Prologue: Eve Vosmus

[dmronny]

Re: Prologue: Eve Vosmus

Within a few short minutes of the bell rope being pulled Eve hears the familiar tread of Erasmus approaching. He bows his head as he enters and says. "I hope you slept well, milady. Our dear Lord Christien has returned from his business and awaits the chance to begin your training. After you have had the chance to eat that is."

Soon Eve finds herself following Erasmus through the dusty halls of the castle once more. The single candle lighting the way back to the dining hall and the warm light of the fire on which the same delicious stew continues to simmer. It takes Eve's eyes a few moments to adjust to the light before she notices Her savior sitting in a seat far from the fire waiting impatiently. Noticing her he stands and holds his hand out as if to beckon her forward, while Erasmus busies himself without word in gathering food together for a meal.

 

[Chibichibi]

Re: Prologue: Eve Vosmus

Eve gives Erasmus a grateful smile before nervously shuffling over to Lord Christien's side. "G'devenin' m'lord."

Spoiler

OHMYGODBRAIN

 

[dmronny]

Re: Prologue: Eve Vosmus

Christien lights up as Eve draws near and says. "A good evening to you as well my dear. Please eat and drink, you will need your energy for our training. I have already supped while attending to other business though I will gladly keep you company."

Turning his eyes to Erasmus he says. "Hurry up my good man. Your new lady must be half-starved after having lived with such an odious man for so long."

Eve soon finds another bowl of the delicious stew set before her with the same strange instruments from earlier beside it. Some cheese and bread are set on the table to accompany the meal as well. Erasmus keeps a straight face and says nothing as he hurries about his lord's wishes however.

Spoiler

Meh, mine's not much better the last few days. Just do your best.

 

[Chibichibi]

Re: Prologue: Eve Vosmus

Eve smiled and blushed and gave Erasmus another grateful smile before dipping the bread into the stew and eating it carefully while she waited for it to cool. After she finished the bread, she took a small nibble from the cheese and dipped her finger into the liquid to see if it was cool enough for her hand. Then she began to eat with gusto, practically inhaling the stew.

Spoiler

Let the education, begin

 

[dmronny]

Re: Prologue: Eve Vosmus

Christien at first looks amused by Eve's strange manners, though his amusement quickly changes to a look of mortification. His eyes bulge and his jaw drops a bit as he watches her practically inhale the stew. He seems unable to speak for a few seconds before he holds his hand up and says.

"A moment, Eve, please. I see we already have our first opportunity to teach you the proper ways of being a refined lady." He holds up the strange tiny looking shovel for her to take and continues by demonstrating with an empty bowl. "It is considered more proper to eat like this, and this bowl here is not drinking water. It is rose water, you dip your fingers in it to clean after you have eaten, like so."

He takes several more minutes of careful explanation about the various instruments scattered about the table before settling back down and saying. "I'm sorry to interrupt your meal, my dear. Please continue but try it the way I showed you just now. I may offer a suggestion now and then but I won't interrupt you anymore. I wouldn't want someone to interrupt my meal if I was so hungry..."

The last words seem to drift off into space as he sits there staring at her for a few more seconds before he seems to come back to his senses.

 

[Chibichibi]

Re: Prologue: Eve Vosmus

She stared at the "spoon" before dipping it into the stew and attempting to eat with it. She is noisy, sloppy, and surely horrifying her new lord even more. She sends a slightly panicked look over at Erasmus, pleading with her eyes for him to help her.

 

[dmronny]

Re: Prologue: Eve Vosmus

Erasmus steps forward as though to help Eve but he stops in his tracks when Lord Christien looks up at him and stares balefully. "I don't think I will need your aid any more this evening, Erasmus. Perhaps you should get some rest while you have the chance."

Erasmus turns and leaves the room hurriedly while Christien returns his gaze on Eve. It softens almost immediately and he softly urges her to try again. "You have all the time you need to learn what you must my dear. Try not to become frustrated with what must be completely new to yourself. You will be perfect one day, I assure you."

 

[Chibichibi]

Re: Prologue: Eve Vosmus

Eve was shocked at her new Lord's reaction and stared at her lap before mumbling, "'E 'elped me yestaday, please don' be mean ta 'im..." her boldness surprised her, but she had to say something.

 

[dmronny]

Re: Prologue: Eve Vosmus

Christien seems somewhat surprised by Eve's boldness for a second before his face softens as he soothingly says. "I am sorry but I can't have him interfering with your training, my dear. He is but a mere servant and couldn't possibly teach you the things you must learn."

His face grows stern once more and he says. "Now let us try again with your manners. It is very important for a courtesan to learn the basics before moving on to the harder things."

 

[Chibichibi]

Re: Prologue: Eve Vosmus

She knew that word. Courtesan. So she was still going to be a whore, never a lady. She would just be fancier now, with beautiful clothes and a full belly every day.

Well. She would do what he wanted and still be friends with Erasmus.

"Yes, m'lord, but please be nicer to 'im." she mumbled yet again, then louder, "Wot do ya want me ter do?"

 

[dmronny]

Re: Prologue: Eve Vosmus

Eve spends the rest of the evening in learning etiquette and the proper mannerisms of a courtesan at Christien's hands. He constantly pushes and corrects as a knight might teach his squire. She is exhausted by the time the sun has risen and Erasmus takes her back to her room. She soon falls asleep after saying goodbye to her friend.

