has any requests.” With the last word he turned his gaze to Thea as if specifically meaning her requests. She always had a good idea or a random craving that set the mood perfectly for whatever meal they were having.

“Ah, I also forgot the jams and the lemon and cherry curds. Drat!” But he could not gather them just yet as he was still maintaining the potatoes.

Syx looked down when he heard Hope's voice brush against him. She practically purred about Four's state and Syx finally tore his eyes away from cooking to notice the demon that was now in the kitchen as well. A faint red mark was displayed across his face and his eyebrows knit to show a look of pain for the demon, even though he probably didn't even feel the strike. His gray orbs cascaded to view a very annoyed set of pets in either of his master's arms. He smiled at this and looked back to Hope.

”Better than breaking his arm like he usually would. And it's going well.” He retorted with a smile. The kitchen was so full now with everyone here.

He didn't mind all of this hustle and bustle though. For a little while in the seventeenth century he had taken on a job as a chef to secretly learn the era's ways of cooking so he was accustomed to this type of running around. Although he didn't need any money, he was just passionate about cooking. Being in the kitchen helped keep him happy and at peace. Especially among good friends.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Kira Grey Character Portrait: Syx Gryffen Pires Character Portrait: Natalia Catherine Estbury Character Portrait: Lonan Auraxtin Character Portrait: Sabine Cayne Character Portrait: Thea Basset
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

❖Aedan Huntington❖


❖❖❖❖❖▀ ❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖▀ ❖❖❖❖❖


ImageAedan looked up from his work of setting the table as each member of the little family entered. "Good morning," he greeted each as they arrived, thought it was really only Syx, Kira, and Lionel that had really paid him any mind. He wasn't much of a talker really until Kira showed up. Out of everyone here, he was the closest to her. He didn't know what it was about her but it made him feel safe to open up to her. He didn't fear her or worry that she was going to somehow sell his secrets. True he hadn't really talked too much about his past details, but he didn't feel like he needed to hide from her. She was just this sweet and adorable lady and though she was ages older than him and had far more experience to her name, Aedan, for the first time in his life, felt like he could protect someone. Back home he had been the youngest of two older brothers and they had always watched his back. Now he could watch over Kira and really, he saw the woman as a little sister; his little blossom.

"You're welcome, Syx," he answered when the man thanked him for setting the table. "Thank you for making the food. It looks and smells monsterful." Aedan didn't consider Syx much of a personal friend and didn't often associate with the man, but he had to admit he was quite the chef. His food was always delicious. He had to give credit where credit was due. Aedan used to cook for himself and his food... it was edible at best. Cooking was definitely not his forte. Aedan stood back to ensure he had set everything up on the table and did his best to stay out of Syx's way. He'd offer to help but there were plenty of hands for that and he was sure that whatever he touched would be burnt beyond recognition. Since he wasn't much use in the kitchen anymore, he hurried towards Kira.

Aedan quickly wrapped his arms around Kira and beamed brightly at her, his chin resting on her shoulder. "Hi Kira. Did you rest well?" he asked her then. Before he could focus on an answer, Aedan heard the door to the kitchen again and his eyes widened though he really shouldn't have been surprised. After everyone else had wandered in, there stood Sabine with Natalia and Lonan in his arms. Natalia looked rather miffed about the situation and Lonan... Lonan looked like, well, Lonan. He was always a dark cloud though this morning he looked more tired than usual. He could see the mark on Sabine's face and he could only assume it was Lonan's doing. The sight sent Aedan through a flutter of different emotions.

He felt the odd attraction to Sabine since hey, he was a rather handsome man, but there was so much more to it. He was happy to see that he had been hurt a little and happy that Lonan got it out of his system. He hated the fact that he took a certain sick happiness and relief from the fact that his savior had been hurt. And lastly, he did feel concern for both Lonan and Sabine. There was a heavy weight on Lonan and he wished there was something he could do to help, but that would require getting close to Lonan and he didn't think Lonan would appreciate it. Besides, that would require Aedan to divulge his own secrets and he... wasn't ready for that. He didn't know these people well enough. And Sabine... oh, Sabine. He was a puzzle in and of himself to Aedan. He loved and hated the demon. He was attracted and disgusted. He craved and loathed his attention. It really was quite the maze for the poor boy to navigate through.

Aedan shook his head and tried to clear it from these confusing thoughts. He had other things to worry about. Like the fact that everyone was here now. He got along with most of them but he hated Natalia and he was sure she'd say something or do something to annoy someone. It really was quite the taxing game everyone played to just get along. He didn't want to become a target and having so many people in the room... it was a bit overwhelming. He wondered why Sabine had wanted them all together this morning.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Kira Grey Character Portrait: Syx Gryffen Pires Character Portrait: Natalia Catherine Estbury Character Portrait: Lonan Auraxtin Character Portrait: Sabine Cayne Character Portrait: Thea Basset
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

Image

Thea poked her head into the kitchen, ready to leave if someone undesirable had claimed a position. She was pleased to find that Syx was the only one there. She strode in. “Excited to be cooking so much, hm?”

