"How anyone should act?" Zane repeated in a mocking, angry tone of voice, his shirt was in tatters where the jagged broken pieces of wood hit him, the ends catching on his fine shirt. He of course had ripped them off instead of carefully freeing them, the once handsome man seemed to be damaged beyond belief, scars littered his upper torso. He had scars that were raised up and permentaly red, some were spotted like he got hit from strapnual when a exsplosive went off near him, but most liked like he got caught in a fire or some one threw acid onto him.
"Guests....madman....." he put a hand to his face, one wide light blue eye showing through as he laughed in a mad way, stopping when he had it undercontrol once more. "Well, Cali, shouldn't they all know that a madman truely lives here? Or how about the fact that my tantrums as you put it, me destroying things in my wing is to keep the rest of you safe. Or better yet what about the fact that you could never decide to save our lives. How about this, i am going to kill myself soon to make your mind up for you. Forget the Pendragon bloodline and the Rosenfield bloodline, there is no way the will go on." he said to her in a dead matter of fact tone of voice, maybe he finally snapped and lost his mind, maybe he goes through this often, but it was clear that he didn't care about what impression thier 'guests' had about the house or himself as he threw another knife at a younger, more nive, better looking picture of himself.

Anette had been waiting for Scrythe to tell her when dinner was when she heard a faint yell from somewhere in the manor. Didn't she? Maybe she was only hearing things. She smiled when Scrythe apologized for his attitude, "No worries," she started, "I'd be cranky too if I left and came back to my kitchen looking like the city dump." She didn't add anything else in regards to the kitchen, but she was wondering how on earth the few people in this place could manage to make such a mess out of a kitchen. But she shrugged it off, hearing Scrythe mumble something about having to leave again. There was no way he would have dinner ready on time if he had to go back out.

"Scrythe, I have to leave the estate to get my things, I can pick up what you need to finish dinner on my way back," she offered, she was hired help after all. When the kitchen door swung open again, Anette turned to see another female, and the man whos gaze she'd met upon entering the manor. She only watched them for a moment, wondering who they might be. So far she knew there were five people previously living here, Miss Cypher, Markhel, Scrythe, the angry man who stabbed the chair, and this man, the two of whom she didn't yet know. So one of them had to be Howl. Probably the angry one, considering he seemed more of the type to eat people, or whatever the rumor was.

Anette didn't think anymore into it. It really didn't matter to her who anyone was, she was hired as a housekeeper, not entertainment. Which was for the best, she probably couldn't entertain to save her life. She didn't know any card tricks, lost at all board games, couldn't dance... she loved reading, daydreaming outside, painting, she wasn't really good at much else besides cleaning and taking care of people, like her dear Nana. Which reminded her, she really needed to get going if she was going to pick up her things and get to the store in time to get Scrythe's dinner on schedule. She wondered if they drove their own vehicles or if they had drivers or something, either way, she stayed planted waiting to hear what Scrythe would need before she would call for a cab.

Looking towards the two who'd entered again, she smiled warmly, thinking it only proper to introduce herself rather than stand there ignoring them. "Hi, I'm Anette," she said with a short wave. Looking at the girls tribal clothing she smiled again, "Your dress is beautiful," she added. There was no way Anette ever thought she could pull something like that off, she could have of course, but her self esteem didn't allow her to feel that good looking. In fact, compared to the other girls in the house, including Miss Cypher, Anette felt rather homely.

"Zane," Cali began dangerously, but froze when he threw the blade. His laughter was what worried her the most. "Don't." Her resolve wavered then. The cold and composed woman seemed much younger in that moment. "I never meant to . . ." Cypher's shaking voice trailed off as she saw the scars. She'd never seen them before. The woman turned her head away from him, unable to look at the damage she knew she'd caused. "I don't want you dead. I never wanted you dead." It hurt to think of the past. It hurt to see Zane suffering like this. Perhaps it would have been better if everyone had died that day.
-

Howl's slight smile stayed in place as he nodded to Anette. "I see Scrythe will have some help. Pay no heed to his frowns." The male finally managed to get a cup of tea for Nikia, carefully handing it over to her without skin contact. This was how a host should act: how a Pendragon noble should act.
"Has Cypher shown you your room?" he asked, looking to Anette once again. Her auburn hair made him smile: it reminded him of Markhel.

