Forced into a new life. (Sanquin / kishiseta)

[Sanquin]

Name: Mathias Jericho McLaren. (Or just Mathias)
Age: Between 1030 and 1050 years old. He isn't entirely sure any more. But he looks like he's around age 30 to 35.
Appearance:


Personal Butler: Michael

Friends: Burnell, David, Spike, Lemon, Mary.

As for the other coven leader, I'll post him once he comes into the picture.


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Mathias had just finished his lunch - a fruit parfait with a bit of blood as 'sauce' on top. The man liked sweet things a lot, so preferred such things over what was considered healthy for a human. The advantage of being a vampire was that they could eat anything and get the same result in terms of nutrition. So they could eat what they liked. He himself preferred eating a little bit every day, rather than eating every few days. Kept things more interesting, which was a hard thing to achieve after having lived for so long already.

His personal butler came up to him, informing him that his guest had arrived. A youngster, to say the least. By vampire standards she had only just been born, a mere few decades ago. Though that was exactly the reason why she had to move in with him. Her parents had finally called in their favor, after well over a century. Her family had taken care of him while he had been sleeping. A full century he had remained in his special private chambers, and they had made sure nothing would happen to his mansion and coven. They had actually been part of it too, though unofficially. Mathias stood from his seat and nodded. "Very well, bring her to the lounge." He spoke, after which the man spoke a 'Right away sir', bowed, and left to inform the maid that was in charge of guiding Evon to the right room.

Mathias arrived there first. He moved to the refrigerator that held bottles of blood and various bottles of alcohol and took out a wine bottle. A fine, sweet white one that he thought went perfect with idle conversation or other such things that you did in the lounge. There he poured himself a glass, and one for his guest before taking a seat and waiting. Evon didn't arrive much later. There was a knock on the door from the maid, before she opened it and took a small bow towards their new guest. "Please this way Miss." She spoke while motioning inside. Mathias turned his head towards the door, finally setting his eyes on the girl that would be living with him for the next few decades. After that she could make the decision to move out, or stay longer. Or he could kick her out at that time of course, though he wasn't the kind of man that he would do so without a really good reason.

"Welcome," He spoke, motioning towards the arm chair across his own. "Please take a seat. I took the liberty to pour you a glass of wine while I waited." He waited for her to sit down and for the maid to have left again before he spoke again. "I shall introduce myself properly, I guess. I am Mathias Jericho McLaren. Though you can just call me Mathias. I take it you have been informed of the situation?" He finished, wondering how much she knew and what he would have to fill her in with. Since he had to take care of her now he had signed her into the finest school within driving distance, and had even already found her a personal maid. It was expensive, but luckily he was one of the wealthiest vampires in the country, and thus didn't have to worry about money. One of the few perks of being alive for as long as he had been, and being the leader of a coven.

(Your char would be welcomed at the mansion by 3 butlers and 3 maids, one of them escorting her to where Mathias is.)

[kishiseta]

Name: Lianne Soveign
Age: 58, looks 18 years old
Appearance:


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(A question, who is Evon? Is that supposed to be my name?)

The rain pattered outside the car agreeing with Lianne's mood. Lightning lanced through the clouds as if heralding her arrival to the ominous mansion. The closer she came, the less she liked the idea of being under the care of another man. She looked down at herself and frowned. She was no longer a child. Young, yes, by vampire standards, but certainly no child. Her parents had raised her to be an independent woman, quite able to move among the realm of both human and vampire without posing any danger to herself or to others--other than her prey, of course. They certainly were very protective of her. As much as she loved them, she wished that they did not hand over the reins to vampire she had not even known. She had heard of him, yes, but never met him before today.

Her fists clenched as the car pulled to a stop and opened by a man in a fine suit, his gloved hand holding onto an umbrella. A butler, of course, no less. He bowed to her in acknowledgement, but not respect. "Miss Soveign. The Master is expecting you. I trust that your ride went well?" His eyes searched her as if he intended to weight and measure every inch of her to see if she fit being under the household of a powerful vampire. In the end, his eyes did not betray any conclusion he had come up with. He stood there patiently, waiting for her to respond or move as she graced him with neither an answer or movement.

