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Kat Dakuu
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#51
Old 11-30-2016, 08:33 PM

Vadim tilted his head, not sure what Belle meant by her words. He opened his mouth, almost asking, but decided against it in the end. It didn't matter and he would never see Belle's parents again because no matter what she asked for, returning was the one thing he would never give. He guided his horse toward the road after making sure everything was in order. With the last load of roses given, even his soul felt lighter, even if the genesis of the gesture was a cruel one. It was still his payment for Belle. "It's a long ride," he murmured. "Be prepared." With that, he led the way, hoping to reach the manor well before the sun went down in the sky.

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#52
Old 11-30-2016, 10:12 PM

Belle nodded, nudging her horse forwards, relaxing into her saddle once she got used to her horse's gait. It was much larger than the horses her father owned, and they were more accustomed to pulling than being ridden.

"So, what is your manor like?" She asked, curious to know. It was something that hadn't come up in their discussions other times they had been together, and now that she was on her way there, she was growing curious.

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#53
Old 11-30-2016, 11:40 PM

Vadim didn't turn to face Belle as she questioned him, but he did refrain from pushing his horse at full gallop. No one could talk then and the other horse would struggle to keep up with its saddle laden with Belle's bags. "It's quite large and different in style from the typical home of this country. My pa..." He struggled with his words for a second before scrapping the sentence altogether. "I am Ukrainian by blood and the home is built in that style," he managed to say, rather than his parents came from the country and settled here, dying in a war they should never have fought in at all. Feeling his bitterness rise, he quickened the horse's pace a little faster. The sooner he reached home, the quicker he could be at ease.

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#54
Old 12-01-2016, 12:38 AM

Belle frowned slightly, even more curious now about both the home and Vadim's family. Perhaps, it being a manor, there would be a library... and perhaps within that library, there might be some history about Vadim's family. She felt that if she pressed Vadim directly, that she'd end up getting in trouble. She made her horse go faster when Vadim picked up the pace a bit, keeping just behind and to the side of him. She was enjoying the ride, the wind in her hair, the sun shining down upon them... At least the weather was cooperating that day.

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#55
Old 12-01-2016, 01:09 AM

For the rest of the trip, they rode in silence. If Belle tried to talk to him, he met it with silence or small glance that said all she needed to know. Curiosity would be answered when they reached the manor. But she may not like the result she found. Finally, not long after the sun peeked in the sky and started its downward course, they reached a long dirt path that looked as much a part of the woods as a garden. Bright red roses grew in wild clumps while other places looked withered and dead, no proper gardener to pull out the husks. He slowed his pace to match the eerie, but beautiful environment they rode though. In places, the garden seemed broken by a large creature, claw marks even showing on the trees slightly higher up than a typical wolf mark. Beyond it all, the manor rose, looking dark, but magnificent in its place backlit by wild woods. The tallest peek of the roof outmatched the trees, a single window gleaming even from a distance.

Vadim gestured his arm to encompass it all as they reached the end of the path and entered a courtyard fit for royalty. "This," he murmured. "Is my home."

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#56
Old 12-01-2016, 01:57 AM

Belle asked a few more questions on their ride, but soon grew tired of Vadim's silence and the looks, so stopped asking. It wasn't long into the afternoon when they turned onto the dirt road lined with roses. She was amazed at the beauty, and a little nervous, too, spotting the deep claw marks. Very rarely did a wolf leave marks like that unless they were jumping at the base, having chased so ething into the branches. She did well to hide her nerves, though, the only signs being her eyes darting around rapidly, and her drawing her horse up a little closer alongside Vadim's stallion.

When they came out into the courtyard, she gasped in awe, both at the beautyand the sheer size of the home. "It's magnificent..." She said softly. She meant it, too. Despite the obvious neglect, Belle could see the remarkable architecture and just imagined how it had once looked.

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#57
Old 12-01-2016, 02:29 AM

Vadim just grunted in response. He dismounted and the way to the stables which were the right of the home. A part of him swelled with pride at the thought that his home was beautiful, but it also soured with too many memories since his parents died. "This way," he murmured. Once they put the horses in their stalls, he lead the way into the manor itself. Great windows let in light and a large chandelier hung unlit above their heads. Dust settled in a layer over almost everything except the floor which showed large shuffled tracks criss-crossing so much that they turned into mush. "You may put your belongings in the eastern wing. You have bed, bath, and sitting rooms there. The library, kitchen, dining, and downstairs sitting rooms, including the music room are free to you. However, you may never go into the western wing!" He let out a faint growl as if he felt the coming of his beat form even though midnight was still many hours away. This was important to him though since his space was his own and he had too many secrets to keep. "Is that clear?"

