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LadyMnemosyne Vice Captain
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 Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2012 9:31 am
This is a 1x1 for Karu Hitoshi and LadyMnemosyne
Feel free to read along, but the posting rights belong to us.
Any unwarranted posts will simply be deleted (just a warning)
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Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2012 11:39 am
 The countryside rolled by beyond the dark tinted windows of the Rolls Royce that had picked her up from the train station. Luesa rarely got the chance to ride in a chauffeured car anymore, and she couldn't remember the last time if ever she had been inside the British-made car. Even when she had been accepted to the program at St. Lucia the young woman hadn't realized that it was that high class of a place. "Well," she reminded herself, toying with her pale blonde locks. "Only the wealthy can manage to get in after all..." It had been pure luck that she managed to snatch up such a cushy job though deep down she imagined that what she had been in a former life had been a benefit in her hiring.
Luesa had been gifted with the voice of an angel, or so it had been termed by her family and everyone who ever hear her sing. Throughout school she had used her talent for the sheer joy of singing and eventually wound up at a conservatory at the age of 16 for opera. Her career kicked off fully after she graduated in two years but slowly the joy seeped out of her and she began to simply sing to please her agents, her commissioners, and the audiences. Then, as if God had finally taken pity on her her world became silent after being attacked by a crazed fan. Being deaf had taken getting used to but, having been able to hear the majority of her life and having the money to afford cochlear implant surgery had made it a little easier.
It wasn't a hundred percent deafness either. With the implant she could still hear an amazing eighty percent of the world around her from her right side, while the other twenty was muted from her left. Now if she sang, it was only for herself again and she couldn't be happier for it. Changing her career had been an easy choice too: become a social worker and share her good nature with others. Thus there she was headed to a stay-in school for the blind children of the rich and well-off to become an aide to some young gentleman or lady.
Sighing Luesa began tapping her foot on the floor of the car, pounding out the tune of Appalachian Springs. Perhaps what she was looking forward to most was being away from the city and relaxing out in nature. The school's 50 acre estate should provide sufficient opportunity to relax. Speak of the devil there it appeared just before they turned down a driveway surrounded on both sides by towering trees with low hanging branches that formed an arch over the pavement. St. Lucias was a three story stone building that reminded her of the University of Oxford in its construction. It truly was a thing of beauty which was almost ironic that it's splendor might never be appreciated by its students. Perhaps it was more for the parents anyway; they would want to see that their money was worth it.
Another five minutes later the driver finally pulled up to the massive entrance and parked the car. Naturally she would have gotten out on her own but she was both aware that it was the driver's job to do such things and that she couldn't stop gawking at her new home. "...ss...Miss?" A sudden gentle tap on her left shoulder and the sound finally reaching her made her turn and Luesa took the hand the driver offered her. Her feet landed on the coblestone path and she stretched to her full height taking in her surroundings. A brief thought of how she might be making a big mistake was pushed out of her mind when the headmaster appeared on the top step and she felt his strong gaze upon him.
She had seen him once before during her interview via video call and while he initially gave off an intimidating appearance she had realized that he was merely passionate about his school. Deep down Luesa suspected he had a caring nature that, with time, might surface. The chauffeur returned from the back of the car with her single light green vintage suitcase that carried all the belongings she had owned apart from the items of her life as a "star". They were the only things that really mattered to her anyway. "Thank you." she said to the driver in a voice that was only slightly different than the one she had formed when she had full hearing, a little more enunciated as she purposely formed the words to be understood. He merely nodded before returning to the car and pulling off moments later.
Luesa watched the retreating taillights for a moment before turning to see that the Headmaster had descended the stairs to greet her and was a mere foot away. "Luesa Sparrow, I presume. I am very glad to finally meet you in person." the Headmaster said with a deep voice that was clear and nice to listen to. He extended a hand which she took gladly.
"Headmaster Witherby, it is an honor to meet you as well." Luesa replied as they shook in greeting before Gale Witherby led her inside and closed the door behind them. The interior was just as impressive as the exterior, retaining the scholarly feel while keeping in mind to free the halls of unnecessary obstacles for the students. He led her around for a bit explaining how many students they had, their retention rate, the type of therapies and classes offered, and finally they made it to the wing where the aides who lived on the campus resided. "While a few of our aides commute we like to keep the students and their aides as close as possible. When your student arrives he will be given a personal com-bracelet like this one," he handed her a silver bracelet with a small portable intercom device attached which she slipped on. Was it strange to think that it felt like a prison cuff? "That he may press at anytime to call you for assistance, primarily after hours. It is expected that you will be with them throughout the day until curfew unless there is a necessity. I have also had your room fitted with a blinking light near your headboard to accommodate your special circumstances. For now settle in and when the young master arrives, I will call for you."