In the end, she gave in and removed herself from her seat and put herself under the shade of the umbrella. Lightning came before the deafening thunder, again heralding a turning point in her life. As the butler closed the car door behind her, she took the chance to look at the mansion. It was old and looked as if it had seen better days, but it was certainly not neglected. The mansion had been updated with Gregorian architecture weathered by the rain and the winds.

The door closed behind her and she followed the butler inside the mansion without another word. He opened the door and she was greeted by three maids and two more butlers. They were dressed in clichè maid and butler clothing that no one could mistake them for their roles in the mansion. None of them wore a smile as she came in. Everyone was there to greet her only because they were fulfilling their duties. She didn't blame them for being cold. She was in no mood to be warm to anyone either. Her parents were dead and she was forced to stay in a place that never left her any reminders of her home and the happy, quiet life she had left.

Behind her, the patter of the rain had been muted as the butler who fetched her closed the doors. One of the maids stood before her, nodding her head in acknowledgement. Again, she didn't feel welcome and she didn't want to stay. The feeling was only mutual. Her voice was as smooth as the butler as who fetched her from the car. "Miss Soveign, the Master is awaiting your presence in the lounge. Please, follow me."

Lianne nodded without a word and followed the woman in silence, each step echoing in the empty halls decorated with the occasional painting and statue that were probably as old as the manor. A musty smell hung in the air giving the mansion an isolated feel. That she could associate with. She glanced at the girl who didn't look back as she opened the door to let her in. She stopped in her tracks, meeting him for the first time. She stared at his red eyes for a moment before taking in the rest of him. He told her to sit and she did, obedient for now, but she didn't touch the wine. She would lay her case before him, hoping that he would see the sense in letting her go.

"I appreciate your concern," Lianne said after he had said his piece, "but this is not necessary at all. I assure you, I can take care of myself. I may be a child to you, but I can take care of myself, thank you very much. I know you don't want me here as much as I don't want to be here, so why don't we say you are taking care of me while I live at my old place without your presence. It's not that complicated." She smiled. "I accept all your gifts of education, the rest I can manage by myself. So please, let's spare each other the facade that you care about me and I'm eager to live here. I'm sure you will agree." Her voice betrayed her eagerness to leave and she hoped the conversation would end there. There really was not much else to discuss. She wanted to go back and be in the place where her family held their precious memories together. It was the only thing they left for her and this man would not take it away.

[Sanquin]

(Er, no... I copied this post from another one of my rp's, and there the other character was called Evon. I thought I had edited the name out everywhere already. xD)

Mathias frowned a little when the woman before her started to speak right away. Much like all youngsters she thought she knew the world so well already. That she knew everything there was to the life of a vampire, and that she'd be fine on her own. That was quite far from the truth... During preschool, middle school and high school years young vampires were kept away from the largest part of society. They were kept in blissful ignorance, so they could at least start their lives without all the problems that came with being a vampire. And Lianne had only entered that final stage where she would be slowly introduced into the real world. Politics, rivalries, power struggles, feuds, she would come to learn about all of that in the upcoming decades. That, and a more detailed look into the classes she had already been taken in previous school years. A vampire was required to be fully capable of doing everything themselves. Even survive away from home if necessary, as they couldn't just knock on anyone's door or rent a standard hotel room. So there was still a lot to learn for this young woman.

"You are still a child, miss Soveign. More than you realise. By human standards you would now enter the last phase of your life. But by vampire standards your first phase is only just beginning." He replied at first, trying to at least make her understand a little why her parents had decided to put her in his care. "I'm afraid I can't grant you your request, as I do not plan to break my promise with your parents. It would dishonor them greatly, in my opinion. Furthermore you're also mistaken about something else. I do care about you. Not in a personal way, no. But your parents were rather close to me. So their child, you, is important to me as well. At least to the extend of providing the best life possible while you're in my care." The situation was a bit awkward. Neither of them wanted to really be there, even if Mathias was expertly hiding it. Even all of his servants didn't want her there. They were all vampires, some in his service for over a century already. And none of them thought this young girl had the right to live in the same house as their master; A great leader to a small vampire coven. One of the most powerful vampires in the country. This girl was nothing but a fledgeling commoner in their eyes. Which was indeed true, in a way. But she was also the daughter of two people that had been very close to Mathias. And now, because of a huge favor her parents had with him, she would become a high class vampire too. Or at least higher class than 'commoner'.

