Victorique Wayrin (Aria)'s Story

Butterflies danced in jacks stomach as he neared the mansion, not really knowing what to expect. Jack only new that this is where he was meeting his bride to be and that he would be living with thirteen other people. He only new his brides name, he had never even met this woman before. Jack pulled up to the mansion, parked his car, grabbed his crud and unlocked the huge mansion door with the key he was given. Upon entering the mansion Jack noticed the giant chandelier hanging in the main room, and of course the other rather expensive looking furniture.

Jack closed the large door behind him and left his things in the entrance and, with his kitten close behind him, started to explore the mansion. After exploring for about ten minutes jack found the smallest bedroom in the mansion and claimed it for himself. jack didn't bring a lot with him , just clothes and a few other things he needed from the room he had a home, so the smaller room worked perfectly for him. Once he had a few of his things set up he explored a little more, discovering a music room , a library, the rather large dining area, and the stable outside behind the mansion. He decide he had done enough exploring and returned to the main room, awaiting the arrival of the others.

He wasn’t really sure what to think. In a way, he was grateful to get away from his home that he had been trapped in for so long. He never was able to leave when he was younger, or even when he got older. His parents were always so strict towards him, in order to keep their reputation amongst everyone else. A badly behaved child would do nothing good for them...but now, they were desperate to get any good attention they could after the incident for which they were accused. That included sending off their only child to get a new partner. Briefly, he wondered if his parents had thought about him at all during their decision. Had they even once wondered whether he would be happy about their decision? Had they even considered how he would feel?

No, of course not. They were selfish, and were only doing this so that they could gain respect among their peers once more. He didn’t want to get his hopes up by believing that his parents had done this for him...he knew that he was only important to them because he would later take their place in the council they were a part of. These thoughts occupied his mind for most of the trip to the mansion. He wasn’t exactly sure what to expect, though he was almost certain that he would be driven insane by the company of eleven other people, not even including whatever people would be brought along by the other grooms and brides.
Kylar reached a thin hand up towards his head, running his fingers through his messy off-white hair. Out of habit, he grabbed the few strands covering his pointed ears, and tucked them away. His parents had always taught him to be proud of his race. As soon as the memory of the manner he was taught came to mind, he frowned slightly, and brushed his hair back to its original place, though his ears still showed. He wanted to abandon all aspects of his old life. He didn’t want to be reminded of what he had been like before.

His hands rested on his knees, he lightly tapped his fingers out of nervousness as he stared out at the approaching mansion. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the neatly folded piece of paper, opening it and staring at the few words written on it.

“Victorique Fiammata Aria de Wayrin”

It was all he knew about her. He had no idea what she looked like, what she acted like...he didn’t even know what race she was. All he knew was that she was his new partner.

Kylar grimaced slightly at the thought of being with someone that he hardly knew. Sure, they were staying in the mansion for the amount of time just for this reason, but what if after awhile, he still didn’t like her? What if she was loud and annoying? What if she was stupid and impulsive? He just knew that this wasn’t going to end well.

The vehicle began to come to a stop. As it paused in front of the mansion, he took a deep breath, staring out at the building. Opening his door, he put the paper back in his pocket, and stepped over to the back seat, taking out his few bags. He slung them over his shoulder, and then grabbed his last iteall m. A thick leather-bound book, filled with loose papers with writing in various languages. He hardly glanced at the driver before turning and leaving towards the home. It was quite warm outside, nothing he wasn’t used to, however he felt as if he was suffocating. Probably because of the dark clothing he had chosen to wear. He was wearing a white button-up shirt, a fine black jacket, and black pants as well.

Kylar walked up towards the tall doors, noticing that they were already partially ajar. Others had already come in before him. He slipped inside, and upon entry, the first thing he noticed was how high the ceiling was. Even more vaulted than his own home. There was a large chandelier hanging from the ceiling, and a grand staircase that probably lead up to all of the rooms. There were a few people in the main room nearby, already talking amongst themselves. Kylar glanced at them indifferently, then turned away and made his way up the stairs without so much as a hello or a friendly smile towards them.

He carried his book close to his body, for it was his most precious possession, and walked by each of the rooms, glancing into them as he went by. Some were already claimed, yet he soon found a room that was a empty, save for a carved wooden desk pressed up against the wall, and bed dressed in deep blue sheets. The whole room was a tone darker than most, for the curtains were closed and only a bit of light was able to filter through. He put his bags on the bed and rested his book on the desk, looking around briefly. There were a few candles placed on the bedside table and various shelves around the room. He was glad for that, for candlelight always seemed to soothe him in even the worst situations.

He pressed his index finger and thumb close together, rubbing them slightly. A tiny flame conjured itself on his fingertip, appearing to have almost burned through his skin in order to get there. He lowered it down to the candle, lighting it, then picked up the candle and carried it over to the other ones around the room, lighting them as well. Afterwards, the whole place seemed to have a warm glow. Kylar thought for a moment about going down to where the rest of the people were to see if his future partner was here yet, but decided against it. He wasn’t much in the mood for speaking now.