((Gah, dreadfully short. Sorry, all!))

Hyoyeon slightly raised a dark eyebrow at Markhel, unsure if he was really interested in staying. She hadn't meant to trap him, only to prevent him having to run around, but she wasn't entirely sure if he was actually all that interested in being there. Then again, it probably wasn't the most entertaining thing in the world to be thanked by multiple people for the same exact task. Melding her face into a dramatic pout, Hyoyeon nearly stuck her tongue out at him when he nudged her. "Oh, you couldn't possibly kick me out," Hyoyeon said. "Especially not over tea." She wrung the tea-bag with it's string and sat back primly, listening carefully as he responded to her question.

"She didn't seem like that type. Does she like to be called Cypher? Or would it be more appropriate for a newcomer to call her miss?" Questions after questions. This entire place was a draw for them, whether malignant or benign. "I came here because of the notices, unsure of which to follow. I'm an efficient cleaner, but more than that, I'm very good with repair," Hyoyeon explained, sitting back with her tea. "I suppose if Cypher had asked me to be an entertainer, that would also have been good, but that wasn't the role she saw me in, so far as I know." There it was, that small, girlish pain. Was she not assumed to be an entertainer due to her appearance? Hyoyeon unconsciously smoothed down the braid in her hair, despite the lack of frizz.

Nothing these people said pinned Howl as the friendly type exactly, but the same instinct that told her to come here seemed to say that even if he may not like so many guests, it didn't mean he was heartless. Hyoyeon would have to find out more lately. "Well... it's a bit odd," Hyoyeon confessed in reaction to Markhel's final question. "My family is a bit standoffish, so I haven't heard much about Howl or his estate. Still, I seem to just have had this instinct about it. And that instinct, that curiosity told me to come here." Hyoyeon knew how vague that sounded, but it was the truth. "I felt there was something to work towards here, whether it be experiencing something new or simply what a large project cleaning this house will be. And in any case, I always follow my instincts."

Nikia smiled as they went to the kitchen. His hand on her back felt sort of calming as she walked into the kitchen with him. The cup that was placed into her hand made her think that she was not worthy of the man, only because he made no skin contact. It was better that way since it was the way she was taught men should act, but then again, it just felt a little weird for it to happen here. She looked around the kitchen, finally recognizing the state it was in and then looked down at her cup. It was clean, but she had to wonder. Instead of saying anything, she just decided to drink from it. The tea was sweet and delicious, like she thought it would be. Thats when another girl walked up to her and complimented her appearance. "Thank you." She said as she looked at the other girl. "My name is Nikia. Its nice to meet you. You look very nice yourself." She said with a smile to the girl. "Do you need any...." As she was about to say help, Howl spoke up and asked if Anette had seen her room yet. It would be rude to interrupt the answer he might receive from the girl, so she just waited.

Looking down at her white t-shirt that had "Got Maid?" printed in annoying bold and black letters on the back, and faded jeans and tennis shoes, Anette chuckled. "Thank you," she replied kindly, even though she knew her appearance was much less than nice. She pushed her auburn colored bangs from her face as she smiled back at them. "Oh, Scrythe and I are going to be great pals, aren't we old chap?" Anette said, poking fun at Scrythe. His attitude wouldn't be a problem for her, in fact, she kind of liked that he wasn't overly optimistic and cheery, or anything like that.

Her eyes had been watching him mull through his ingredients and kitchen ware, awaiting a list of things he needed from the market, when the blonde male addressed her again. "Hm? Oh yes, thank you, she did. It was beautiful," she responded, "And suprisingly clean," she added. This man must be more of the hired help. He didn't look like hired help, but here he was preparing tea and making sure she had a room, a butler of sorts, yeah, that had to be it.

Anette glanced down at her watch, she really needed to be going if she was going to get a cab here, get her things and make it back in time to get Scrythe's dinner ingredients back on time. Standing with her arms behind her back, she smiled again to everyone as she rolled back on her heels in a sort of a "Sooo" kind of question, as she waited for Scrythe's instruction.