"I've arranged for a personal maid for you. She's waiting in your chambers. If there is anything you need, anything you're unsure of, anything you need help with, you name it, she will be there for you. She will also accompany you to Dominic College, where you will be starting in three days after the weekend. Don't misunderstand. She is not there to babysit you. She even has specific orders to not disclose anything you do to me, unless it's something life-threatening. Rather, in the higher circles of vampire society it's expected to have a personal servant. Plus, she can take some menial tasks off of your hands." It was probably a hard thing to understand for a girl like her. But servants were a normal part of every day life among vampire nobility and other such powerful figures. And she would be no exception to that.

[kishiseta]

(That's alright. I was wondering who Evon was. I thought it was another guest or something.)

Lianne pursed her lips. Why would he stubbornly do something he obviously didn't want? True, her parents had clearly requested for him to take care of her, but he did not have to go to this extent. She tried to make her see her point, but he held fast. Child, was she? She barely reined in her temper at his judgement. If she displayed her fury now, it would only confirm his assessment that she was a child. Instead, she took a deep breath and kept her clenched fist under the table. And as much as she hated to admit, he was correct. It would shame her parents, and him--one thing that he purposively forgot to mention--his own honor, if he didn't hold onto his word to take care of her. But surely, she didn't need to stay in the mansion! It was bad enough that she was being looked down upon, but to tear her away from the memories her parents left her was just too much.

"Is it really necessary for me to stay here?" Lianne's voice had a higher pitch, obviously trying to keep herself from shouting at him and crying at the same time. "Just give me what you feel is necessary for my...youth," she said the word with much disgust in her voice, "Just let me go back home. It's the same for the both of us. We won't be talking to each other here as much as we won't be if I stay at home. Check on me, if you wish. Just...don't take me away from my home. Take me back..." She stopped talking feeling her voice cracking. No. She was not going to cry in front of this vampire. It was the last thing she would do in front of him. Already her cheeks were tightening and the corner of her eyes were glassing over. She took a deep breath to calm herself and managed to hold back her tears for a while longer.

Lianne knew she would have problems feedin on human blood without her parents if Lord McLaren let her go, but she would find a way. Her parents did say she was resourceful. She didn't know exactly how to move around the circles of Vampire society if he did move her to Dominic College. That was a world for Vampires of noble descent. She could just feel her way through. She would learn one way or another. Staying in his mansion was not necessary. It wasn't like he was going to help her adjust anyway, and she doubted the maid he assigned to her would be very helpful. Even if she were, Lianne knew the vampiress would only treat her with more condescension. No. All those things were the last things she need.

She had to leave. If only he would understand...

[Sanquin]

"Yes, it is really necessary for you to stay here. The moment the vampire council founds out - and they will find out - that you live alone in the house of your parents you will be forcefully taken away from there and put into a random foster home. At that point I won't have any control over where they put you, and I can guarantee you that it won't be as pleasant a place as this." He sighed, shaking his head a little and taking a large gulp from his wine. "Not just that, but I've been officially appointed as your guardian. Which means I will be reprimanded too if I let you live in your parents' home." He kept quiet for a few moments, wondering if he should go to her to try and comfort her. But he was a stranger. It would only be very awkward and she would no doubt reject him. "If it's any consolidation the house won't be sold off or broken down. I've arranged for it to be kept as it is, so that once you are allowed to live on your own, you can move back there right away."

The man slowly stood, emptying his glass before looking at Lianne again. This was not the life her parents had wanted for her. Well, maybe it was, but not in the way that it had happened. And it was clear that she was very emotional right now. Something he always had trouble dealing with. So for now, he thought it best if she had some time for herself to calm down. He took out a key chain with a button on it and pressed it. It only took a few seconds before the door opened and his personal butler Michael came into the room. "I have to take my leave for now. Please follow Michael to your room so you can get settled in. I'm sure your personal maid will be more to your liking than my other servants." Arranging a maid for her had been different than just picking one of his own and appointing her. Instead he had hired a new one. A younger vampire like Lianna, no older than a century if he recalled correctly. This girl was even new to being a servant, having finished her education only 10 years prior and having mostly worked in restaurants and parties before this. Unlike the other servants, this girl wouldn't judge Lianna on her heritage, and treat her like the nobility she would become over the next years.