"Thank you for all you have done." Luesa replied, truly impressed of how much he had thought about her own needs. So she would be with a young gentleman, interesting...The Headmaster took his leave to allow her time to settle in and as the door closed behind him the woman looked around at her new personal home. Settling her suitcase at the end of her bed Luesa popped the brass locks and looked inside. A small collection of clothes lined the bottom - she had been informed that the school would take weekly trips into the nearby city for any shopping needs so she hadn't felt the need to bring much - her collection of Shakespeare and a leather bound folio containing her favorite operatic tunes, a memory box the size of a child's music box, and a framed photograph of her with her entire family. It had been hardest to leave them but they had an understanding that she had the desire to do something good with her life. She might be able to visit on the holidays, and she would write letters as often as possible.
For a new start at life Luesa couldn't have asked for more. A clean slate and a welcoming opportunity to give back to another human being. She was excited and as she began unpacking she imagined what her student would be like. Eventually she began softly singing in her natural lyrical tones the song that reminded her most of her mother especially at those times when she was feeling lonely or homesick. "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine..."
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LadyMnemosyne Vice Captain
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Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2012 12:06 am
 Silence and darkness came hand in hand to the young man sitting at the far end of a rather large dinner table. "So...how was your day Silas" asked an older gentleman who sat at the opposite side of the table from the younger man eating in silence. An older woman sat beside the older man glancing up from her meal from time to time to hear what was being said at the table. She frowned to herself when no reply was given by the younger man, and sighed. Finally from the silence Silas replied..."Why do you care..." and fell silent once more. The older gentleman only pursed his lips and turned his attention back to his breakfast. This became the regular routine in Silas' small dark world ever since that tragic day.
Ever since the brutal accident in which his parents died, he had been placed under the care of his Aunt Margerette and his Uncle James, despite the fact he was now eighteen years of age now. The room in which they dined was a large open area, with several large bay windows overlooking...well...the bay. The walls were adorned with several works of contemporary art, which his aunt seemed to fancy after her trip to Europe. A crystalline chandelier hung from a vaulted ceiling directly above the dining room table. The place of course was a magnificent place for many who visited and everyone seemed to love all the sights, all except for one solitary person...Silas.
Silas didn't care much for such pristine sights due to one single fact...he was blind. It explained why he was put in the care of his aunt and uncle. He had become blind a few months back in the accident. Before the accident occurred, his parents were driving Silas home from a showing of his own art to private dealer of sorts...it was a rather ironic yet unfortunate turn of events. Since that day, Silas refused to even pick up a paint brush. "Silas...look I know things are tough, and I don't expect you to get over everything so quickly but...we don't think it healthy for a young man like yourself to hole themselves up in their room," began James with a weary voice. "Just give the academy a try, and if you don't like it, we'll hire a private tutor for you...just please give it a try," finished Margarette. Margarette was a rather slender woman who was rarely seen out of a dress, and was seen somewhat as a traditionalist.
Silas smirked slightly as the two teamed up on him, and simply sighed in defeat. "Fine...I'll go, but I'm holding you to your word James..." he muttered as he stood to his feet, his hands fumbling for his cane which had clunked down near the foot of his chair. "Dammit," he swore aloud as his search became a bit more frantic, clumsily knocking over his half empty cup of orange juice. His uncle shuffled uncomfortably in his seat watching his brother's prodigy with pity. Finally his aunt came to Silas' rescue, grabbing onto his hand, and picking up the cane, placing it into his clutched hand. Flustered, his skin went from it's normal peach tone to a flushed pink of embarrassment.
That was what had encompassed Silas' morning. He frowned thinking back on it as he sat comfortably in the back of a limo, his cane resting between his legs. St. Lucias, academy for the blind...such a pain, he thought. The limo driver, a well aged man with slightly grayed hair, chocolate brown skin, and a smile that stretched on forever whistled a tune as he drove along the road nearing his destination. His name was Charlie, or at least that was what Silas had grown accustomed to calling him. He was extremely friendly despite the barrage of insults that Silas tended to throw his way. "All right kiddo...this is your stop," he announced as the limo finally came to a halt. Silas let out an exasperated sigh as he grabbed onto the handle of his cane.
