Eveline's new life starts Part 2

Subject: Eveline's new life starts Part 2 Thu Mar 30, 2023 4:29 pm

As the carriage moves towards the city and Ludecke looks out the window he suddenly starts to sing, softly at first, searching for the words as he does and you realise he is making it up as he go.

"Welcome to my home,
shown here by the starlight.
They say all roads lead to Rome,
but I think that's a lie."

Then he goes up into a crescendo as the melody changes its tone.

"They lead you where you want to go,
to your hearts desire.
Whether it is far away,
or to a nearby blooming flower."

He smiles a bit, almost as if he excusing his sudden inspiration as he looks from the window back to you, going back to the first melody which you realise must be what he decided the verse should sound like.

"There's a blooming rose,
here in front of me.
How will the story go?
It's for us to wait and see."

Then back to the crescendo, the refrain.

"I think it is a mystery,
what the future holds.
So let's sing out a symphony,
as our fates unfolds."

Suddenly he sings a completely new melody, softer, it fits in with the others though.

"Why am I not afraid?
We can move on or we can fade.
The future will not wait,
so let us celebrate."

And then back to the refrain melody.

"I think it is a mystery,
what the future holds.
I only know it will be beautiful
like my blooming rose."

He pauses a bit. "I'm sorry, when inspiration strikes I just cannot really help myself. I'm sure you understand. Anyway, welcome to Les Escaldes." Outside you see a city, while not as big as the capital, the architecture is just as impressive. Houses are put closely together, wall in wall in fact, next to the roads, while some of the smaller areas has smaller houses. You can also see several apartment buildings, blending in perfectly with the architecture. As you travel further into the city you hear singing and laughter, this city is alive!

The carriage stops outside one of the apartment buildings. "Are you ready to see your new home?"

Subject: Re: Eveline's new life starts Part 2 Fri Mar 31, 2023 12:44 am

Eveline almost bounces in her seat at the mention of a surprise, but manages to, at least, sit still. Her excitement is quite obvious, though, as she makes practically no effort at all to hide it. "A surprise?" At the word 'surprise' her voice seems almost venerating, and something perhaps best described as a hunger sweeps across her face for a moment.

She collects herself as Ludecke starts talking about the different types of tavern available, and listens intently. As he mentions the surprise again, she cannot hold it in any longer; "O, tell me what it iiiis!" she pleads playfully, even though it is all too obvious that she loves the suspense of not knowing.

As he mentions their crossing the border, she looks out with an almost childish anticipation.

...but then he starts singing...

It's as if she's torn from the carriage, pulled deeper into the space between them. There is only the song - his voice - all else no longer exist. She is petrified, her mind riding the tones, completely and perfectly unable to stop. Then the crescendo hits her like an avalanche and she lets out a weak helpless sound.

At the line about a blooming rose, crimson tears start adorning her face, staining her dress.
What is left of Eveline manages to get some semblance of control back as the melody changes to something softer, as if it was picking her up, holding her.

She survives the storm, slowly coming back to being Eveline Garnier, the neonate, as the song ends.
He says he's sorry and she smiles a crooked smile with more meanings than she herself understands.
She nods. She understands. "Th-thank you" she manages to say at his welcoming her, but it was really for something so much more.

Eveline looks out and sees a city she is now a part of. She smiles again, but this time of joy, as she hears the sounds of a living city. As the carriage stops, she wipes her face and straightens her dress, trying to fix as much of the damage as possible, and nods - "her new home".

Subject: Re: Eveline's new life starts Part 2 Fri Mar 31, 2023 1:05 am

He offers you handkerchief if you need it before helping you out of the carriage. You are at one of the nicer streets, an apartment house not far from Placa de Lalin. While his ghoul starts unloading your luggage, Ludecke offers his hand. "Come, don't worry, Thomas will make sure everything comes up alright."

He leads you up very wide stairs, each floor having two doors. Once you come to the top floor he stops and takes out a key, giving it to you to open. Inside you find a hallway leading into a grand living room with big windows.

"Don't worry, the curtains will cover the sun nicely, there are also those small wooden doors I've installed for the windows. What are they called again?"

There are empty bookshelves, a cabinet a table with two chairs, a sofa set with matching tables. In one end you can see doors into a kitchen, it is rather small, but then again, kindred doesn't need to eat so he probably didn't prioritize it. It looks charming though. Beside it is an empty room, you could probably use it either as a guest room, or for your crafts. He then shows you the bedroom, with a big double bed, a table for makeup and jewellery, and an adjoining room.

"I thought you could use it as a closet, I've met royalty who has needed a room for their clothes, I believe as people grow richer it will become more common in the future." He comments. "Anyway, now for the surprise!"

He walks over to another room, and holds the door a bit, ready to open it as he looks back at you with a smile. As he opens the door the first thing you see is a toilette, and a sink.

"It has indoor plumbing! Do you know how expensive that is? Not that you need it yourself..." He hints to the toilette. "But if you ever get a ghoul, or kine visitors, it surely helps! But that is not all."

He leads you further into the room and around a wall which separates this part from the toilette part. There you see a frame of steel-pipes, and something sticking up in the far end. The whole area is tiled with mosaic.

"That is a shower. You pump over here." He goes over to a handle and pumps it a bit, then water comes out. Should you feel it, it is cold at first, but then it gets warmer. "The warm water runs out after a while, so you won't be able to bathe too long. But you won't need to boil water or anything to wash off!"