The room Lianna would be led to was more a small apartment than a simple bedroom. It didn't have just a bed, but also a table with chairs, a desk, a couch and TV, and even a small en-suite bathroom and a walk-in closet. Though as Mathias had told her already, she could request for pretty much anything so she could really have the room be her own, rather than just another stranger's room in a stranger's mansion.

[kishiseta]

Lianne looked at the wine glass and felt her tears threaten to spill once again. She grabbed the glass and drank it quickly. Fire rushed through her chest and her belly causing her to cough. It was uncomfortable, but at least it stopped her from crying. She knew it was impossible to have her way because of vampire laws, but she had to try for her sanity's sake. At least their home was not going to be destroyed. She could go back and live there as he promised. But she couldn't help but feel bitterness and resentment toward her guardian. She knew everything he said was true, but it didn't make taking in reality any easier. While she could escape, she knew he would only bring her back with very little effort. The only thing she could do was rebel. Maybe, he would be amenable to her offer by then.

"Lord McLaren," Michael bowed deeply as he appeared by the door, "I am sorry to interrupt, but we need to leave." He took one glance at the young vampire and let out a breath. His master's time cannot be wasted with trivialities like her. "You have...issues that you need attending to, quickly. I am sure Miss Lianne," he almost sneered saying her name, "could handle herself. I have already brought Victoria to help her settle in."

Behind him, Victoria, Lianne's personal maid, curtsied and smiled at her new mistress. "It is an honor to serve you, Miss Lianne. Please call me Victoria. I will be your personal maid. Come, I will take you to your room. I'm quite certain it will be to your liking. If not, tell me what you'd like to have changed. I will do my best to accommodate all your needs."

Lianne nodded solemnly, not truly noticing how different her maid was to the rest of the staff in the mansion. Her maid wanted to strike a conversation with her, but she didn't know how to approach her. She was certainly distraught and Victoria had no idea what to say to someone who was still in mourning and pulled out of the life she knew, only for her world to be turned upside down. Victoria had no idea what it felt like, nor did she want to know, but she had to do something to make the new mistress feel welcome and at home. For the meantime, they walked through the dim halls.

The hallways twisted and turned before going up to a flight of stairs to a narrow hallway on the second floor. Lianne couldn't grasp the path they took the first time, her thoughts filled with what she could do to persuade him to let her go. She barely noticed the lightning that lanced from the sky, casting lights and shadows through the windows to the sparse, yet beautiful artwork from many ages and eras that lined the halls. The thunder echoed through the mansion, further preventing both Victoria and Lianne from saying a word, not that Lianne wanted to say anything at all.

Lianne stopped as Victoria stopped and opened a room. It was more luxurious than any room in her home. The four-poster bed had silken hangings and every furniture in the room was made of marble and old, sturdy wood, carved artistically to complement each item in the room. No two carvings were the same, but they all created a harmonious design throughout the room. Her belongings were already arranged in the room and her spacious closet was not even a quarter full. The walls were covered with fleur de lys patterns contrasting the while marble bathroom. Her room had all the comforts of home and yet, it was not home. Walking about her new room, she realized that it was bigger than the space in her old home. Much bigger. And with no one to fill it but herself, she felt the loneliness sink in even deeper and tears started to fall from her cheeks. "When does school start again?" she asked without turning to face her maid.

"In three days after this weekend, miss."

"Then please don't disturb me until then." Lianne sniffed and took a deep breath.

"Shall I bring your food up here or would you wish for me to call you and dine in the great hall?"

Lianne considered. Dining. Eating. Yes. Perhaps she could blackmail Lord McLaren with that. But that threat would have to wait on the morrow. For now, she would eat, prepare herself and write a note to her new guardian. "I will dine here. Thank you, Victoria. Please leave. I will be fine."

Victoria hesitated and closed the room, pitying the girl. She heard her new mistress cry through the doors, almost muted by the rain and the thunder outside.