"You know...I could pay you extra if you skip the whole school thing and tell my Uncle that we went..." Silas said finally, a bit apprehensive to be apart of the new way of life. He was perfectly content with his subtle descent into oblivion...but instead he was offered this. "No can do kiddo...under strict orders to take straight here...besides you could do with a bit of fresh air," replied Charles with a grin, causing his crows feet to show a bit as he held out his hand to Silas. Defeated, Silas stepped out from the limo, taking Charles' hand in a show of defeat.
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Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2012 7:49 pm
The more she put away her past life into the different crannies of her room Luesa felt like she was finally moving on. The sight of empty spaces just waiting to be filled made her smile as she imagined what she might get to complete her personal, picture-perfect room. Maybe she would stop into that record shop she had researched and get some vinyls to use for her therapy when she had downtime.
"I could get used to this." she sighed with content, walking over to her bed and laying down on the simple cream comforter. As she stretched out she realized that the bed was nearly as long as she was tall if Luesa stretched out with her arms about her head; while the five foot six inch tall young woman wasn't surprisingly tall, she had never had a bed this luxurious outside of a few in high class hotels. At home she frequently shared her bed with her easily frightened younger sister so it always seemed a little smaller although no less comfortable. Gazing up at her ceiling Luesa was suddenly startled by the bright blinking light that erupted next to her and the dull vibrating sensation beneath her pillow. That had to be the system Headmaster Witherby spoke of; it was and would be effective.
Sitting up in her bed Luesa moved her intercom bracelet near her right side and listened at first to the garbled words as she adjusted the sound on the bracelet until the Headmaster's voice chimed in clearly. "...Miss Sparrow can you hear me?"
"Yes sir, please continue."
"Ah good. Well, I thought I would let you know that the young master is nearly here and I was wondering if you would like to go meet him with me?" Luesa blushed slightly. Well that had been fast. A thousand questions and apprehensions she hadn't had moments before cropped up in her mind but she felt her answer forming before it even escaped her.
"I would be delight, Headmaster Witherby. I will meet you in the entrance hall. Be right there." she responded already on her way out the door and down the hall. The closer she got the more she fidgeted with the hem of her shirt and tousled her loose locks. Oh yeah, he won't be able to see any of this...Luesa bit her bottom lip as she forced herself to calm down, appearing in the entrance hall just behind Headmaster Witherby.
"Are you ready?" he asked with a small smile that almost didn't seem characteristic. Luesa nodded and following behind him out into the bright world beyond. As she blinked away the sudden change of lighting Headmaster Witherby was already down the stairs and prepared to greet the young man being helped out of the limo. "Silas, welcome to St. Lucia's. I am Headmaster Gale Witherby. We are glad that you have decided to join us here. Did you find the ride here to your liking?"
All the while they were talking Luesa finally could see the limo and driver in full and finally...Silas. Her tongue froze in her mouth and while it wasn't the appropriate time to speak over the Headmaster to introduce herself Luesa found that she, as she rarely was, was speechless.
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LadyMnemosyne Vice Captain
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Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2012 11:22 pm
Silas said nothing at first letting an awkward air surround the area, but pursed his lips realizing it'd be better to make the best of a bad situation. He placed on his best fake smile and nodded at the headmaster's welcome not wanting to really speak to the man, besides he highly doubted he'd be there long enough. He figured he'd be there just long enough to get the grand tour of the place...you know...take in the sights. He chuckled lightly to himself about the thought. Listening closely, he could hear the rhythmic beating of his heart, a trick he picked up in the hospital to pass the time.
Eventually he had honed his little trick, and learned how to focus on a particular set of sounds. If he was listening for it, he could hear a pin drop from the length of half a football field. With his eyes closed, he listened in more picking up the hear beats of the headmaster as well as the old driver he liked to call Charlie, but another heart beat caught him off guard and his brow arched in curiosity. He turned his attention, shifting his body towards the fluttering heartbeat he had heard earlier, his eyes still closed.
Aside from the overly strong amount of aftershave Charlie usually put on, he could smell a more delicate scent. It wasn't overwhelming, nor was it too slight. Immediately he assumed it was a female, and knew the smell of a woman far too well...not because he had been with a woman on an intimate level, but only because he had spent so much time in the hospital figuring out who was treating him that he grew accustomed to identifying people by their scent. Women always seemed to use a more subtle scent...well at least the younger ones. Most of the older women he had been around damn near suffocated him with the amount of perfumes they had on. No...it wasn't perfume he was smelling though, it was either a body wash or shampoo, and it delighted him.