Scrythe had been looking around the kitchen to see what he would need at Anette's comment. That would certainly be helpful to have the girl bring him the ingredients. To his surprise, he saw Howl come back in with another girl. Raising an eyebrow at him, he nodded at the question. "There is still some left. The utensils are clean, I just washed them." he assured them as he wrote down the ever growing list. A light smirk appeared as he glanced at Anette. "Great pals? Maybe." It was a slight joke but after he said that, he went right back to writing down everything. His writing was neat and easy to read. Even if it was in cursive. Hopefully the girl could read it. Otherwise it'd be troublesome to write it out in print.

"Just how many will be attending?" he asked, looking bothered. Too many females now. All he knew was that certainly Zane would be furious. Maybe he wouldn't even come down to eat. Adding extra ingredients he finally finished the grocery list. Standing back up straight, he gave the list over to Anette. "Here it is. Just tell them I sent you, and there would be a discount." Taking out some money to help with the groceries, he handed it to her.

Markhel nodded once. "Cypher. That's what she prefers." The youth then listened to Hyoyeon as though her words were the world. When she finished, he nodded again. "I think it's good that you haven't heard all the rumors. They're . . . mostly rubbish." His golden eyes lit up as he sipped his tea. "Mostly."
It was then that he set his cup down and watched her intently. "In uttermost seriousness," he said quietly, glancing toward the door, "I would avoid Master Howl if I were you." Markhel swallowed quietly. "It isn't worth getting tangled up in. Nothing in his house is." His gaze was full of warning - and he meant every word of it. Zane, Howl, Cypher . . . even Markhel himself invited trouble into the lives of the others. It wasn't a good idea to get too involved with the Pendragon household.

The teen was soon back to drinking his tea, taking in a deep breath. "I hope your instincts are better than the last girl's." Markhel shrugged, changing the subject suddenly. "Have you seen the gardens? They're massive."
-

Howl chuckled at the mention of the clean room. "Everything used to be that way." He then turned his pale blue eyes to Nikia as she paused, waiting for a chance to speak. He turned to look at Scrythe and chuckled. "We are expecting eight." He didn't count Zane . . . for he had a feeling the other man wouldn't show up for the meal. Howl was including himself in the dinner, though only because Cypher would have killed him if he'd skipped.
The tall male took a slow breath, letting it out just as slowly. "It's good to have you back, Scrythe." It was then that he glanced toward the kitchen entrance with a thoughtful expression. He tended to get lost in his thoughts sometimes. . . .

((Please forgive me... I just wrote a giant reply, and then accidentally closed my browser :cry: So I'm not going to put nearly the effort into this new post... I just can't do it... Working on it now :())

Taking the grocery list and cash from Scrythe, Anette folded them together to fit into her back pocket. "Thanks,"she said, "I'll be back soon." And with that, Anette gave them all a warm smile and a short wave as she dissapeared out the kitchen door.

----------------------------------

A short time later, the cab pulled to a stop in front of her grandmother's home. Pushing the back door open, Anette asked the driver to wait, before stepping out and closing the door gently behind her. Staring up at the home, she made her way up the walk to the front door, where she inserted her key into the lock and let herself inside, closing the door quietly behind her. She didn't spot her grandmother anywhere, and assumed she was napping in her room.

Anette made quick work of packing the things she'd brought with her when she moved here to take care of her grandmother. Folding her clothes nicely, one suitcase went entirely to clothes and shoes. What could she say? Despite her current maid appearance, she was very much a girl with a love for clothes, shoes and jewelry. The second suitcase was taken up mostly by her books, as well as a small jewelry box left to her by her mother, a small photo album, her iPod, and personal hygiene products among a few other small things.

