Erik Lenoir
Hide your face, so the world will never find you...
Hide your face so the world will never find you...
Posts: 1,241
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Post by Erik Lenoir on Sept 1, 2012 20:19:16 GMT -5
Adina opened her door and there before her was a room which must have been lovely except for the dust and cobwebs. She found a feather duster and began to work. Erik stood outside the threshold until she bade him enter. She told him it had been her suite when she had served as maid for the mansion.
"Very strange," he said. "So you were a ghost, now you are alive again and the ghosts are letting you stay in your old room? But they have not bothered to clean it for you or give you new letters on your door? That is very odd." He stepped in the room and wandered about. There were many very early acoutrements in the room. She had said she was from the 14th century. The things in the room, many of them must be worth quite a lot of money. He noted the clothing in her closet. Very old clothing, but oddly not in rags as clothing that old would be. Somehow the ghosts had preserved them...and indeed the whole room. Why would they do that? "Adina, if you ever need money, many of these things would be worth much more than when they were originally made. You could sell them to antique dealers, you know."
But then Erik began to sneeze at the dust in the air, a bit of an uncomfortable situation for a fellow without a nose wearing a false one and a mask over that. "Your washroom....may I use it?"
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Adina Gillespie
Some things belong on paper, others in life. It?s a blessed fool who can?t tell the difference.
Maid of the manor
Posts: 320
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Post by Adina Gillespie on Sept 1, 2012 21:23:30 GMT -5
Her heart was a flutter, she was in pure ecstasy now that she was working again. It felt so good to clean up her once dusty and stale room. Now it felt fresher and more welcoming. She inhaled deeply and exhaled before going to light a candle by her bedside.
Letting me stay? She thought to herself... But why would the other ghosts do such a thing? Unless.... "Charles... Could he be behind all of this? Could he have planned all this from the beginning? To keep all the ghosts, servants, and guests locked in here so that the-... Th-The Devil may drain their energy? That must be it!" She looked down at her arm and saw the now healed cut upon her wrist from where Dalimar had tried to seep out her 'blood', or whatever he called it, so that his master would feed. It had to be Charles! Why else would there be such a need for all these people to stay trapped within these walls?
"S-Sell??" She stammered, looking around at her belongings. True, many of these were from her mother after her father unwillingly gave them to her after he sent her to the manor. She had kept them all these years and now it was hard for her to let them go. They were the last bit of her mother that she could hold on to... Perhaps it would be best to let go. She did have the watch and, on the inside, there was a small picture of her mother in it. Perhaps that was all she needed to remember her mother. "It would seem the right thing to do. Perhaps not the best to hold onto the past, I suppose."
When she heard Erik start to sneeze, Adina immediately put down the duster and opened the windows. "Oh! Do forgive me! I am terribly sorry... Er, um, yes. Yes, you may." She pointed to a small door opposite her bed which led to the small washroom.
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Erik Lenoir
Hide your face, so the world will never find you...
Hide your face so the world will never find you...
Posts: 1,241
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Post by Erik Lenoir on Sept 2, 2012 0:05:59 GMT -5
Adina startled Erik by speaking about Charles being behind all of this strangeness at the manor. "Charles? Charles Dalimar? And you think it's a devilish plot?" When this was mentioned, Erik frowned. "You're not serious...are you?" He saw her looking at a healed cut upon her wrist. He gestured toward it. "What's that, Adina?" Then he looked at her face, his own whiter than usual. "Is there some monstrous plot afoot?"
Then Adina looked at her things, seemingly upset at what he had said. "I'm sorry Adina, I didn't mean it that way. I simply meant that if you were ever strapped for money, these would bring a pretty penny. But only in a dire emergency...please, I apologise if I have upset you." His voice was soft and he looked slightly embarrassed. "I did not mean for you to get rid of all your things. That would be foolish..."
When Erik started to sneeze, Adina pointed him to the washroom. He closed the door. He washed the sweat and dust off his face and mask and felt much better. He opened the door again. "Thank you, I feel much better now, Adina."
Then Erik thought again about what Adina had said a few minutes earlier. "I wonder if it would be any good if I spoke to this Monsieur Dalimar. Why would he wish to keep us here, unless it be a devilish plot. " He turned to Adina with a strange look on his face. "And they won't let us go?"
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Adina Gillespie
Some things belong on paper, others in life. It?s a blessed fool who can?t tell the difference.