Feeling as if he was being studied, he spoke up finally. "So, do you usually make a spectacle of new students headmaster, or are you going to introduce your friend," he asked without turning towards him. He hated the way he sounded when he spoke...it almost sounded pompous to him, but once again he wasn't here to make friends...not that he had any now. Most of his friends had abandoned him after the incident, and he didn't blame them since most of them were artist like himself. He just figured there wasn't much to talk about after his loss of vision, but oh did he miss seeing intricate paintings and talking about them. He jammed his hands within his pockets fiddling with his Ipod and his headphones awaiting a reply.
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Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2012 6:33 pm
Luesa was very much guilty of studying Silas. Every contour of his face was subject to her scrutiny out of habit. She had long ago developed a technique for memorizing faces the more known she became, to avoid the embarrassment of forgetting a name. It wasn't to be rude, just to be certain. The young man wasn't so young after all appearing instead to be closer to her own age, maybe a little older. He had that air about him of luxury though the pain in his stature wasn't just from his disability or a physical issue; there was emotional damage behind those clouded eyes that only someone who knew such damage personally.
Watching as he closed his eyes and seemed to meditate on the scene in his own way, she blushed and jumped at the sound of his voice. Luesa found his voice cut right through the silence in ways others couldn't and hoped that it would make things easier for her. On the contrary though, after he spoke she found her mouth dry and unwilling to respond; what would he think of her voice? Somehow the fear that he would tease her - the first time she had yet to feel sincerely vulnerable to her deafness - sucked the confidence right out of her.
Luckily, Headmaster Witherby spoke first. "My apologies, Master Silas, let me introduce you to your aide Miss Luesa Sparrow. She will be around to help you at any point in time during the day; all students are given the same treatment, so I hope you will not find the gesture insulting in any way. There will be more times than not that the professors will be unable to help as...intimately as your aide will." He turned to Luesa and with a motion of his head gave the suggestion to respond. It was now or never, screw the fear of rejection.
"Hello, Silas. It is a pleasure to meet you, and I look forward to working with you..." she said in her paced tone, smiling more for her own benefit than for his. Folding her hands in front of her she patiently waited for his response. If he offered a hand to shake she would take it, but she had learned that it was not tactful to offer a blind man your hand first. It might be seen as insulting.
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LadyMnemosyne Vice Captain
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Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2012 7:35 pm
Instead of answering Silas remained silent, bowing his head in response instead. Slightly annoyed at the awkward situation he pursed his lips and sighed. "Looks like i'm yours for the day...shall we get going then?" he asked reaching his hand out in front of him, awaiting his aide's assistance. He thought it best not to get too close to anyone here, and that included his new aide, besides it was best to just leave him aloe. Since the loss of his vision damn near ninety percent of his conversations ended up being small talk. He frowned at the thought, but still steadily awaited patiently in silence.
Unlike most, Silas felt at peace in silence, and felt little to no shame when a conversation just dropped. He had gotten used to it, so when no one replied back at first he simply just stood there, thinking back to his times in the hospital, a time of when he couldn't get people to shut up. When the incident first happened he could remember constant visits from a multitude of councilors and religious nurses trying to convert him or have him have some sort of emotional break through all to no avail. He grew tiered of their constant visits and had the staff restrict any and all visits.
Sure his parents had died and he had lost his vision, but that didn't mean he wanted to constantly be reminded of it, as if his lack of vision wasn't reminder enough. He didn't want to feel anything. He just wanted to fade away into the numbness of nothing. Now here he was two months later, facing the day one giant step at a time. A councilor once told him that time healed all wounds...could time heal his eyes? So many questions, so much to register. Even after two months you'd think he'd get into the flow of things, but not quite.
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Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2012 8:59 am
All she wanted to know in that moment was what was passing through his mind as he so effortlessly filled the air with silence. Luesa admired that he seemed so comfortable creating a bubble of nothingness between the group assembled there even if those around him couldn't appreciate it. It was a hard thing to live in silence and enjoy it, at least in her own opinion. When the fan had attacked her it had been a week before the hospital could operate on her and she had sat in her hospital bed desperately wishing to bridge the communication gap between the nurses and doctors mouthing silently to her and there being nothing but a dull impenetrable hum in her ears.