By the time she was done, her grandmother still hadn't emerged from her room. Anette sighed, not wanting to wake her. Picking up the cordless phone, Anette was happy to find that the only two numbers in the history were that of the hospice service, and that of which had to be the Pendragon estate. Jotting the numbers onto a piece of paper, Anette wrote her grandmother a note. "Nana, I didn't want to wake you. If you need anything, call Sheryl at the Hospice Center, or try me at the second number. I will try to be back tomorrow for a visit. Love you Nana!" And with a large heart, Anette signed her name, and made her way to the fridge, where she stuck the note and made sure her grandmother had enough food to last her until Sheryl arrived in the morning.

Knowing the cab was waiting and Scrythe too, Anette gathered her things and exited the small home, locking the door behind her. The driver loaded her things and closed her door when she climbed into the cab, leaving her to stare at the small home, wondering if she should have peeked in at her grandmother. The cab pulled away, it was too late now anyway, and Anette was sure there was nothing to worry about. "To the market please," she said as the driver turned onto the main road.

((Awh . . . deary! I'm so sorry! I hate it when Mene eats your posts! *cough* I blame Mene. ;) No worries! I don't mind waiting. I have work to do anyway. . . .))

"Your to late for such apologizes, Cali......now get out." he said to her in a very flat voice, as if he had no emotions except for anger, like didn't care for her anymore. He took the tattered shirt off and tossed it into a corner that had other destroyed linen, keeping his back to her as he begin to ignore her like she didn't exsist at all. "Never wantted me dead......that is exactly what you got.....i am dead very much so.....the truth is you never wantted me....." he mumbled to her as he pulled a brand new shirt on, sitting on the edge of the destroyed bed before laying back on it, not caring that springs were poking into his skin. He closed his light blue eyes as his lose hair got tangled in a mess of things that were upon the bed, now that he was far more clamer, he didn't look like the madman that he had been moments before.

(Esmme: love are you forgetting us?)

(SORRY SORRY SORRY I had no internet for thanksgiving break. Thought i would.)

Nikia just waited patiently for the people to finish their conversations with each other.She looked at the man who had led her into the kitchen for her drink which was now getting cold in her hand. Quickly, she drank some more of it, not to seem rude. That last drink had finished the cup which she now put near the sink to be washed. With a small look of not knowing what to do, she spoke the man name Scrythe. "Do you need some help sir? I can start washing the dishes for you if you would like." When she looked around the kitchen again, she almost regretted the decision to help, but didnt show it on her face. There were dishes everywhere. they all seemed to be dirty too. Of course, she waited for the man to answer so as not to impose on him.

((I think Mennie had something against people posting during break. I tried several times, but got discouraged when it deleted.))



Hyoyeon nodded, anticipating his reaction to her statement. The question had clearly been important. Markhel noted that most of the rumors were rubbish, causing Hyoyeon to sip her tea and contemplate. If most of them were rubbish, wouldn't that imply that Howl was an overall good person, assuming they were mainly bad, even if he occasionally did something bad? Innocent until proven guilty. But she couldn't help her heart stirring a bit at the way Markhel's eyes lit up. Excitement meant adventure, and that meant she'd made the right choice coming here.

Still, his tone dropped, and with his warning, Hyoyeon felt some hardening in her heart. If she must be careful, then she must. There seemed no reason for Markhel to lie to her. Still, did he even mean to be careful of Howl only? With so many housekeepers and other occupants, Hyoyeon couldn't help but wonder if there were some individuals in the house that were less than friendly, less so than Cypher anyway. If Howl fell into that category too... Well, again, she'd see when she'd see. But if nothing in this house was worth getting tangled up in, why was she invited as a maid? Why, then, was Markhel? Intuition told her not to ask, though she offered the curiosity on her face.

"I would hope so as well, except in hope for that last girl," she said lightly, aware that what happened to the last girl might also be an unhappy subject. "I have not seen the gardens yet. Are they also in need of repair? I'm a better gardener than maid, though repair is probably my specialty." Secretly, she was very excited. Hyoyeon was in love with flowers, and often made arrangements at home. She also loved fruits and vegetables, but she was more worried about if she'd have to cut the lawn. Too much of a perfectionist, she'd tried the task once and ended up with one overly short patch and some sunburn to prove her pains.

