2 days ago.
As soon as limousine's doors were opened for her, Adelais slipped out, smile on her lips as she eagerly looked at the house that was to become her home. Cool evening air hit her and sent shiver running down her spine, but perhaps it was because of sight before her. Although this wasn't first time she saw this
gothic styled mansion, it still thrilled Sylviane somehow. However, she didn't have time to admire it now, she had to address servants lined up to welcome new mistress of the house. She had hoped this was to be avoided, there was little to enjoy about these formal, stiff situations.
Adelais smoothed down non-existent wrinkles on her midnight blue one piece pantsuit with silver belt accenting her narrow waist and approached stairs with kind expression. Her gaze slid over the small staff that was her new household. Besides Pierre and her personal chauffeur, everyone was new, although she had personal read file compiled about each of them. All of these people, besides the old house keeper, were new to this home as well. Some even just starting a job of this kind - it showed in how the blonde maid nervously kept looking around, as if searching for support.
"It is great to see you all together in person, although calling you like this to wait for me was not necessary." Who had arranges this, Pierre? Or someone here?
"I just want to say that I hope we all will settle in here comfortably and that if there are any issues or complains... Please, come to me directly. That is all. Have a good night." With this, they were dismissed.
Afterward, she asked Pierre to arrange her crystal vase collection to be brought up to her room, have a maid arrange bath for her and to rest well. Usually, she dealt with tasks like making a bath herself, but Adelais felt too tired in all honesty. All she wanted was to make sure her most precious items were safe, soak in water some and go to rest. And that was exactly what she did.
Present.
Of course, settling into new home wasn't entirely simple. Transitions never were for her, she thought bitterly, leaning against windowsill of one of library's windows. It was already dark outside and she could quite clearly make out her own reflection - intricate french braid, only slightest natural make-up, light blue blouse with dark embroidery that hugged her curves nicely, just like dark blue jeans. Sigh passed her lips and she straightened up. Some issues she was prepared for - like transporting her alchemy equipment (covered up by her crystal vase collection and some chemistry gear) -, while some took her surprise. Like the butler, Tommy. She had expressed that she didn't want another butler, since she had Pierre, but here he was, with no decent file discreetly prepared by her people.
He didn't even really
look like butler, with that hair or how youthful he was. And there was something definitely off about this man that she couldn't quite put her finger on, but despite that, Sylviane had let him stay under Pierre's rule. To fire him just because of misunderstanding felt unfair. Perhaps he would quit on his own accord out of boredom after a while. But she did plan to keep an eye on him. Like all the rest.
Still, there were more pressing matters to attend to. Like getting to know each and every corner of this house to the point she could find anything she wanted with closed eyes. She had to, to feel even remotely secure. Now that old butler was gone, she would have to deal with every kind of emergency on her own. With his passing, there wasn't even anyone to turn to when she wanted advice or someone to talk to. In all honesty, she grieved old man's passing - it felt too much like losing part of her family all over again.
Pierre was nice, but Adelais couldn't trust him. Or anyone else for that matter. Not with her big secret. That's why she had picked to come here. It was a publicly good move, since the mansion was close enough to a bigger town and even closer to small one without being right in the bustle. Even more, this was a building Lunds had owned for generations, until her grandfather lost it in a gamble. Why would he even risk losing one of their best fortresses she couldn't comprehend, but addiction was something unfamiliar to her. Except maybe for power - mainly
control -, but that she would not admit nor let get out of hands.
Woman slid her hands over the wooden panels of hall lightly as she slowly walked on, thoughts wandering back and forth. Now that she had bought it back, reasons why it had been out of her family's hands didn't really matter. There were plenty of secret passages and rooms here, most carved in stone below the building itself and few paths leading out to the woods behind mansion. She had inspected them all and found in perfect state, albeit dusty and seemingly untouched for century or more. Security systems were still in place as were cages and other equipment that she could mostly operate on her own. It would all be good, when the full moon came. Or so she hoped.
Someone else also found scene between pale-haired girl and ancient vampire rather intriguing, but he had no intentions of revealing himself for now. Honestly, they just had caught Eric's curiosity as he moved from one roof to another with their shamelessly open position. Since he could practically sense the power oozing off from the vampire all the way over here, he quickly guessed the man had to be a pureblood. Here, in such a god's forgotten place and in an open, with a mortal girl? Well, that was just
too peculiar to pass up watching.
In all honesty, he had stayed to see if the girl wouldn't get in trouble as well. Most likely that she would and Eric didn't plan to stay out of it in that case. Taking a pureblood on just for fun could be a good way to start his night. Well, more like end his reborn life. So, just luring him away was probably a better idea than direct fight. As long as the girl got away safe, at least for the time being. Although there was something clearly strange about her as well... Not a regular human, he guessed, as he listened in to their conversation, crouched on a nearby roof top.
This old, small town seemed to be a kind of magnet for all kinds of super naturals and unusual people, if the faint rumors were correct. Eric hoped they were, things had really been far too boring while he had prepared for next stage of his life and cleaned up few of his old messes.