During that week Luesa had learned how spoiled people were to have the gift of hearing and how impatient people could be - even if they thought they weren't being watched or that the newly deaf girl picked up on basic lip reading in her spare time before her surgery to feed her frustration. Even the decision to get the cochlear implant was solely the decision of a girl who thought she couldn't cope in a world of silence, which later sparked some interesting conversations at the School for the Deaf she trained at to be able to stand there that day in front of the blind boy, waiting to take on this new challenge by his side.
Finally he responded and held out his hand for her. In one instance she was relieved that she had made it past her first words with him. Taking a step forward Luesa reached out and took his hand gently. Her skin tingled at contact and she subtly examined his hand merely by touch. It was warm and nearly pristine, yet she could tell that once in his life he had used his hands in some sort of trade. They weren't rough as you would expect someone who did hard labor for a living, not that she would expect that of him knowing that he came from a wealthy family. Yet still she could feel...something special had come from these hands.
Effortlessly she fell in line next to him on the side without his cane and looked up to the Headmaster. He nodded and spoke to Silas. "Would you like to settle into your room first or have a tour of the school to get a feel for the place?" Luesa looked to Silas, ready to do what he asked. She did however,chance the position of her hand to a less intimate grip, less like a couple...
((go ahead and explore a bit, I haven't thought about how the school looks like on the inside XD feel free to use her as you need too))
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LadyMnemosyne Vice Captain
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Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2012 10:52 am
Silas’ lips pursed at the mention of a room, which only meant he’d have to stay within the school. His Uncle had tricked him again. His Uncle had always pushed for him to go, but never once did he mention that he’d have to reside there from now on...still it was rather amusing, and he didn’t blame the man. In the previous weeks he had been quite difficult he admitted to himself, and his aunt and uncle were good people, despite a bit of trickery on his uncle’s part. He relaxed once again knowing that their agreement still was in effect. He’d check out the place, and leave this place behind so that he could enjoy the small pockets of solitude in a place he was more familiar with.
“Um…well my room will suffice; I don’t see a need to get the grand tour when I can’t see much of anything, lest there be a coffee shop on the grounds. I am rather tiered and wouldn’t mind a bit of caffeine to get me going.”
He did admit that when he spoke he had an air of superiority about him that demanded respect. He wasn’t spoiled, but liked to act that way to see how well people coped with it. He could get a better feel for how people reacted under stress that way. Brushing a strand of brown hair from his face, he stared at the direction of his aide. “Perhaps I can treat Miss Luesa to a cup if she’d like,” he said with a polite smile. “Now if you’ll excuse us headmaster, we shall be on our way,” he said, politely bowing his head towards where he believed the man was, all the while hearing Charles shift nervously on ground, grinding a pebble caught between his feet and the pavement.
With that, the two were off. Charles let out a hearty goodbye as he was lead by Luesa up the stairs slowly, his right upon her arm, and his left guiding himself up by the hand railing. As he went up, he could hear Charles explaining to the headmaster that he was really a good natured boy, and that he just came off somewhat pompous. He chuckled secretly to himself as he reached the top of the steps, and paused feeling a playful breeze press against his body and smiled. A few strands of his hair fell in front of his face, and he made the effort to push them behind his ear. “So…you enjoy doing a job that an animal can do, or is it merely a paycheck,” he said almost insultingly towards Luesa.
He frowned as he heard his own words come from his mouth, and quickly apologized to his newfound aide. Obviously the news of him having to stay here perturbed him a bit more than he let on. Sighing he spoke again. “Forgive me…this is all rather new to me. It’s very frustrating at times,” he said, letting a bit of truth out.
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Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2012 10:02 pm
Headmaster Witherby was as delighted as Luesa imagined he could manage to show to hear Silas' decision. He didn't allow his own choice of words bother him; the tour was purely one method intended to soothe the nerves of new students who constantly had to adjust to new surroundings. Apparently, he decided, Silas wasn't one to be coddled and Headmaster Witherby respected the young man for it.
"If you wish, I'll have the cafe send up two cappuccinos. As it is your first day, you may take the time to do as you wish, but dinner begins promptly at 6:00. Please make every effort to be there on time." The elder gentleman said with an air of firmness that made Luesa wondered what would happen if his set schedule was ever missed. Would that mean a meal would be skipped? She personally didn't want to find out. Silas began fidgeting with his hair and suddenly turned his head to her. Blind or not she was starting to get that fluttering feeling again with the thought that he was staring directly into her. It was an almost welcomed feeling, but one she couldn't explain.