Scrythe smirked softly, nodding at Howl. The cook hadn't a clue if the man wanted his name to be annonymous or not, so he didn't adress him with his name. "I'd say it's good to be back, but since I came back to this, I'd say I hate you guys. I'll be back to normal tomorrow." he stated, dismissing his comment as a joke. Picking up some of the left over dishes on the tables, he sighed. "At least most of the dishes are clean, and some of the trash is gone." he muttered, more to himself than to them. Eight was a lot, but he would be able to manage with the ingredients. In his mind, he was already concocting dishes to prepare.

"The dishes are almost done, so no thank you. You should get yourself familiarized with the rest of the house first." He was a little O.C.D with letting others help out with the kitchen. It had to be done just right. Her clothes didn't seem to be too good for cleaning just yet, or working in the kitchen either. While they were pretty, it wasn't practical in the kitchen.

Nikia smiled at the man and nodded her head to say she would do just that instead of disturbing him like it seemed she was doing. She looked back at Howl wondering if he would be able to show her around the room. It wasnt right that the man had been a little mean about the dishes when she was only trying to help, but she wasnt going to say anything about it. She finished the drink she had and put it in next to the sink with what looked like other dirty dishes. As if getting a little uncomfortable in the room, her body started to shiver just a little bit, nothing noticeable as she walked back over towards Howl. "Um, I do not wish to disturb you, so if you would like, i can show myself around the house. Thats if you are busy."

She didnt want to seem rude, but her words were a little awkward when it came to what she had said. Now she felt like hitting herself upside the head. Those where not the words she had been looking for and hopefully the man would understand what she was trying to say. He was the master of the house. Yes, she didnt know that for certain, but it was just by the way he acted that she could tell he was the one that owned it. Now that she was close to him, the rumors seemed to flow around in her mind for no reason whatsoever. It was making her nervous around him, but she wouldnt let that show, at least not to him.

"I didn't apologize," Cypher said, her form straightening once again. Hearing Zane's cold words, she seemed to draw back into a frigid composure. She was about to turn away when she heard the man's mumbled words. She hesitated, her silver eyes narrowing for a moment. "You know that isn't true," she whispered. The truth is . . . I didn't want to chose. The words stuck in her throat, unable to claw their way through her gritted teeth.
With her chin lifted, Cali moved down the hall again. This time her step was strong - and it took her away from the creature Zane had become with as much speed as she dared muster. Cypher moved away from the South wing with her fists clenched. Moving toward the wing with their guests, the house guardian found herself trembling slightly. It was hard to relive the past. It was difficult to live in the present, let alone see the consequences of her actions in past moments.
Why did I do it? How had she single-handedly destroy a household?
-

Markhel was glad he'd changed the subject. He witnessed curiosity blossoming over the face of his new friend, and he didn't want to get to the touchy subjects so soon. Hyoyeon was a good girl . . . or so it seemed so far. The auburn-haired youth seemed lost in thought for a moment before he set his cup down and nodded. "Everything needs some cleaning up. The gardens are no exception, though I've done the best I can in some areas." A blush filled his features as he laughed. "I must admit, I'm pretty horrible at it. That, and Cypher keeps me indoors most of the time. She hates it when I leave the house."
Despite being in his older teens, Markhel didn't have a sense of freedom that many males his age would have had in a normal society. "My studies keep me from doing too much out there." Wrinkling his nose, the golden-eyed teen sighed. "Would you like to see them? The gardens?" Tilting his head, a smile broke his features once again. "There is so much out there, I don't know if I can show you everything before dinner is ready."
-

Watching the interaction between the others in silence, Howl lifted a hand to his mouth. Hiding a smile from his companions, the blond caught Nikia's gaze with his own before lowering his fingers. "Come with me." His constant smile never disappeared, but his voice was calm. Offering his arm, the young master pushed himself away from the counter. "I'll show you around, though you might not want to look too closely." The appearance of the estate wasn't very cleanly, after all.
With a nod to Scrythe, Howl led Nikia from the kitchen. "There are four wings in the household. North and South are private, while yours is to the East." His hand moved up to gesture to the large arches that led to each wing as he spoke. They were visible from the ground floor, thanks to the railing that moved around the entire room. Each wing was at a "corner" of the house.