Maid of the manor
Posts: 320
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Post by Adina Gillespie on Sept 2, 2012 14:07:01 GMT -5
The maid rapidly nodded her head to Erik. "Yes! Yes, I am serious. It must be him! It simply must be! Why else would such a man have me harmed for the benefit of another? There was a mark, a symbol in the basement. Charles is praying to the Devil, I just know it! Oh, Erik..."
Adina quickly sat down upon her bed, feeling faint as she tried to calm down. This was so overwhelming as she felt her head spinning. She tried to keep complacent as Erik desperately began to apologize to her. "No, monsieur. It is alright. You have nothing to apologize for. You didn't know... There are a few items that I could part with, some that could possibly bring me a bit of money." She reached over and gently took Erik's hand in hers and smiled. "I thank-you for the suggestion and will take it into consideration."
She waited for Erik to come back from the washroom and smiled at him. "I am very sorry about all the dust. But then what can one expect after all these years?" She giggled softly and brushed back her hair before looking over out the window. It was sunny and nice outside, now that her eyes had finally adjusted to the light. The manor really did seem beautiful even if under the cover of dust and decay.
"No!" She quickly stood up then flinched as she blushed. "I-I mean... I do not believe it would be wise if you spoke with master Dalimar. He can be rather volatile and unpredictable at times... He frightens me, Erik... I just dread the thought of anything happening to you should be become agitated." The maid lowered her eyes and shook her head. "I do not know. Perhaps they will, perhaps not. But it seems that we are trapped here. For how long, I do not know."
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Erik Lenoir
Hide your face, so the world will never find you...
Hide your face so the world will never find you...
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Post by Erik Lenoir on Sept 2, 2012 16:12:54 GMT -5
Adina seemed sure that Dalimar was behind the plot to keep them there. "Why do you suppose he would want such a motley crew of people? Why would he bring the lot of us here...deformed men named Erik... " Here he laughed ruefully..."That there should be more than one of us was a complete surprise to me..." Then he went on... "But really, and bringing some of the people that were around us in the opera house...it seems outrageous! Unless he cares to torture us..."
Erik then looked pensive. "I have talked to several of the ghosts. I had never even believed there were such things. Then when I found they were real, at least here, I had originally thought they brought us here for their own pleasure and to torture us. Some of the ghosts seem to be in disagreement with that...some appear to be frightened themselves and some glad for some intereaction with the living. One of them says she is happy that we are here because she likes happy endings and where we had been, we would not have ended up happy. So, I don't know. Perhaps they are not all in on this. One of them I know, loves to torture for her own pleasure."
"So it appears that there is occult activity going on here. I don't care to have anything to do with that. I shall do my best to avoid Charles then, however if I meet him, I shall not back down."
Erik smiled. "This talk of devilish things is not to my liking. Perhaps it is not anything to be concerned about. Perhaps Charles is simply trying to frighten you..." Erik didn't really think so, but he didn't care to think about hell. He expected he was heading straight for that place, considering he was a murderer, liar, thief, among other things, and he didn't want to think about it.
Adina took Erik's hand and he smiled. He liked to feel the touch of her soft hand. He sat beside her and he thought it was sweet that she was concerned about anything happening to him. "I shall certainly not go in search of Dalimar, Adina, and I will watch what I say to him if we do meet. Do you know anything about him? Did he build this house, as someone mentioned?"
Adina looked out the window and Erik came and stood next to her. "Yes, it would not be so bad to spend the rest of my life here, except for the fact that I was not asked if I wished to do so. However, it is indeed a beautiful day. Let us drop the gloomy talk. Would you care for a walk in the garden?"
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Adina Gillespie
Some things belong on paper, others in life. It?s a blessed fool who can?t tell the difference.
Maid of the manor
Posts: 320
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Post by Adina Gillespie on Sept 2, 2012 19:44:42 GMT -5
The maid shook her head, her terrified eyes staring up at Erik. "Yes! Yes, that has to be it! He must be doing this to torment us. Or else, he has brought us all here to murder us. Though I do not know why he would do such a thing... Oh, Erik. I feel faint."
Adina quickly placed a hand upon her forehead, her skin growing clammy with dizziness. She breathed slowly and tried to keep from passing out again. It was bad enough that she fainted in front of Erik but to do it twice in one day? No, she would not let the dizziness overcome her. She exhaled and looked at Erik, trying to focus on his words. He spoke of a ghost who had told him that she was happy everyone was here in the manor... Who was this ghost he spoke of? Adina had to meet her. "Might I ask, monsieur, who the woman is that is pleased we are all here?"