The young woman remained silent for some time as Silas finished with the Headmaster and once he was ready took her first steps as his aide by his side. As they climbed the short set of stairs she softly counted them for him a moment before he moved onto the next so he would know how many to expect. He probably didn't need it but she wanted to make a good first impression. Leaving the two gentlemen behind them and out of earshot the words that suddenly flew from Silas' smart tongue practically reached out and slapped her across the face.
Recoiling a step she halted. How...how could he say that to another person? Luesa wasn't sensitive by any means but for some reason that particular jab had pierced rather than bounced off. "I...um...well..."she stammered, brows furrowed. This time she created the silence until he apologized. A little harsh, but it seemed sincere. "It's alright Silas, I understand." she fibbed a bit, sighing as she continued on down the direction Headmaster Witherby had instructed her to take towards the student's dormitories. They were close enough to the wing for the aides that they could quickly get to their students, but it wasn't all that convenient. For a moment she contemplated the usefulness of having the aide and student room together before the embarrassing thought nearly caused her to crash into his bedroom door.
Opening the door she ushered him in ahead of her to allow him room to explore a bit. Meanwhile she tried to shake off the kink in their new relationship Silas had thrown in. "I chose to do this." she finally said, settling into an armchair near the bed and going between settling her eyes on his room and on him. "I needed to make a drastic change in my career and I chose to help others who needed me. So...that's why I am here Silas. I understand the frustration of having to cope with a disability...more than you know..."
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LadyMnemosyne Vice Captain
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Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2012 10:50 pm
Silas paused and canted his head slightly to the right in interest at her reply as if puzzled. A few wrinkles creased in his brow as he scrutinized heavily on her answer until he finally gave a slight chuckle. She was quite amusing. Completely ignoring the fact he was just chuckling to her answer, he nonchalantly began feeling about the walls in the room. He placed his cheek lightly upon the wall feeling it's smooth coolness. It smelt slightly like fresh paint, a smell he loved in the past. It brought him back to a time long ago, where he stood in a room filled with a multitude of blank canvases, and a table stocked with supplies...a gift from his mother and father. He found himself smiling as he thought back to the moment, but his smile faded as his memory strayed to the night of the wreck. He remembered the smell of gasoline, the faint flicker of flames, the deep eerie hue of crimson that poured from his parents and stained his prize painting...and he witnessed their once beautiful olive skin of his mother turn chalky white...he saw them die, and that was the last thing he ever saw before his world went dark.
Snapping from his memory his smile had faded from his face, and he realized that he had his jaws clenched. He took a deep breath as he moved about the room, his hands reaching out hoping to find a bed. Finally hitting his foot against the leg of the bed, he quietly sat upon its surface, and broke the silence, "and if they don't want to be helped..." He stopped himself as he sighed and bit into his bottom lip. "This is not going well," he thought to himself. "So...coffee," he uttered diverting the conversation entirely. His eyes, once a beautiful emerald green, now clouded over, the whites of his eyes, now streaked with small blood shot veins. The doctor explained the veins would normalize over a short period of time, but still he didn't want to look like a sob case. He hated pity...found it deplorable. Okay, maybe not hate, because he usually pitied people, but never enjoyed being pitied...it was sort of a deep hurt, almost like they could see how weak and pathetic he truly was now.
"Erm...tell me about yourself. I assume we should get to know each other more since we'll probably be associated with one another for some time now. Any talents? Any pet peeves, stuff of that nature. So feel free to play 99 questions with me," he said a little loudly to nervously. It had been awhile since he had any company other than his Uncle, Aunt, and of course Charles.
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Posted: Tue Oct 02, 2012 11:23 am
Her foot began tapping again softly to another song from some musical she couldn't recall the name of as she patiently waited for him to speak again. It was a nervous tick of sorts for her, one that developed out of need to keep her music alive in her life even when it was only inside her. Suddenly he chuckled and Luesa rose her head to observe him. It was honestly fascinating to see how people became familiar with their surroundings, and Silas' silent contemplations had her interested. At one moment he seemed to be recalling a fond memory, the next his entire demeanor changed and he quickly continued on.