The following weeks are spent in exactly the same fashion. Each night her harsh taskmaster pushes her more and more in her training. Surprisingly Eve begins to pick up the things he is trying to teach her quite well, she is able to switch from her normal way of speaking to that of a well-mannered lady at a moment's notice. The only time she uses her old accent is when she occasionally gets excited or during her relaxing conversations with her sole friend Erasmus during the day.

One day she feels herself shaken awake by the handsome young servant, a look of concern on his face. She soon realizes why as she notices the blood she has coughed up during her sleep.

"E-Eve, are you alright. Please don't be dead. Oh please don't leave me alone here."

 

[Chibichibi]

Re: Prologue: Eve Vosmus

Eve's eyes filled with tears. "I'm sick," she blurted out, "I've been bleedin' when I cough and I dun't know wot ta do!" she wrapped her arms around her knees and shook with her tears, "I didn' wan' ter say anythin' in case 'e decided to throw me out." She looked at him, lost, "I've 'eard people talkin' callin' it consumption..." She steeled herself for his revulsion, for the jerking away, for her only friend in the whole world to leave her.

 

[dmronny]

Re: Prologue: Eve Vosmus

Erasmus doesn't retract after from her as eve had expected, though the look of horror on his face was unmistakeable. He ran over to grab a towel and wet it before returning to wipe the blood from her face. Looking up at him as he did so Eve couldn't help but notice the tears in the young servants eyes. As soon as she was cleaned up and dressed he picked her up in his arms and hurried through the house to the front door and then to the carriage. Eve was almost to weak to realize what was happening as he lay her in the carriage and said.

"I've got to get you to a healer, just try to hold on. You can't leave me here alone, Eve. You're the only friend I've ever had."

Spoiler

You know I wish I could say I planned this but it was a complete accident.

"Before the Industrial Revolution, folklore often associated tuberculosis with vampires. When one member of a family died from it, the other infected members would lose their health slowly. People believed this was caused by the original person with TB draining the life from the other family members."

 

[Chibichibi]

Re: Prologue: Eve Vosmus

She shook her head weakly. "I'm too far gone," she tried to struggle, "Ye 'ave to get m'lord. Ye 'ave to tell 'im what 'appened. The 'ealer can't 'elp. They neva can."

Spoiler

That's pretty freaking awesome. Yay for historical tie ins!

 

[dmronny]

Re: Prologue: Eve Vosmus

"I've still got to try." Is all Eve hears before she passes out on the way to see a healer. She awakens briefly only to hear the healer explaining to the tearful young servant that it is too late and that there was likely never anything to be done in the first place. She passes out again and wakes feeling only slightly better than she had earlier. She is alone in the room and almost wonders if she's already dead as she stares out the window at the beautiful sunset outside of her open window.

That illusion is quickly shattered as she hears a door shut somewhere within the castle and Erasmus hurried steps coming towards her.

Spoiler

It's even better when it's accidental.

 

[Chibichibi]

Re: Prologue: Eve Vosmus

"We're... back at ta castle?" she wonders aloud, captured by the beauty of the sunset. When she hears Erasmus's steps behind her she doesn't turn, but keeps on looking. "It's beautiful," she murmurs, convinced it will be her last ever sunset. The consumption will take me tonight. I know it.

 

[dmronny]

Re: Prologue: Eve Vosmus

Eve feels Erasmus rest lightly on the edge of the bed and put a hand lightly on her shoulder. He lightly whispers so that only she could possibly hear.

"It is beautiful though I think it kind of pales next to you. I have an idea on how to save you though if it doesn't work I...I just wanted to say that I think I love you. I would do almost anything to save you, so it must be love...right?"

 

[Chibichibi]

Re: Prologue: Eve Vosmus

She turned to him and smiled, "Wot kin be done though? I 'eard the 'ealer. Nuffin they could do could save me," then her eyes widened as his final words sunk in, "You..." she laughed, "I thought seein' out Lord for the first time was luv. But then I learned wot real luv is. Will ya kiss me? I don' want ter make ya sick, but..."

Spoiler

OHGOD THE WIBBLY FEELINGS, scuse me while I go whimper in the corner.

 

[dmronny]

Re: Prologue: Eve Vosmus

Erasmus smiles brightly as he leans in and kisses Eve gently on the lips. Since the invention of the kiss, there have only been six kisses that were rated the most passionate, the most pure. This one left them all behind.

As he pulled away he whispered in her ear. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you how I could save you. Death cannot stop true love...it can only delay it a while. I will come back to save you."

With that he leaped to his feet and rushed from the room as fast as he could, turning his head to smile for one brief second as he departed. Eve was alone again as she basked in the strange feelings that overwhelmed her. At least she would die having known love she thought as the sickness continued to drain the rest of her life.

Spoiler

I'm sorry.

 

[Chibichibi]

Re: Prologue: Eve Vosmus

Eve pressed a trembling hand to her lips and when the warm glow of his feelings for her faded, she began to cry. Heart-wrenching sobs for a life she would never get to have, a love she would never get to see in full bloom.

She wished, for a moment, that she had never left her old life.

Spoiler

You are a dork and that made me smile but I still think you're a mean old man