She didn't like the sound of the one ghost who liked to cause such horrible pain for her own enjoyment. She sounded an awful lot like that wicked priest she had met along with Charles.
The maid was happy that Erik did not wish to speak of the terrible matter about Charles and the other malevolent ghosts. She didn't really wish to hear about it anymore than she already had heard. It shook her her to the core to even think about what dark plot was really taking place right under their very noses, even as they spoke.
Adina felt her small heart begin to flutter against her chest like a bird when she held Erik's hand. What Erik didn't know was that she too liked the touch of his hand on hers. She was also glad that he would not go looking for the master of the house as Erik asked about him. "I do not know much, but I can tell he is hiding something about himself. He did tell me that this house was his, that he built it from its very foundations. I feel as if he did something terrible in his past and I can not shake that feeling... I have noticed paintings of a woman with raven black hair, yet I have never seen her before. Perhaps she was his wife and he murdered her?"
Her heart lifted even more when Erik proposed a stroll in the garden. She smiled and gave a polite curtsy. "I would love to stroll through the garden with you, monsieur." For the first time in her short and stolen away life, Adina felt happy. More than happy, she felt something new budding within her heart. Could... Could this possibly be..... Be love that she was feeling? Whatever it was, she did not want this joyous feeling to ever leave.
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Erik Lenoir
Hide your face, so the world will never find you...
Hide your face so the world will never find you...
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Post by Erik Lenoir on Sept 6, 2012 20:27:32 GMT -5
"I have gone over and over in my mind, what could possibly be the motive for the lot of us being brought here. Perhaps it makes sense that you are here, considering you once worked here. But the rest of us, we are mostly from Paris, mostly concerned with the Opera and music and it is an odd coincidence that many of us have such a lot in common."
"There seems to be some digression among the ghosts in the manor as to their reasons for having us here. They do agree that it was their doing. Not all were involved in that though. King William Leverich told me that the ghosts were lonely once the owner of the mansion died and left them alone. Madam Leona is the one who said she wants the best for us. Her theory is that we would never be able to come to happiness outside the mansion and this is our chance. She was mostly speaking of the Eriks. Josephine is the evil spectre that attacked me several times and I understand she attacked at least two of the other Eriks also. She is only out to torture us for her pleasure. Then there is Christine Olivia, a very sweet ghost, who still sings and dances in the Opera House. Emma Ravenhearst is a ghost who is very much afraid. I believe Charles has her under his power, from what she has said. Those are the only ones I have met, with the exception of yourself, whom I hope that you will remain among the living for some time."
"Although it disturbed me very much to hear King William say that we were brought here simply because the ghosts were lonely, it is a lot better than the darker side of the coin..."
Erik smiled when she took his hand. He liked her touch. It was an odd and rather nice thing about the mansion that many of the women were not afraid of him as they had been when he was in Paris. And the lovely Adina was taking his hand and looking very happy to be doing it, in spite of the coldness of his hands.
Then she mentioned that she thought Charles had done something terrible in his past and she spoke of paintings of a raven haired woman.
When Erik brought up the idea of a walk in the garden, Adina accepted with a curtsy. Erik smiled and said, "It is my pleasure, my dear Adina." He bowed slightly to her. Erik enjoyed being with her. She was sweet and he hoped that Charles and the other evil personages lurking about the manor would not frighten or hurt her.
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Adina Gillespie
Some things belong on paper, others in life. It?s a blessed fool who can?t tell the difference.
Maid of the manor
Posts: 320
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Post by Adina Gillespie on Sept 6, 2012 22:07:20 GMT -5
Adina listened very carefully as Erik told her he had been mulling over a reason for all the phantoms, ghosts, and townspeople possibly being trapped here. She herself had no idea why she had woken up after so many centuries. "... It was so strange. After I had drowned, I remember sitting up in the water but not feeling it... Everything was cold, at first... Like too much frost during winter."
The King... Adina still desperately wished to meet King Leverich. Something in the back of her mind made her want to frantically overturn the entire manor just to find this king of the ghosts! But-.... "Lonely?" She repeated. Why would ghosts be lonely? But then Erik continued to speak about the individual ghosts he had encountered: The King, Madam Leona, Josephine- Adina already did not like the sound of Josephine and wished to never encounter her-, then Christine, and....