As he settled on the bed she flushed again at his response yet this time she couldn't hold her tongue. "My responsibilities are to give as much or as little help to you as you want." she answered calmly, even though he had stopped himself this time. "And it's fine, I expected worse so you are exceeding my expectations." This wasn't true. Luesa had hoped she would be working with someone a little younger, perhaps a girl, who would have made her job easy. Silas was going to be a challenge and the only question was would it be permanent or would he warm up to her? Shaking her head she rested against the arm of the chair.
"The Headmaster is having it sent up, the coffee should arrive shortly." Luesa replied, glad he was changing to something simple to talk about. That is until he turned the scrutiny onto her again, just in a more conversational way. "Well, I suppose that couldn't hurt...let's see. I grew up in a middle class family but I was given opportunities to go to college in my mid-teen years. I used to be a professional opera singer before a fan attacked me and ended my career." At that point Luesa stopped and effortlessly turned the conversation back on him; she didn't want to give him any more fuel for insults when they were close to having a real talk.
"What about you? What do you like to do? What brings you to St. Lucia's? Are you from this area or did you have to travel far to get here? I'm from upstate so the travel wasn't too bad by train. I'm sorry I should stop asking so much; is there anything else I can get for you right now?" Luesa couldn't believe how easily the words flowed but she knew she had to reign herself in. She didn't want this relationship to be about her, she was his hired help after all. Suddenly there was a knock at the door that at first she didn't catch because it was done softly. Looking to Silas she cocked her head to one side and was about to ask when she thought better of it.
Rising to her feet she quickly moved to the door and opened it, relieved to see a young woman dressed in simple khakis and a black polo shirt carrying a tray with two steaming cups of cappuccino. "Here you are, Miss Sparrow. Two cups just as requested."
"Oh, thank you...um..."
"Oh, I'm sorry, my name is Melanie. I work with my older brother in the cafe." She responded with a cheery smile, dimples forming on her freckled cheeks. Then Melanie turned to address Silas. "Master Silas, if you need anything else just give us a ring." And with that she handed over the tray and waved goodbye. Luesa nodded to her as she disappeared before closing the door.
"Well, here we are Silas." Luesa said, setting the tray down on the table and picking up a cup and saucer for him. Carefully she walked it over to him and set it in his hands until she was sure he had a hold of it before returning to her own cup and the chair, waiting for his responses.
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LadyMnemosyne Vice Captain
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Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2012 11:26 pm
Silas pursed his lips as he nodded in response to the young woman. Being called master, albeit he was rich and had many servants, was quite new to him. He usually preferred to be called by name, but he bit his tongue and graciously accepted the warm cup and saucer, tasting it's creamy goodness. It was a bit of surprise that they knew the exact specifications of how he had his tea and figured his uncle had some a bit of play in this. A slight smile etched on the edge of his lips as he sat down upon the nearby bed. A mischievous thought sprang into his mind and his smile curled into a treacherous grin. He did enjoy playing with people, and he could already tell that his new aide would bring much amusement to him.
"Well to answer you questions, I used to enjoy painting, but find it a bit taxing now due to my..." he fell silent and cleared his throat. "Anyhow I'm here at St.Lucia's because of obvious reasons..." he fell silent again and took a sip of his tea. "I didn't have to travel too far though. My family owns a lot of property up the coast a few miles from here, but all in all it wasn't too long." Silence seemed to be the overlapping theme of this conversation. He placed his saucer and cup on the night stand next to the bed, and turned to the position where he last heard Luesa's voice. "So I take it you'll be helping me shower and dress in the morning as well..." he let his words trail off into the silence as he awaited a reply. He did so love messing with people, and remembered how often he had run off his aides in the past. He figured Luesa would be no different from the countless many he had sent packing. They found his boyish charm and winning looks to be slightly unprofessional. Hell, his uncle fired the last few female aides he had hired due to the fact that he innocently seduced them. His uncle had found the last two staring at him in the shower...of course Silas knew they were looking, and as a matter of fact somewhat coaxed them into doing so in a bout of amusement which lead to their inevitable termination...now he had a different play toy...and her name was Luesa.
He figured she'd either be too uncomfortable to help him with such tasks due to her shy nature, and his stay here would be shortened because of it. He grew a knack for understanding people in the early developments of his blindness, and later on found it amusing to toy with people in his spare time. Today was no different.