He smiles, proudly, looking fascinated at the contraption.

Subject: Re: Eveline's new life starts Part 2 Fri Mar 31, 2023 3:06 am

She accepts the handkerchief, not the least because her own was ruined by now. Eveline looks up and down the street, up along the buildings - savouring all these firsts. As with all other things, she knew she would get used to these sights, these fragrances and sounds, so she enhances her senses, making all these new memories so much clearer.

She already loves the place as she takes Ludecke's hand and begin ascending the magnificent stairs - to her home - passing double doors - to her home. Floor after floor, she drinks in it all. Suddenly they stop - she could have gone on for ever - and Eveline holds her key for the first time. It smells of his clothes. And they enter.

Reassured the deadly windows won't be a problem - "You do think of everything, don't you!" - she starts decorating the apartment with her mind, hanging paintings that don't exist on the walls. At the sight of the kitchen she runs to the doorway and lets out a delightful giggle -"there is no way he'd know" - before she turns around and darts past him at the sight of what she immediately names her studio. She sees herself painting things she hadn't even thought of, and suddenly Eveline feels so still, so confident. So safe. "O yes, this is my studio, alright" she lets him know with a chuckle.

At the sight of the double bed she stops. She had never had a double bed before. Yes, she often slept in her sire's bed, but that was his, so nothing at all like this. She wants to throw herself at it, but realises it shall have to wait - he could misread it, and she will make damn sure she does not risk her position here, or rather - his esteem.

She drops her jaw outriight at his idea of using the adjoining room as a closet...loving it. "Like royalty" she dreams.

But then she jerks at that word again - "the surprise!" and almost freezes on the spot as he prepares to spring The Surprise on her. She fails to say a word, mere seconds away from Knowing. It feels like an eternity, but then he simply opens the door (it looked so easy).

At first she fails to connect what she sees to words, but as he keeps talking, she just squeals and jumps him! "No no no, it's perfect! It's perfect! I...it's...you see...back when I was embraced, my sire never told me I would not be able to eat food again - so I kept eating. Yes, after a couple of hellish days I realised I would have to purge - throw it all up again - to be able to sleep properly, but it must have been at least a week before my sire learned that I still ate food." Eveline laughs loudly - "You should have seen his face!" It takes her a few seconds to still her amusement.

"But we realised it could be useful. I can blend in with the kine better than most - at least in that regard." She beamed at the thought of being useful. For him.

It is not over, she learns, as Ludecke shows her the next wonder. She tries to understand what it is she sees, but fails. As he explains the contraption, she drops her jaw again. When the water starts, she jolts, but immediately lets out another squeal as she raises a hand to meet the drizzling water. As it gets warmer, she practically moans.

She then looks at him, as he stands there - rightly proud of himself - and with a surprising calm to her, she lets him know "I should say it's too much...but...I can't. I want this, all of it. ...And you will never regret this."

She slowly takes the one step that separates them, and kisses him on his cheek with sincere devotion.

Subject: Re: Eveline's new life starts Part 2 Fri Mar 31, 2023 9:12 am

He smiles. "I'm glad you like it! In time you might even afford something better."

Thomas peeks in his head. "The last bag is up."

"Aah good! You can go back and get the horse and carriage in place and then... have some fun!"

Thomas smiles a big smile as he looks at you. "It was a pleasure." He says before bowing and hurrying down.

"Regarding indoor plumbing." Ludecke says. "I think it is a great invention! You should set money aside so you can install it in your tavern as soon as possible. You wouldn't need a smelly privy disturbing the ambience for your visitors. In fact, I am working politically to create a fund, where those with money can help fund those who would like to install indoor plumbing, it would be a great help to the community I believe."

He really speaks with passion about it, does he do everything with the same passion? It seems like passionate is his standard mood!

"Anyway, I guess you'd like to unpack, do you want help or privacy? Both perhaps? I can help in the living room and you can unpack in bedroom?"

Subject: Re: Eveline's new life starts Part 2 Fri Mar 31, 2023 12:53 pm

While overwhelmed by his gifts, she remembers the manner on the other side of the river, but decides not to mention it yet. It would be quite impolite, and she also realises she would very much like to make this apartment her home for some time before finding something else. "Plumbing" her thoughts coo.

"Thank you, Thomas!" Eveline says gratefully. "I'm sorry for all the stairs!" she adds in a light apologetic way.

As he mentions his plans regarding plumbing, Eveline says "I believe I shall soon be quite unable to live without it, so you definitely have my attention." For a moment she is lost in thoughts of letting the warm water cleanse her.

"You're quite the philanthropist, Ludecke! I love the idea, and if there's anything I can do to help you "grease some hinges", you mustn't hesitate to ask!" She realises that when she looks at him, it is hard to look away - not so much because of his obvious beauty, but rather because of that intoxicating...presence...as if he is more real than everybody else. Could he even be less passionate? The thought of him being apathetic, even, makes Eveline let out a chortle of disbelief as the mental picture was, not only extremely hard to conjure, but took on a clear air of absurdism.

"I would very much appreciate the help. The faster we can head out and look at taverns!" she suggests hopefully.

Subject: Re: Eveline's new life starts Part 2 Fri Mar 31, 2023 6:34 pm

Together you get the place in order, without taking too much time for the details. After you've gotten ready, Ludecke takes your arm and leads you to Placa de Lalin.

(End Scene)