"Emma?" Adina asked, tilting her head. Was that her name? Emma Ravenhearst? She seemed to consider this for a while and began to bite at her nails.
Suddenly, Adina's gentle smile faded... Darker side? What darker side could Erik be talking about? She shook her head. "I'm afraid I do not understand. You believe there really is a much darker plot being set in motion here? That-... That the Devil could very well be possessing this place?"
The maid smiled when she took Erik's hand in her own. She did not mind that his hand felt cold. She had felt the chill of the manor ever since she woke up as a ghost. She had gotten used to the frigid air and had begun to like it, especially now that Erik was holding her hand... This felt right to her. Being with this man, holding his hand, sharing this oddly intimate moment with him. If she could, she would make time stand still. She did not want this moment to end...
Ever.
The maid blushed a bit when Erik graciously bowed to her. She had completely forgotten about her curious studying of his mask and only wanted to hold onto this happiness now and always. Erik had been the kindest and most polite man she had been graced to meet. With him, she felt safe; she felt as if she could do anything at all. And she loved that feeling. She began to feel the gentle bud of love start to bloom within her heart.
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Erik Lenoir
Hide your face, so the world will never find you...
Hide your face so the world will never find you...
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Post by Erik Lenoir on Sept 8, 2012 20:24:45 GMT -5
"I have no idea why they would be lonely, Adina. Ghosts craving the company of the living seems strange. What about yourself? You experienced that didn't you? I mean contact with thte living when you were a spirit." He smiled at her again. "I certainly hope that you don't have to go back to being a spirit. I do like you as you are.Some of the ghosts seem to get more lifelike in certain situations. I danced with one of them who seemed like flesh and blood when we were dancing, then went back to her more usual self. That was Christine Olivia. I am hoping she will join our opera company as a unique player...a ghost who sings."
"So you drowned. Well, it would seem that you are having a second chance then."
Adina spoke of the King after Erik mentioned him. "I am sure he is wandering these halls somewhere. I am sure you will see him..."
"Yes," replied Erik in answer to Adina's question. "Emma Ravenhearst. She seems very frightened. She was even frightened of me, and what could I do to her? But I think it was Charles whom she mentioned."
The darker side ... I am afraid it is here. I do not wish to be involved in it if I can help it. I did feel sorry for the frightened ghost though. But what could I even do?"
Erik was pleased when Adina took his cold hand in hers and was not frightened or put off. So many of them were...He liked Adina very much and was happy to have made another lovely friend. In his former life, everyone had been frightened of him and he had put that to good use. But even Christine, the one of his choosing, had been frightened and repulsed by him. But there was no such feeling coming from Adina. Everything from her was positive and good.
After bowing slightly, Erik offered his arm and said, "Then let us make our way to the garden. The fall flowers will be starting to bloom..."
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Adina Gillespie
Some things belong on paper, others in life. It?s a blessed fool who can?t tell the difference.
Maid of the manor
Posts: 320
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Post by Adina Gillespie on Sept 8, 2012 22:34:06 GMT -5
"Well," Adina sighed, still holding onto Erik's hand. "To be truthful, I didn't. I mean, not at first. I was rather pleased to be on my own after dying. But soon, I began to feel rather lonely. It wasn't until just recently that I went out in search of some sort of.... Of contact. Conversation, if you will." Adina's eyes widened when she heard of the other two ghosts. "She sings?? Oh, I would love to hear music again. It has been so long since I heard such lovely symphonies."
The maid's smile faded just a bit, but then it returned when Erik reassured her of her new life; a second chance... And she was grateful to be sharing this new life with someone so kind.
Her heart lifted as Erik spoke of the King wandering the manor. She nodded silently to herself, making a mental note of looking for him very soon. "I hope so, Erik... I really do."
So, it was true... Emma WAS the one who had been imprisoned by Charles Dalimar. So both he and the Devil have to be behind all of this, she thought to herself.
"H-Here??" Adina's eyes widened and she visibly shuddered, her hands clasped close to her breast. Could it be true? She was simply horrified of the very thought and hoped that Erik would not speak of this horror again.
The once unhappy maid now felt like the most lucky girl in the world. With her hand holding on to the one of the masked man, she was pleased with how gentle he was, how kind his face seemed. She was not afraid of him in the slightest and greatly enjoyed the time that they shared. She was happy that she and Erik could have this time together, going out to the gardens hand in hand.