"The kitchen," he said in his smooth voice, glancing back the way they'd come, "leads to the gardens. There is the office," which he motioned to, "and a reading room." The young master then continued to lead Nikia on, showing her the library (which was downstairs) and the dining room. The downstairs was immense - and even included a ballroom (which was in a terrible state of disrepair). "Is there anything you expect of the Pendragon estate, Nikia?"
As they walked slowly, Howl let his azure eyes light upon her features. It was nice to see someone so . . . different. It was also nice to see another female's face. It had been a few years since the last girl had . . . visited.

Nikia looked at the male's arm as she walked towards him, slowly taking hold of it, but softly. The man was so comforting to be around. His features just made her want to stay in this building forever. Her gentle touch to his arm helped her to follow what him throughout the house.
Whenever he showed her a room, she would look at it in detail even though he told her she probably shouldnt. It was the cleanliness that he was worried about, she could tell.
She found that every detail into how the house was created seemed so beautiful. All of the archways were large and beautiful. She was sure that the garden would be just as beautiful. If he would permit her, she would love to take care of it.

When he asked the question of anything she expected, she was forced to snap out of her sort of trance.
"I do not expect anything, I only wish to work here. It just feels right." She said hoping he understood what she meant.
This was the only place she could feel truly comfortable only because everyone despised her back in the village for being a different race. She noticed he was looking over her features, but she didnt let him see that she had noticed. It seemed he was taking a small interest in how different she was. "You have a beautiful home."

Pushing through the large mansion door that was luckily still unlocked, Anette wondered for a moment if they would be receiving keys, though probably not if they were to be staying within the estate as entertainment for Howl. Maybe that made her an exception, since she wasn't here for entertainment? She didn't know. The thoughts left her mind as she left her bags in the entry way to get Scrythe's ingredients to him.

Now pushing through the kitchen door, Anette smiled to the purple haired man, "Hey Scrythe! The trip was a lot quicker than I anticipated, thankfully." She set the ingredients on a counter beside him. "I guess I should change out of this eyesore before dinner," she started, "If you need any help at all, don't hesitate to summon me, it is what I'm here for after all." And with that she exited the kitchen again, anxious to unpack her things and get changed.

She grabbed her bags from beside the front door and headed up the stairs, slowly and clumsily, but eventually she made it. Clearing the top stair, Anette sighed in relief, blowing a strand of auburn hair from her hazel eyes. As she walked towards her room, her eyes scanned the mess around her. She certainly had her work cut out for her, but appreciated the challenge. Strangely she was actually looking forward to getting this place cleaned up, it had such beautiful potential.

Only a short time later, Anette was showered, a minimal amount of make-up applied for dinner, as she really didn't need it, and she was dressed. She had picked out something nice, but practical, considering she was the maid, and would certainly be clearing the table and helping with cleanup afterwards.

She wore a pair of black leggings, a comfortable white top, and a pair of black wedge heels that were as easy to walk in as tennis shoes. She topped the outfit off with a black lacy headband that sat behind her bangs atop her long wavy auburn hair, a silver bracelet and a pair of matching silver earrings. Satisfied with her elegant, yet comfortable and work enabling appearance, Anette noted that there was still a bit of time before dinner, so she began to unpack her things, wondering when on earth she would ever wear some of these beautiful and fashionable clothes as a maid.

"I wonder if any of the girls here to entertain might want to borrow these..." she mumbled aloud while hanging the clothes. When her shoes, clothes and accessories were put away, she arranged her personal hygiene products in a drawer of the dresser, being that the bathroom was downstairs. Then she lay her tiny music box next to her photo album on top of the dresser, arranged her many books on a shelf, and headed downstairs to check on her Nana.