[Sanquin]

Mathias frowned when his personal butler decided to express his disapproval of the new lady in the house a bit too openly. He turned to the man, a slightly angry expression as he addressed him. "Michael, I will advise you to treat miss Soveign with more respect. While she may not be very old or of noble decent, I am still her guardian now. If you and the other servants do not treat her as if she was my kin, I will make sure to find other servants that will follow my orders." It was an empty threat towards Michael, but not towards the other servants. Only his personal butler was close to him, the others weren't so he could easily replace all of them if he wanted. "Now please excuse me miss Soveign. I will take my leave. And if any more servants give you problems, don't hesitate to call them out on it, or to tell me. They're being paid to keep the mansion tidy, not to judge you." After that he took a small bow of his head before he left with Michael. The job of a coven leader could be quite busy at times. The lives of at least 20 vampires were directly in his hands, and another 100 or so were at the very least influenced by his decisions and the like.

Victoria sighed after having closed the door. It seemed like Lianne was taking things much harder than she had expected. It would probably take at least a few days before her mistress would even really talk to her, let alone get settled into this new life. While she herself would like the two of them to become friends. Still maintaining a professional relationship of course. She quickly turned to the hallway that led to the kitchen then, and started walking. It wasn't quite time for dinner yet, but she wanted to make sure to have everything prepared properly. It was only when she had already arrived there that she remembered she should have asked one more question to Lianne. What did she like to eat? Vampires could eat anything. Some kept to just meat, some didn't eat at all but drank a lot. And quite a few, as did Mathias, liked sweet things and fruits. The girl sighed, deciding that she would just guess for tonight, and ask what she'd like for the next day when she brought Lianne's meal to her room.

Mathias in the mean time walked into his study. A stack of at least 10 letters were already waiting for him. Anticipating Lianne's arrival he had postponed his work for the day until after she had arrived. Not only that, but there was a guest as well. One of his coven's members to be precise. There were some matters to discuss about them staying at the mansion as guests in the future. Usually that wasn't a problem for Mathias, but with Lianne now being there as well and needing time to get settled in, it was a delicate matter.

[kishiseta]

Michael bowed. "Forgive me, my lord. I shall not do so again. I will tell the staff of your orders." He sighed following his master to his study in case his master needed to take care of other business. He understood his master's duty to do what he had said he will do by taking care of the girl. He hoped it did not extend to him actually spending time with the girl. He was busy enough with work without her, adding her was another toll on Lord McLaren. He stood by his master's side as he answered the letters, ready to do anything he said, and at the same time, watchful for any dangers. His master was powerful, true, but he was not invincible.

A thick silence hung in the air that Micheal nearly choked in it. Lord McLaren was carrying out his duties as quickly as he could before any distractions could derail him and set his time frame back a few more hours. He looked through the glass window outside the study hoping the spacious expanse outside would lift the heavy air. Lightning struck, it's light bouncing off the grounds. He looked down and saw a car rolling into the driveway. He frowned. More bothersome tasks. If there was some way to ease his master's burden, he would do it. Unfortunately, Lord McLaren was quite irreplaceable. Especially because it was his coven. He bent over to whisper into his master's ear, keeping his tone professional. "I believe your guest has arrived, my Lord. Would you like to meet him in the lounge or shall I have him escorted here?"

In her room, Lianne plotted but she was unable to stop her tears no matter how much she tried. She knew it would be the only chance she had to make er guardian agree to send her back to her home. The mansion was so hollow. In her tiny home, even with three people, the place felt just enough. When she was alone it felt huge and lonely. But in this mansion, where her room was even bigger than the whole of her house, it felt deafeningly silent and cavernous. It was as if, even if she screamed, no one would hear her. It was a frightening thought.

Although she would have to commend the coven leader that he did make extra efforts to make her feel at home, this was not home. Their living room had photos of her and her parents, smiling and having fun. Here, the photos were artwork of people long dead and lifeless. Her parents bed was small that when she crawled into bed with them when she was little, she had to lay herself on top of them, or her father would be pushed out of bed come morning. Her home was one of joy and laughter. of people who cared for each other. It defied urban legends that vampires were a sad and serious lot, filled with melancholy and anguish. And now, she would be living in such an urban legend. And she would not allow that to happen.

"Mother...father...please guide me. Please..."