The slam of a knife stopped her in her tracks. Her friend was obviously extremely tense. He was doing the thing where he messes with his hair. His apology for startling her was accompanied with a thin smile, as usual. Thea quietly let out the breath she wasn’t aware she had been holding before smiling back. “No, no. It’s my fault for sneaking up on you.” He seemed to be teetering on the edge of okay. It would be wise to keep an eye on him this morning. Not that she was feeling at all confident about the gathering. He had good reason to be anxious.

Syx was making a big meal. She wasn't sure if it was because his nerves were making him restless or because it was Sabine's request. They do say breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Though, in Thea's opinion, every meal is important. She jumped up to her usual spot on the stool in the corner to watch him work. His dexterity when preparing food was always a sight to behold. With her clothes today she would only be in his way – he would hate to be the cause of stains on a proper dress like this one. She, however, was happy to help no matter what she was wearing, and did not hesitate when he asked for her to set out the fruit.

Aedan was in the dining room when she entered, bowls in both hands. She nodded at him as she made her way around the table. A slice of apple went missing. Then another. In her defense, they were very sweet and crisp. Thea made a note of which bowl she had been sneaking fruit from so that she could sit there later. Or, on second thought… With a wry look she swapped it for one of the ones near the end of the table where Sabine sat. It’s not like Natalia (who at this point pretty much had dibs on both of the seats there) ever did more than nibble anyway. Syx poured milk beside her until he realized he hadn’t started to make toast. The poor darling was so scattered he nearly ran into Kira on his way back to the kitchen. Thea made to greet her, managing to get out a quick “Hello” before Aedan shot past her to embrace the other girl. Aware that she would no longer have a chance to speak to Kira, Thea went to Syx just as Lionel came into the kitchen. Syx turned to her, waiting for a request – he was right to do so, as she had one. “Candied walnuts! I know where you put them.” Hearing that he had forgotten the spreads, she offered to get those as well. “Everything is somewhere in the pantry, I’m sure.”

The kitchen Thea returned to, her arms full of jars, was far noisier than the one she had left. Sabine had arrived, his arms full of a disgruntled redhead and a fuming Four. It was quite a sight. She would have to record it in her journal in detail. What a way to start the day! She cheerfully placed the preserves she had gathered onto an empty counter for Syx’s disposal and retreated to her stool to watch the two troublemakers struggle in the hold of their master. Only then did she spot the red on Sabine’s face. Oho. That would explain Lonan’s ridiculous position. She stifled a laugh.

It was a good morning indeed.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Kira Grey Character Portrait: Syx Gryffen Pires Character Portrait: Natalia Catherine Estbury Character Portrait: Lonan Auraxtin Character Portrait: Sabine Cayne Character Portrait: Thea Basset
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

#, as written by slcam
Natalia Catherine Estbury




The closer they approached to Four’s quarters, the stormier Natalia’s face became. All her giddiness from just moments earlier dissolved into a brooding anger, directed mostly at Four. Sharing Sabine’s attention was never high on her list to begin with. That despised door lurked in a dim corridor, far as possible from all others. Natalia, still perched in the demon’s arm, gave a huff of annoyance as he tried to doorknob, only to find the door unmoving. “How utterly unpleasant,” Natalia murmured to herself. Sabine seemed to take little notice of her comment and set himself against the door, straining only the slightest bit against whatever dead weight denied him entry. Still, his hold on Natalia remained as gentle as ever, and she could not help the small ray of pleasure that pierced her disgruntlement. Finally, with one final effort, there came the sound of something very large indeed toppling headlong to the floor. Despite expecting it, Natalia still jumped from the enormous clatter, her heart beating wildly. “God’s wounds!” she swore under her breath bringing a hand to her heart to calm herself. Her venomous gaze immediately settled on Four, communicating her displeasure at the situation better than any insults would. In any case, with Sabine present, she could not be as outright with insulting the lout in any case.

Though Four looked rather startled and half awake, rather like a young child, his expression soon turned to one of disgust mirroring Nattia’s own glare. Sabine smoothly set her on the now overturned dresser, and Natalia arranged herself a bit more comfortably, so she could sit up straight and continue her glare at Four. She hoped to communicate that she did not wish the boy to make more commotion than he already had. Still, she knew there was little chance that the thick-witted lout would stop acting so childishly. Sabine fairly tackled the boy to the bed, and despite the stirrings of jealousy in her, she could not help the slight bit of interest in how the situation would turn out. Four struggled uselessly and Nattia suppressed a laugh of amusement at his helplessness. Sabine asked about how much sleep the boy had gotten, and only got a rebuff in response. Nattia scoffed at Four’s useless resistance. It was really bothersome, even when directed at Sabine. When it was then quickly directed at her, supposedly for sitting on his dresser, she merely made herself more comfortable, refusing to drop her gaze, as if to say, “I am here, deal with it.” A smirk played on her features in response to his loathing.