He pulled away his desk chair and sat down, opening his book and setting out some of the pages he had been working on. He figured that he might as well try to relax a bit before going and doing anything.

Victorique's eyes finally flutter open after several hours of a car-ride induced slumber, a small yawn escaping the slightly parted pink lips. Straightening herself from her former position, Victorique allows her one-eyed gaze to wander around the spacious back of the pitch black limousine, that was, undoubtedly, carrying her to the destination of fate. A frown tugs at her cupid's bow shaped lips at the thought of what "fate" really was. "Fate.." does that mean.. I'm destined to wed someone whom I don't know? Seems illogical.." came an exasperated murmur as Victorique began to speak aloud her thoughts. Trying to find a way to distract her mind from the worst case scenarios about her future husband, the petite Vampiric Elf changed her line of attention to the tinted windows as the chariot passed through wrought iron gates.

No later than 10 minutes had passed before the sight of a peaked black roof materialized through the tops of the leafy canopy above, indicating they were drawing closer. Closing her red eye, Victorique began to try her hand at making the pessimistic thoughts of her new life and husband flee from confines of her mind. She would have stayed like there all day if she could, lost in thought. Unfortunately, those 10 minutes passed by in a blur and before she knew it; Victorique was standing in front of imposing house, her butler gathering her bags. Instinctively, a slender pale hand reaches up gingerly to touch her medical gauze eyepatch, relief filling her body feeling it was still in place. Pausing briefly, Victorique began to ponder what would happen if she absolutely despised her fated-to-be-husband but that moment only lasted briefly as her logical side began to take over. "This is your duty as a not only as lady of upper class but as compensation."came her usual soft voice, the tone reasoning and unwavering. Without a further moment, she delicately and calmly walked up the front stairs to the porch where her butler, holding a suitcase and a duffle bag, proceeded to hold open the door.

The interior of the mansion didn't surprise the doll-like girl in the slightest. In fact, it bore some slight resemblance to her home in France. Giving a slight shake of her head in disappointment at the lack of excitement, Victorique pulls out a simple piece of rectangular paper with rather beautiful scrawling on it that read: Kylar Slayde. "What a...peculiar name.." she whispers softly before following her butler up the stairs.

The small girl paused briefly in the middle of the hallway, trying to get her bearings, before continuing to the room that was designated hers. Giving one last glance around the empty hall, Victorique quickly slipped into the the room, eyes widening at the decor A slight smile appears on her lips knowing who had customized this room to look exactly like her home's in Paris: her aunt. In the midst of her admiration of the likeness, Victorique had almost forgotten her butler's presence until he cleared his throat. Glancing over, the usually-stoic-girl casts him a rather warm half-smile before nodding her head "Do tell my Aunt that I loved her present... and please take care of her." And just like that, her butler, the deliverer of her fate, left the Elfin Vampire's life permanently. Sending yet another cautious glance into the hallway, Victorique quickly closes the door before slumping on her bed.

-----------------------------------------Mint----------------------------------------------------
The small black cat quickly jumps out of the limousine with ease, a small agitated mew slipping through her lips. The feline's black tail flicks in annoyance at being ignored by her master, pouting in a manner of sorts. Without a further ado, Mint gracefully pads into the house and slipping up the stairs before stopping in front of a door and scratching on it, oblivious to the fact it was Kylar Slayde's.

A small sigh escapes Victorique as the small girl stood awkwardly in the middle of her room, debating whether to go downstairs to introduce herself or just hide in her room until she was forced to come out. Crossing the room in a graceful stride, she pauses in front of the beautifully carved vanity mirror. A rather frail girl peered back in the mirror, her skin a luminous shade of light ivory which seemed to be even more pale against her ebony black hair, styled in such a way that even the shoulder-length cut was feminine. Even with a frown tugging at the rosebud lips, this girl was hauntingly inhuman; perfect in every way. All except for white medical patch covering her right eye. It was that eye patch that made Victorique hesitate on to whether to introduce herself.. after all, it always drove people away. What if he rejects me? echoed the pessimistic thought in her mind, which, in turn, caused that frown to deepen.

The Vampiric Elf quickly turned away from the haunting image reflected from the thin sheet of glass to break the locked gaze with herself. With a small sigh, Victorique closes her eyes before calling out in her soft voice "What do you think, Mint? Go down and introduce myself or stay here?" After several seconds of silence, she opens her eye, frowning at the silence. "Mint? Mint.. where are you?" Victorique continues to call out for the black kitten, looking everywhere in the tiny space. Not a single hair of the feline was to be found in the room, however, which had only increased Victorique's panic. Without another moment's hesitation, she quickly runs out in the hallway before hurrying through the house in panic.