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Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2012 10:39 am
At first Luesa sipped her tea silently, contemplating the young man before her. She wasn't sure if his confidence was as genuine as he played it off, or if it was hiding something else. She had known plenty of people who put on a front to make it through life. Yet Silas...he was a different situation all together; she didn't think anyone could pull off his demeanor as convincingly as he did. He was a little cold, or perhaps untrusting, but she knew intimately the effects of a handicap on the sentimentality of the people around you.
Then the hard question popped in her head that she had asked herself before: did he have any real friends anymore? Luesa had her fair share of painful realizations when her own friends drifted away after she lost her hearing. A few still remained from her childhood whom would never leave her, and some new ones from her recent schooling, but the sudden loss was always a bit daunting when she thought back to it...
Silas began talking again and she looked to him as he began to open up a little bit more about his own situation. So he had been a painter, oh they were an ironic pair weren't they? And he was from a wealthy family. That was a given with St. Lucia's, although if he lived relatively close had he just been moved in for convenience or was it something else? She took a sip again as he set down his cup and saucer and had to cover her mouth to keep from spitting it back out at his suggestion. Oh good, the insensitive young man was back and obviously he enjoyed toying with her. She knew she had turned beet red but was grateful that he couldn't see it. Swallowing hard she cleared her throat as she thought of her reply; if he was going to play games, she wasn't going to let him win - she had to prove that she could make it in this new profession.
"Well," Luesa began calming down and even managed to smile, shaking her head. "I mean I'd think you were old enough and more than capable of taking care of that yourself, but if you think you need the help now then fine." Her tone was a little more harsh than she meant but she once had been strong enough to not let men walk all over her. The deafness had knocked her back a few notches...the thought of actually doing it though made her cringe; she had never been with a man before in that way and she couldn't deny that Silas was one of the more attractive she had seen in a while. But if she had to prove to him that she was neither going away nor going to back down from honestly being there to help him get through this new transition then so be it.
Setting her saucer down she folded her arms and watched him with a calculating glare, ready this time for his next quip. "So, how was your tea, Master Silas?"
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LadyMnemosyne Vice Captain
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Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 6:20 pm
He sighed and let out a slight chuckle. It amused him that his new caretaker could get so flustered, and even more so how she avoided answering his question completely. He almost had to remind himself he wasn't here to make friends, just to show to his uncle he made a slight effort in the least. Just another week and he was home free. Still, the week had just begun. Frustrating himself with the thought he grumbled reaching into his pocket and bringing out a cigarette. He casually placed it to his lips as if unencumbered by societies rules or the fact he was about to smoke indoors at a school for disabled. Truth be told, he didn't care much for smoking. It was a statement of defiance he sought to project in such a simple careless act. He lit a match bringing it to the tip of his cigarette, and set it ablaze into a brilliant cherry of red. His lips curled into a sly smile as he took a drag releasing the smoke into the room with a pleased sigh.
"The tea...was delightful," he said finally replying back to Luesa, his voice soft and melodic.
He wanted to hear her reaction to the situation. He slowly lowered himself onto the bed next to him, and leaned against the adjoining wall. He raised his hand in front of his pale faded eyes in habit, hoping to see something if not anything, but to no avail. Pursing his lips in frustration he took another drag of his cigarette. He found himself in the days of his recovery quick to anger. He was always angry ever since the accident. He dreaded the feeling of people wanting to get close again. He didn't want to feel the loss of warmth he felt that day. No more. Shuddering he turned his back to where he thought the young woman was, and closed his eyes, and took another long drag. Right then he thought of himself as a shadow of his former self, once a brilliant artist on the verge of success, now reduced to a mere stain on the wall simply waiting in line to punch their ticket.
He found himself with the familiar tightness in his chest, and the knot forming in his throat, but quickly calmed himself, tucking away the emotion, and taking another drag, staring out blankly at the sea of darkness and exhaling away the smoke. He shuddered as he took one last drag, bringing his tea cup over, and putting out the butt in the remaining sip left, then calmly stood.
"So...your silence must mean you repulse my horrid behavior. I assume you'll be putting in a complaint with the headmaster knowing that I will undoubtedly make things...difficult, and I will be withdrawn from the school so that I can go about my existence without the trifles of other peoples lives..." he said in a well mannered way. He didn't want to be near people right now. He just wanted to be alone in his darkness. Placing the saucer on the bed, he reached out for the wall feeling it's smooth surface. He led himself toward what he believed was the doorway, but stopped midway as he found himself at a bookshelf, and bit his bottom lip in frustration. He remained silent, and just stood there with his head down, swearing softly under his breath unfurling more frustration.
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