Sabine seemed to ignore Four’s harsh gaze and tone and responded playfully, even ruffling the boy’s hair. The effect was rather comical, and it was clear how much Four disliked it. He looked like a cat being petted the wrong way. Natalia’s spiteful smirk only grew, even as the boy grabbed and moved Sabine’s arm. Or rather, Sabine allowed him to move it. Four commanded the demon to get out, kicking him off the bed, but Sabine dragged him along by his ankle. Nattia only rolled her eyes in annoyance at the antics as Sabine merely dragged him up until he was hanging upside down from his ankle. Four suddenly lurched, bringing his foot up to connect with Sabine’s face. The demon’s blood began to dribble from a nose that was quickly taking on a crimson hue. Nattia let out a gasp of alarm and outrage at the ridiculous display. Sabine lightly took it as Four being hungry, but Nattia’s rage did not cool and hate for the boy gleamed in her eyes. When Sabine reminded him that they were keeping the others waiting for breakfast, the guarded look on Four’s face gave Nattia a twisted pleasure. He clearly did not like that idea, but it served him right. “Yes, little soot bird, we are late for breakfast. I am sure you would not want to miss that,” she purred, mocking him lightly.

Sabine slung him over his shoulder and came back to the dresser to retrieve her. Nattia started out trying to convince Sabine to let her walk with a, “No, no, my dear. I think I would be more comfortable.--” She was cut off as he picked her up anyway, hardly seeming to notice her protests. She was soon once again nestled in Sabine’s arm. Though she attempted a couple glares at Lonan over Sabine’s shoulder, he firmly ignored her. This irked her to no end, which quickly became obvious. The boy was so insufferable, Nattia hardly knew why Sabine even kept him around. Even worse, he continued to struggle at random intervals. Sabine was too strong for these to have any effect, so Natalia was sure the boy was doing it just to be a nuisance.

Unfortunately, despite her attempts to ignore these childish irritations, by the time they reached the kitchen she was silently fuming. It would not be a good morning for any who got in her way. Still, luckily for Lonan, she wanted to get away from his idiocy for a time. As soon as they entered the kitchen, Nattia could feel the general attention shift in their direction. She automatically straightened, levering a haughty gaze at whoever looked her way. She assumed that each glance was at her and glared accordingly, making it clear that this was not the time to test her.

As soon as Sabine set her down, she fussily straightened her skirts, gave Loonan an acidic glare, then whirled off to the dining room without acknowledging anyone else. Nattia sat at her usual spot to the right of where Sabine usually sat and sulkily stared straight ahead.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Kira Grey Character Portrait: Syx Gryffen Pires Character Portrait: Natalia Catherine Estbury Character Portrait: Lonan Auraxtin Character Portrait: Sabine Cayne Character Portrait: Thea Basset
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

Sabine Cayne


There was certainly a spring to Sabine's step as he entered the kitchen, basking in the bustle. Lonan was still flopping occasionally like a disgruntled fish, so Sabine kept a firm hold on him as he lowered Nattia to the floor so she could daintily dismount. She swept off immediately to the dining room, but he waited a moment before following her. He shifted his weight to hold Lonan up, hands firmly under his arms so he couldn't make a wiggling escape, the permanently young man's feet dangling in the air, and looked him dead in the eye. " If you try to escape again, I'll catch you and tie you down so you can't get away, my little birdie." He said, his voice cheerful, but a cool expression iced over his eyes for a moment. Just as quickly as the ice had hardened, however, it vanished, and he grinned and wrinkled his nose a bit.

Sabine deposited Lonan in the dining room, seating him in the chair directly across from his usual spot, and shot a smile at Nattia, who was sitting beside his spot. " If he tries to make a break for it, give me a shout, would you, Red?" Then he turned to make sure everyone else was present, patting the foggy-eyed Aedan on the shoulder as he passed, offering him a joyful, crooked smile, ruffling Kira's hair, chuffing Lionel's shoulder, brushing a stay fly-away behind Hope's ear, resting his hand for a quick second on Thea's back as he passed through the kitchen, dodging the bustle. As he usually was when everyone was gathered together, He didn't understand the first thing about food, even after all his years of life. It all puzzled him, but he trusted his pet's judgements on their personal tastes, and had been known to enjoy food on several occasions.

He noticed straight away as he neared his precious boy that Syx's hands were shaking. Of course, being quite oblivious, he didn't understand the depths of Syx's anxiety issues, but he'd been around his sweet bear for long enough to know that he wasn't feeling tip-top. "My prince~" Sabine said, wrapping his arms around Syx's waist from behind and standing on tip-toes to press his face into the other's neck, "Look at you, working so hard!" he crooned, making a marginal attempt not to sound plaintive, in a, 'pay attention to me instead of what you were doing' sort of way, and more, 'calm down, you are doing a great job,' though his desire to have attention spent on him usually confused his praise.

Sabine was absolutely zero help in the kitchen, his skills maxed out on being able to carry things from one place to another, (though he was highly skilled at carrying, thanks to his superb strength and balance,) and other than that, he usually served to be a bit always in the way. Nonetheless, he helped carry things to the table as Syx and the others finished up, and soon enough everyone was settled down at the table. Sabine was still grinning all over himself, pleased to see everyone together, whether they liked it or not.