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#58
Old 12-01-2016, 02:39 AM

Belle dismounted when Vadim did, leading her horse after him. She removed his tack, hanging it up, and gave the horse a quick pet, wishing she had a chance to fully groom the both of them. Grabbing her bags, Belle followed Vadim into the house,surprised at the look of the place. It seemed that she would have plenty to keep herself occupied. Listening only in part to what Vadim said, she jumped slightly at the raised voice and growl. A small shiver of fear rolled down her spine at the bestial sound, and she nodded. "Yes, lord Vadim..." She took for the stairs, wanting to set her belongings in her rooms. She paused, one foot on the first step. "Is a room already prepared for me, or do I get my choice?" She asked, curious.

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#59
Old 12-07-2016, 01:38 AM

Vadim caught her eye for a second. He'd been about to spin away himself, but he needed to stay to make sure she understood the importance of his wishes now. After a tense second, he nodded his head toward the far end of the hall. "The master bedroom is prepared," he murmured. Nothing else of his manor had been touched in preparation of Belle's coming, but he did almost obsessively tidy up that wing and particularly the bedroom at the end of the hall, even placing a single rose blossom in a vase besides the bed. In the past, it had belonged to his mother, but all this time lay vacant. Perhaps, it would look less daunting now that it would not lie empty. He turned away again, facing the opposite wing that was his. As he took the first few steps, he turned to give his new guest a last welcome. "Dinner will be at six."

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#60
Old 12-07-2016, 02:54 AM

Belle nodded, and headed upstairs to her new room, finding it easily- it was the one with the clearest trail through the dust. Frowning slightly at the state of the manor, she entered her room, opened the window, and slowly unpacking her belongings. When a clock in the hall chimed five, she decided she out to change and fix herself up, after catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror above the vanity.

She washed her face and let her hair loose, brushing it out quickly before tying it up in a loose bun, then pulled out the navy blue dress her mum had made her years ago. It might have been old, but it amazingly still fit, and was in excellent condition. She fixed herself up a bit more before heading out of her room, deciding the rest of the unpacking could wait for tomorrow. The rest of the house had to be explored still, since she had no idea how to get to the dining room.

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#61
Old 12-11-2016, 11:04 PM

The entire afternoon passed from behind closed doors. Hours of it and not once did Vadim brave exiting his bedroom chamber. How could he? Every ounce of him strained to hear the sounds of soft footfalls on the opposite end of the manor. What did Belle do? What did she think of his home? He needed to know though he could never ask himself. Finally though, he couldn't hide any longer. The faithful clock struck its hour and in his head, he counted off each one. Six. He couldn't deny that clock, so he slipped out of his room, pausing to hear any signs of his new house guest. Finding none, he swept down the great carpeted staircase and back behind it to the left. The dining room itself was opposite on the left side of the stairs, but he entered the kitchen proper where he yanked food out of the pantry with all the thoroughfare of a beast. He did not think of Belle and her expectations, instead thinking only of what he was used to.

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#62
Old 12-13-2016, 11:03 AM

Skirts lifted slightly so they didn'tgather dust, Belle explored the manor quietly. So far, she'd found for bedrooms, a sitting room, the library, and three locked doors. And that was just on rhe upper level. Heading downstairs, she hoped to find Vadim, and the dining room.

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#63
Old 12-21-2016, 04:24 AM

A faint smell was wafting from the kitchen, signifying its presence. Not that Vadim 'cooked' in the least. Still, it was a kitchen and he had food. All at once, he jerked his head up, the sound of a footstep in the hall alerting him with a snap. Belle. His strides large and strong, the man whirled out of the room and into the hall. “Belle! You’re late for dinner!” he snapped. Which wasn’t true. He said six and the clock did not chime yet. As if to mock him, the clock tick-tocked in the distance, its lonely sound echoing through the otherwise quiet home.

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#64
Old 12-21-2016, 04:38 AM

Belle froze when she heard her name, and turned to face Vadim. "Sorry... I was just on my way... I didn't know which one was the dining room." She apologized, biting her lip softly, a little nervous. They'd gotten on well enough in the past, though she knew not what to expect now they were away from her parents, in his home.

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#65
Old 12-25-2016, 12:01 AM

Vadim's air relaxed slightly before he waved the girl into the kitchen with a grunt. "Very well. Just come eat." In reality, he had no idea how to deal with a house guest--male, female, friend, or prize. He'd been alone for so long and it showed in even the table with one chair pulled out, the scuff marks on the floor fresh, but the other chairs left haphazard around the wooden table that used to house the servants back when the household employed a few. That also felt far too long ago. Looking down at the bread, a jar of currant jam, cold chicken stock soup, and dried beef on the table, for the first time, he paused and felt conscious of it. This wasn't a meal. He didn't prepare anything. No, he didn't even try. Pushing back a chair for Belle and then yanking back his own to sit, he tried to push that thought aside and gestured to the bowl like this was the most normal thing in the world.