He hadn't really ever held a cat before. Well, once, a long time ago, when he was outside by himself in the woods. His parents had been away, which was quite a common thing, so he had to find some way to entertain himself. He happened upon a stray cat with light gray fur, and slightly lighter stripes across its back. The younger him was foolish and brash, and without even thinking, went towards the animal, assuming it would be friendly. Obviously it wasn't expecting this, and threw itself at him, scratching him in more than one place on his face and neck. The experience had made him view all animals a bit more bitterly than most, yet know he knew that he could put that experience behind him.

Kylar stroked its head gently, still carrying it with confidence, as he made his way down the stairs, oblivious to the fact that this was probably someone's animal and they were most likely looking for it, or at least worried about it. He was so used to getting whatever he wanted even as a child, that he didn't even once think about this possibility. He held the animal with a certain pride, and anyone that looked might assume that it was his. With his mind clouding with past memories and experiences with animals, he had nearly forgotten what his mission was. The door, that...angel. Right.

He stepped past the few people that were in the main room, casting a brief sideways glance towards the few there out of curiosity. They all seemed to be focused on their own things, either speaking or reading, so he tried not to draw any attention to himself, and continued towards the front doors. A couple briskly walked past him, an angel and someone else, up towards the staircase. He had to swerve out of the way to avoid them, and found himself glaring slightly as they walked away. He wasn't sure if he would be able to get use to so many people in one place, even if it was a giant mansion. He was pretty sure that there were still more people to arrive too. This was just the beginning. Kylar sighed quietly to himself, and just as he was a few feet from the doorway, he paused, noticing that it was already slightly open. Leaning to the side slightly, he saw through the crack a girl outside near the front. Well, the man outside his window could find his own way in, now that it was open.

Kylar turned quickly, his white-grey hair falling in front of his eyes. He struggled to clear his vision just by slightly shaking his head, but decided after a few seconds that he probably looked like an idiot, and might be startling the animal, so quickly stopped. He began to ascend the stairs again, hoping to get back to his room so he could unpack his things, and maybe even think on how to get out of the current situation he was in. He was not going to let his parents control him, force him to marry someone just for their own selfish reasons. Most people saw the time here as a time to get to know their future spouse. He saw it as a time limit, a ticking bomb. He had to find some way to escape the deal. Maybe if the girl really didn't like, him, then she would speak to her own parents and they could call it off? Of course, he'd have to find out how lenient her family was, what the circumstances were. And to do that, he'd have to meet her.

Distracted by his thoughts, he hardly noticed that he was about to run into someone directly in front of him. Luckily, he had quick reflexes, and rather than his height limiting his movement, it almost helped him flow better. He twisted out of the way of the small, black-haired girl quickly, yet it the process, pulled his arms apart, dropping the animal for a slight second. He didn't even look at the girl he had narrowly avoided, yet reached for the falling animal and grabbed it again. He was sure that the cat would have been able to land on its feet, yet he took hold of it again anyways. Turning to glance over his shoulder, he muttered a quiet 'sorry', probably not even heard by the girl, and continued on his way as if nothing was wrong. If he had paid better attention and realized that she was frantically searching for something, then maybe he would have grown curious as to what, and realized that the animal was hers....yet, he was too focused on his own plans.

Victorique quickly scurried down the halls, a frantic air radiating off her. Mint.. where could you be!? echoed the worried thoughts in her mind due to the absence of the black kitten that she loved so dearly. After every few minutes of this panicked pacing, the small Vampiric Elf would pause to check behind statues or paintings, with each spot coming with a new hope that would be quickly shattered. 20 minutes had passed, and with no sign of the black feline, overwhelming dismay rose to her throat. All too well did Victorique knew what that constricted throat would lead to, an action which she absolutely despised. Swallowing the lump forcefully, she chastise herself as she continues the search "Victorique, really now. You are far too old to be crying over a trivial matter! To think of how Auntie would react if she saw you right now! Shame on you."

In the midst of reprimanding herself, Victorique had carelessly forgotten about other people in the house. In a flash of an instance, just as she had opened her red eye, a body appears in front of her. Before she could react, the masculine form quickly spun around her with amazing grace, muttering a quite "Sorry" before it continued on its way. Standing there, Victorique blinks in slight shock of the encounter before it came to her: the male was holding a small black figure in his arms. "Mint!" comes her exclamation as, just as gracefully, spins on her heels to hurry after the retreating figure.

"Wait! Sir, please wait!" she calls after him, hope welling up in her again. Seeing him stop, the petite girl swiftly walks after him, keeping a controlled pace. In a matter of a few seconds, she was behind him, voice hopeful "Um Sir.. perchance you've seen a small black kitten?". Gazing up at him from one eye, she watches for his reaction, eagerly anxious.

After the storm died down SyKo calmed. It was about 5:30 p.m. Then it hit SyKo. She totally forgot about making dinner.. SyKo facepalmed then scurried off to the kitchen to search for things to make. When she couldn't make up her mind she decided to go around and ask the couples what they would like for dinner. "I um.. Can't decide what to make so... Er, what would you like for dinner?" She asked each couple.