The gardens were so beautiful during the autumn season. The leaves were starting to change colors and scatter upon the ground. Adina hums softly and looks up at the sky as the sun begins to set. The heavens were painted pink, orange, and purple as the sun slowly sinks behind the far away forest.
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Erik Lenoir
Hide your face, so the world will never find you...
Hide your face so the world will never find you...
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Post by Erik Lenoir on Sept 15, 2012 17:11:43 GMT -5
Erik enjoyed the company of the maid very much. It mattered little to him that she was not of high status. His family was of considerable status, but that had never meant anything to Erik. He cared nothing for rank. He was happy for a friend that did not seem to be afraid of him and was very pleasant. Of course she had not seen under the mask. He wondered what she would think if she saw his mishapen, scarred and ugly face. He smiled and squeezed her hand gently. He hoped she would never have to see his horror of a face.
Erik listened to the pleasant sound of Adina's voice. She was speaking of wanting to hear music again. He stopped almost suddenly. "You wish to hear music? Would you care to hear me play the piano? There is one in the ball room that is in very good condition, having been worked on by Lavalais. If you would care to join me there after our walk, I would be most pleased."
He smiled at Adina. "And of course, the Opera House will be a grand palace of music again, if I have anything to say about it. There are many people here who would be suitable to sing and act in an opera or play in an orchestra and we will hold open auditions when the opera house is refurbished. I have decided to contract with some workmen to do a lot of it. I shall however, keep the curtain of Box 5 for you to make if you still wish to do so. I shall procure the material and fringe and you may do it for me. I would think of you every time I sit in my box."
They had reached the garden door and Erik held it open for Adina. It was pleasant and lovely in the autumn air. The breeze was light and not yet cool. Erik thought how strange it was, he a man from the Victorian era, and a deformed fellow at that, escorting a lovely girl who had lived many centuries before, yet was alive again now. And they were living in a century that belonged to neither of them...
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Adina Gillespie
Some things belong on paper, others in life. It?s a blessed fool who can?t tell the difference.
Maid of the manor
Posts: 320
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Post by Adina Gillespie on Sept 21, 2012 0:32:02 GMT -5
Adina smiled happily, her heart lifting with joy. She was still, however, a bit nervous that someone like him was enjoying such a pleasant moment with a mere servant. She could tell that Erik was of high status, and it seemed forbidden that she should be delighting in being around someone like him. The girl jumped a little when he squeezed her hand, her heart jumping at the same time. But that was when the man stopped quite suddenly.
The young woman tilted her head when he did but then her eyes widened. The piano?? Him, play it??? Her lips parted in a trembling, yet silent, gasp of surprise. "I-I-," She stammered with joy. "I would love that! I mean-." She cleared her throat, blushing a little. "That... Would be rather pleasant. Well, more than pleasant; it would be wonderful. Well, more than wonderful-."
She finally had to catch herself, feeling as if she were rambling like a fool! Damn, girl, you have to stop such nonsense! You cannot be flirting with a man like this. What happened to being cautious? Has that caution been tossed into the wind now? She didn't care about the little voice inside her head. The voice in her heart was what she listened to now. And it told her to try and open up and not be afraid. This chance may never come again and she had to take it!
Her eyes brightened considerably when Erik spoke of the Opera again. The singing, the orchestra, the costumes and makeup! Oh, it would be a dream to see such things instead of merely reading about them in books. Then.... Her heart nearly stopped. "Think of... me?" She didn't even realize she had said it outloud, she was so shocked. "No! I mean, yes. It would be an honor to sew the curtains for you, monsieur."
Adina curtsied politely and stepped over the threshold into the gardens. The air was crisp and smelled faintly of spices as if someone were baking a pie. She looked around and enjoyed the cool breeze as it blew her dress about ever so slightly. She pulled her shawl around her shoulders for a bit of warmth as she looked up at the sky. It was like something from a painting: golds, pinks, blues, and purples brushed over a wide open canvas before them. The very sight was enough to bring a tear of joy to Adina's eye. But it was the fact that she was beginning to enjoy this slightly romantic stroll through the garden that really made her tear up.
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Erik Lenoir
Hide your face, so the world will never find you...
Hide your face so the world will never find you...