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#66
Old 12-25-2016, 01:35 AM

Belle was certainly surprised at the lack of effort in their meal. She smiled at Vadim softly anyways, and sat down. She began eating, appreciating the food, even if not well prepared. "I don't mean to pry, Vadim... But how long have you been here, alone?" She asked part way through their meal, curious.

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#67
Old 12-31-2016, 03:11 AM

Vadim ate with his usual gusto and a total lack of appreciation for the food. It was sustenance and a necessity, but the entire time, he was hyper aware of Belle's presence just across from him. Despite that, he startled at her question. Jaw clenched, breath catching in his throat, Vadim froze. "Why should that matter to you?" he hissed, so completely on edge for no reason. Hearing himself though, he lowered his gaze as the silence stretched. He sounded angry. No, he sounded like a beast. That thought gave him serious pause so that after a half minute, he answered the young woman's question. "It's been four years..."

Last edited by Kat Dakuu; 12-31-2016 at 10:08 PM..

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#68
Old 12-31-2016, 03:19 AM

Belle was taken aba k slightly by Vadim's tone when first refusing to answer. She smiled a little, almost sadly. "So, for about as long as you've been visiting me..." She said, a little surprised. Reching across the table, she laid her hand over Vadim's. "Thank you for answering... You were correct- it wasn't any of my business..."she said softly, giving his hand a light squeeze before pulling her hand free.

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#69
Old 01-03-2017, 02:40 AM

"Longer," Vadim corrected, his tone still tense, not sure why he felt the need to bite out that little unimportant fact. His parents died many months before Belle's parents ever stepped foot on his land. Only the deer and the witch who made him this way every passed through until then. He grit his teeth, but managed to keep his quick burst of anger in check. Startling, he looked down at Belle's hand as she laid it over his, her voice far too soft. He pulled his hand away a second later. "You're right. It's not any of your business," he murmured. For all that he meant it to be biting though, his voice also came out soft. Still, he effectively ended the conversation.

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#70
Old 01-03-2017, 03:00 AM

Belle frowned slightly, a little disappointed that Vadim shut her out. She should have expected it though- he'd been shut away without company for at least four years, if not longer... Shaking her head, she turned back to her food, finishing up quickly, and got up to go wash her dishes.

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#71
Old 01-09-2017, 02:28 AM

Sighing hidden under his breath, Vadim ate his food without tasting it. He was used to this, didn't usually notice his food's poor taste. Tonight though it felt more obvious and tasteless and he ended up picking at it before giving up. He could eat deer later if he needed to. Dumping his food out, he dumped his own bowl in the sink since he normally rinsed and reused the same bowl without ever washing. It left him with nothing to say. For a second, he stood behind Belle in awkward hesitation. He cleared his throat. "Aren't you tired after your journey? Just leave those."

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#72
Old 01-09-2017, 02:36 AM

Belle glanced up at Vadim in surprise, shutting the water off and drying her hands on a nearby towel. "Not overly tired, no..." She replied, deciding to do as he said. "So... What do you usually do in the evenings?" She asked, curious. Rather than tire her out, the long ride had energized her.

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#73
Old 01-13-2017, 11:42 PM

Vadim didn't know why he was concerned with Belle and her tiredness, but he supposed he wasn't. Didn't he just want her to retire before midnight? She couldn't be out, couldn't witness his transformation into a monster. No, he must encourage distance between them even after having grown somewhat close before. He turned to give her a stern look. "I'm afraid that there is not much to do. I will retire before long, but if you must, you can talk a walk through the garden before it gets dark," he intoned. After a second, he added before he could stop himself. "I might join you. Might."

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#74
Old 01-14-2017, 12:53 AM

Belle smiled softly, fondly at Vadim. Despite his rudeness, she found herself beginning to fall for him. She couldn't imagine not knowing him. So, still smiling, she made to walk past him, pausing next to him. "Would you join me, Vadim? It's only my first day here, and I'd hate to get lost..."

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#75
Old 01-17-2017, 09:00 PM

Vadim sighed, but his gaze softened slightly. He supposed he didn't have much time before he turned into a beast again and it would feel nice to share it with another person for once. And really, he did love his gardens even if what special care he gave it turned into into a wild, but lush beauty. "Since you insist," he stated before turning away from the unwashed dishes. "But only because I wouldn't want you lost and out after dark. It's dangerous." Monsters roamed theses woods after all. Hiding a dark grin, he led the way out of the kitchen to a carpeted hall and finally small door with glass that opened onto a gravel path behind the home.

 


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