Sitting again in the chair with the sword stab, Anette glanced at a nearby wall clock. She had about fifteen minutes before dinner. Picking up the phone, she dialed her grandmother's house and waited through many rings, beginning to worry, when someone finally picked up, it was the hospice help. "Hi, this is Anette," she started, "How is everything going?" Anette let out a small chuckle, "Yes, she is a feisty woman, I'm glad she's well. What!? A dog? Can I talk to her please?" After a short pause, Anette's grandmother came on the phone. Apparently, when Anette had arrived to fetch her things earlier, her grandmother hadn't been there at all. "You can't go traveling around the city alone like that Nana, it's dangerous. I know you're a big girl, but that's not the point. Did you really get a dog? A Welsh Corgi?" Anette sighed, how was her grandmother ever going to take care of a dog? "Ok Nana, yes, ok I love you too, I'll call you tomorrow."

Hanging up the phone Anette leaned back in the chair and closed her eyes as she rubbed her temples. For a moment she wondered if they would be serving alcohol with dinner tonight. Shaking her head at herself for the thought, Anette stood and made her way towards the dining room to see if help was needed setting the table.

It just feels right.
Howl's slight smile wavered for the first time, and he turned his gaze to a half destroyed picture as a memory struck him.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Howl tilted his head and laughed as the young woman took his hand, her smile as bright as his.
"Of course I am. It feels right." Her lips met his warmly.

The male blinked the thought away, shaking his head. "I haven't heard anyone say that in a long time." He then guided Nikia toward the front door. They glimpsed Anette sitting on the ruined chair and he was sure to nod a greeting to her as they passed. When their gazes met, Howl was sure to offer a smile as well. That was the first visitor. She'd been there less than an hour more than any of the other guests, yet something about her demeanor was familiar.
Howl's blue gaze moved back to the door after a few seconds. "Thank you," he responded to Nikia's comment about having a beautiful home. "It is nice to live here. Many Pendragons have taken care of the estate. It is . . . disappointing to see it in such a state."

They stepped to the front door and Howl opened it, sending a last glance to Anette. She said something about a dog. The very words made him grin. When they were outside, he chuckled a bit. "The walkways are overgrown, but most of them lead to the gardens." The gardens stretched for many acres, honestly. They were a mess at the current time, but they were still beautiful in a wild, untamed way.
Brushing some pale hair from his face, Howl pointed out a few of the paths. They took one, and moved around the estate. Since the building was rather large, it took them a while to reach the other side of the house. "I suppose Cypher will appreciate it when the gardens are in order again."

Zane stared up at his ceiling as he listened to Cypher leave, he sighed heavily before he rolled over and watched what he could of the woman as she left the room, thinking about something before he sighed heavily once more. He then stood up and moved over to a window, pushing the dark curtain to the side slightly, his eyes narrowed as he saw Howl walking out in the daylight with one of the guests. Okay so he wasn't happy, Howl seemed able to easily move on, to be with any woman that he set his sights on while he was stuck in the past, unable to move on. He envied his friend, he hated his friend, it seemed the only one that seemed to be hurt and unable to move on was him, he glared down at the couple as they moved out his sight. It was just perfect, more women where in the house, people were moving on and he was stuck in the darkness, he growled as he pulled on more clothes, looking like the noble that he was, storming out of his wing. "Cali Cypher!!" he yelled after her, not saying anything more until he had her attention completely on him once more. "I am leaving.....i hope you are all happy with your decision.......you can all move on with out me." he said in a blunt voice to her before turnning once more and making his way out the back so as no one else would see him leaving, he had plans to find a new place to leave them all completely once again, after all he couldn't move on, he is a beast in a house full of people who couldn't be around him.

When Anette stepped into the dining room, she stopped, taking it all in before letting out a big sigh. They should have hired her before they hired any of those girls for entertainment. This place was going to scare them away. The furniture was beautiful and the wall hangings and other decor had such potential. Too bad the clutter was the only attention grabber as of now.

The dining room table was large, but only half of it was even clear of the clutter. Anette put her hands on her hips before shaking her head at the room. What better time than now to get started on this mess of a place. If she was able to at least get the table cleared and set before dinner, she'd feel accomplished enough, knowing the others would appreciate the cleanliness.

In an incredibly short amount of time, Anette had acquired a stack of cleaning rags, a duster and a few different cleaners. She straightened the photos on the walls and dusted them, along with the lighting, chairs, and other things around the room. Then she began to clear the table. Anette began stacking the books that were left strewn about, surprised to find books about legends, curses, mythology of other races, immortality...