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Post by Erik Lenoir on Sept 24, 2012 21:02:30 GMT -5
Erik really had no qualms about associating with servants. He cared nothing for status. It had never done him any good and it never would. All the status in the world would net erase the ugliness from his face. So if someone took a liking to him, for whatever reason, whether they be of high status or the servant class, Erik didn't care. It was good to be liked and it didn't matter who liked him. In fact, at the manor, Erik had met several people who had no qualms about liking a deformed man. Of course not many had seen him without the mask, and odd as he looked with the mask firmly in place, he was a ghastly horror without it. He doubted he would ever meet anyone other than Emilie who had seen him without the mask and yet had kissed him. Of course Svenna had kissed him in the lair, but that was a kiss of pity.
He enjoyed being with Adina. Erik liked her a lot. She was beautiful and interesting to talk to. She allowed him to hold her hand.
Adina said she would love to hear him play the piano. Erik smiled. He actually loved to perform, but had not had many chances to perform in front of people. In front of crowds, he would have been terrified, unless covered with a costume that would not let anyone see any part of his face. But in front of someone who liked him, that would be heaven. Erik smiled. She stammered a bit at how happy she was that Erik offered to play for her. "Adina, music is my life. I am only too happy to play for someone who would listen and appreciate."
"And thank you for offering to sew the curtains for my box. I have had very few offers of help from anyone else."
In the cool outside air, a breeze took hold of the ends of Erik's cape and it billowed out a bit behind him. He waw Adina pull her shawl about her and he put his arm about her and pulled her closer to him. "My...hands are always a bit cold; I hope you don't mind...and...I hope you don't take offense if I put my arm about you..." He looked down at her face, hoping for a positive response.
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Adina Gillespie
Some things belong on paper, others in life. It?s a blessed fool who can?t tell the difference.
Maid of the manor
Posts: 320
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Post by Adina Gillespie on Sept 25, 2012 1:24:23 GMT -5
Adina looked up at Erik, her delicate and beating heart lifting with happiness as she gazed up at him. She felt happy and yet... Something tug at her, telling her not to get too close. She knew very well that Erik would not harm her, he was too kind to do such a thing. He didn't seem the kind of man to frighten her, unlike Dalimar. She shuddered inwardly, not wanting to think about that horrible man anymore. All she wanted was to take this moment and just bottle it up, never wanting it to be forgotten or lost. Not for a single moment.
The maid was so happy that she was beside this man. She felt like one of those princesses in many of the books she had read, like Cinderella. A servant transformed into a princess. And Erik was her hero, a knight in shining armor.
Adina's eyes widened when Erik agreed to play for her. Music! Wonderful music again! How she wanted to hear live music; she had never heard an actual performance before. She was never allowed to even listen to the gypsies in town when she was little; her father forbid her from going near such 'people' he had told her. But she would sneak away, risk being caught and then whipped just to hear the music. Now.. Now she was so grateful that Erik would play music for her. Real, live music! She wanted to hug him but that would not be very appropriate so she gave a very enthusiastic curtsey. Several actually. "Thank-you, monsieur! Thank-you so much for allowing me such an opportunity. I am honored to be your audience for a musical accomplishment."
She was elated, ecstatic., her whole world anew now that she was back among the living. And it felt so wonderful. She looked back and saw Erik's cape billowing from the breeze. It made her giggle a bit as she pulled at her shawl. That was when she felt it. His arm around her. The chill in the air instantly melted away now that he was near. She felt like nothing could ever harm her again. Not while he was around.
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Erik Lenoir
Hide your face, so the world will never find you...
Hide your face so the world will never find you...
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Post by Erik Lenoir on Oct 1, 2012 21:02:45 GMT -5
Erik couldn't help but pull Adina toward him. He liked her so much. She seemed to need someone to protect her too. Erik was good at that. He relished the thought of protecting this young lady. It made him feel needed and he could almost forget the fact that he was not a handsome man, in fact most who had seen his face considered him a monster, a horror. But Adina made him feel quite differently. She brought out all the good qualities in Erik, like kindness, gentleness and concern.
And now Adina seemed happy when Erik said he would play for her. He loved performing for people, although usually audiences of one or two close friends, of which he had not had any before in Paris. But here, at the mansion, he had made many friends. It was strange how that had come about, but it had.
"Shall we go back in the house and find the opera house? I would love to give you a bit of a concert. The piano has been tuned recently." Erik walked toward the door to enter the manor from the garden. He held the door open for Adina, then said, "Let's continue on to the Opera House then. Do you have any particular music pieces you would like to hear?"
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