[Sanquin]

Mathias looked up from his notes when Michael spoke. So his friend had finally arrived. He thought for a moment and then decided on the lounge. "Take him to the lounge in the left wing, Michael. I'm she would love to have a few drinks." His guests was a middle-aged vampire. Just over 250 years old. However unlike what you might expect such a vampire to look like, this one had the appearance of a 12 year old girl. It was a rare genetic disorder among vampires. To keep a younger appearance until you were much, much older. A legend even told of this disorder holding the secret to true eternal life. Mathias didn't believe so though. But because of her appearance she was only ever allowed to drink alcohol when in the presence of other vampires. Among humans she was thought of to be far too young. So whenever the two of them met, she wanted to have a drink. Or a few. It depended on her mood.

If only Lianne knew how Mathias was when you got to know him a little better. His house was old, and so were a lot of things inside. But he himself was far from it. At least mentally. It was just that this whole situation with Lianne forcibly moving in with him was just as awkward for him as it was for her. You didn't act like the bestest of buddies right from the start, when you hadn't even met that person before in your life. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Mathias headed for the lounge himself. Then once there poured himself a glass of rum, and a gin and tonic for his guest. He sat down and waited. Though the wait was pretty short. A minute or two later there came a knock on the door, and as soon as it opened a young girl with bright red hair and in a cutesy white, red and black lolita dress came running in. She jumped Mathias and hugged him around his neck before she could even be announced by Michael. "Ahem...miss Mary Bouvier has arrived, sir." The butler spoke before leaving again. Mathias smirked, patting the young girl on her head before speaking. "Hello Mary. Long time no see. Still acting your appearance rather than your age I see?" The girl giggled and let go. "Well what's the fun in acting all grown up? People like you are boring, and you're not even that grown up yet, even though you're five times my age!" The girl took her own seat and picked up her glass, taking a sip. "Mmmh, just the way I like it. So, how are things going here? Did your new guest arrive yet?" Mathias sighed and nodded, taking a long sip from his rum. "She has. And it went even worse than I expected. I think it might be because she hasn't gotten over her parents yet. I don't blame her for it, but I fear it will make things difficult for a while." Mary grinned, leaning forwards a little bit. "All the more reason to let us stay here right away! We'll cheer her up no problem." Mathias shook his head though. "Not yet. I want her to at least first get settled in a little bit. In a few days time maybe, once school has also started for her." "Aww, you're such a bore... What that girl needs is a party, I'm telling you!"

[kishiseta]

Although her arrival delayed his master's work, he was a little relieved to see the tension fade from his facade. As much as he hated the distraction which would extend Lord McLaren's work hours, he was grateful for the smile that it put on his master's lips. He left them going about his duty, telling the whole staff to treat their new guest as if she were the master's own daughter as well as making sure that dinner preparations for their master and Miss Mary was flawless. Many in the staff grumbled, but in the end they acquiesced. Having Michael's ire on them was bad enough, they shuddered to think what their coven leader would do if they disobeyed. Satisfied with their response, he went to find Victoria and saw her in the kitchen fretting over the pantry. He went over to her, curious. He knew she was not required to report anything, but he wanted to know.

"How is the young miss?" he asked still not used to the idea of having a new mistress in the house--especially one that was a commoner by birth and lineage.

Victoria jumped surprised at his appearance. But upon seeing him, she courtesied and sighed. "Not well, I suppose. She does not want to be disturbed. Do you think Miss Mary would be able to cheer her up? I'm not quite sure how to do it. She was so...distraught. I wasn't even able to ask her what she would like for dinner. Or if she prefers a type of blood. Goodness knows she looks like she needs to be fed!"

Michael nodded, but inside he sighed. There was no need to tell the master of the house about this. He was certain his master has an inkling and as he said, unless it was an urgent matter about her, there were going to be no reports. Her privacy was to be respected. He almost snorted at the thought. His master deserved to know everything but if this child wanted to keep things for herself, it makes no matter to him. "Just keep her as happy and as welcome as much as you can."

Victoria bowed and set to work choosing again for the cook to prepare as Michael left her to stay near the lounge in case his master needed anything of him.

In Lianne's room, mental and physical exhaustion had finally caught up with her. Sleepless days and preparations for her parents' burial had taken a toll on the young vampire and she gave into sleep on the cold, hard floor, dreaming that her parents were still alive with her.