It seemed that Howl and Anette had something in common, except her books were mostly fictional, and strangely his didn't' seem so. Anette didn't put much extra thought into it for the time being, although she would have loved to have flipped through some of the books. But if she didn't hurry, she'd never get this room cleaned before dinner.

Once the books were stacked, she left them there as she gathered the other things scattered about; random papers, pens, scrolls and various other materials before finding their place and putting them neatly away. Once the table was clear of everything but the books, Anette got to work putting those away too, although it took her a few trips. Some of the books were excessively large and heavy.

She wiped at her brow as she stood at the door, pleased with her work. The table was now clear, dust and clutter free, and the room looked a lot more welcoming. Next Anette popped into the kitchen. "Hey Scrythe, it smells delicious in here!" But she didn't stick around. Instead she grabbed an estimated number of plates, silverware and napkins and headed back to the dining room where she set the table, just in time.

((:squee: Wow! Brave little cleaning lady, isn't she? ;) Sorry for the delay, everyone! I'm a bit dead at the moment. :XD))

"Cali Cypher!!"
The woman paused, looking back up the stairway she'd just come down. She could hear the fury in Zane's voice, and her brow knit in frustration. "Why would you leave?" Cypher called back, moving back to the balcony so she could look at the man's furious expression with one of her own. "Where would you go, you fool?" Her silver eyes were blazing with anger as they had a stare down. That was when the guardian lowered her voice. "I don't want you to go, Zane."
A few stray locks of her silver hair had fallen about her face, and she brushed them back in irritation. "The only choices that have been made have kept us all here. Alone. My choice about you leaving is an absolute no." Cali grasped the male's wrist, bothered by the fact that Zane could sway her mood so easily. "We're all suffering. That's why we're here. We can suffer together."

((Aaand my other charries are busy. :sweat:))

"There are plenty of places for me to go. This was not my original home, Cali Cypher. You of all people should remember that." Zane said to her in just as an angry voice that was dangeriously low so that others would not hear thier conversation, he was angry, he was hurt, and more then anything he knew that he couldn't let things go not as easily as everyone else did. "I am going, Cali and that is the end of the decusion. You can not stop me from doing so. he said to her in that same low, anger, dangeriously cold voice as he pulled his wrist from her hand, his nerve endings were shot, he couldn't feel anything, not anymore, maybe that was why he couldn't move on from the past besides the memories plagueing him every waking and sleeping moment."No, Cali. No one is suffering, i am suffering, and i am the one that is the bloody problem and i am taking care of that problem." he said to her as walked around the balcony, staying out of sight as he moved to a section of the wall and pushed it open, looking back at her once more before he started to make his way down, closing the wall behind him as he did so.

((:XD No! No dying! LOL))

Feeling Zane yank his hand away, Cypher closed her eyes and took a few steadying breaths. The silver-haired woman turned on her heel, stepping after the disappearing form ahead of her. "Zane, please. . . ." This time her plea lost its ferocious feel, turning into a voice full of defeat and pain. By the time she rounded the corner, though, he was gone. "Zane?"

Her breath was hitching in her throat as Cali turned away. The woman covered her mouth with her hand, trying desperately not to cry. It's my fault this is happening. It's always been my fault. Her gray-decorated black clothing rustled as she stepped quickly toward the front door. I should have just left when I destroyed everything. Who was she to think that things could be mended? How foolish and childish was it to think that things could go back to how they once were?

No, Zane. You aren't the only one suffering. You're just the more vocal about your pain than the rest of us.

Cypher was wiping away the remnants of her tears when she pushed her way into the kitchen, seeking a cup of tea. Anything to steady her nerves and emotions would be welcome. "Scrythe, do you know when the next tea shipment will be in?" She let her silver eyes dart to Anette for a moment, and the guardian seemed to straighten. Her expression hardened, and she became the symbol of stoic attitude once more.

(eh i don't know what to post >.>" cause Zane isn't in much of a helping mood)