[IC] Not Your Average Butler... [EasilyAmused x Knuxieh]

[knuxieh]

"Freya Von Ryker" [+]

Name: Freya Von Ryker
Age: Twenty-One
Appearance:
Position: Daughter of Master Alexander Von Ryker
Personality: Freya tends to get a bit frazzled over the smallest of details. She usually is pacing back and forth, usually with some kind of literature in hand. She tends to be rather focus on the small grains of a problem, than focusing on the end result. When she isn’t stressing about things, and can actually convince herself that everything is okay, Freya is a very outspoken young woman and likes adventure. She also tends to carry a stash of lollipops to calm herself.
Little Biography: As the daughter of the house of Von Ryker, young Freya experienced many extravagant birthday parties, and saw friends come and go. Many things she had access to, and thoroughly enjoyed the family trips that they took occasionally. As she grew up in the house, she became slightly bored with the place she had called home for so long, and yearned to learn things that just her house alone could not teach her. She wanted to venture off into college, so for her remaining high school years, she studied furiously and got accepted into a prestigious art school – Le Donna School of Arts. She was stuck between art or cooking, but she would be able to take her time and pursue both, or even surprise herself. Since she is so keen for details, she enjoys sewing in her spare time to calm her nerves, and get the victory of making something herself. She is excited to have James accompanying her on this new chapter in her life and hopes that they will both learn new things about the world that is outside of the home they were in for so long. But…will this time outside of the house cause her to panic more often now that there are more elements not under her control?

Our Tale Begins...

It is a bright and sunny Thursday morning at the Von Ryker estate, and the usual morning preparations are beginning to grind and fall into place. It moves with seamless ease, and the older man running the place they were residing in expected no less. But with the grace of everything downstairs…upstairs was a different issue. No, not in the main hallways but behind the oak door of Freya Von Ryker. The young woman was looking over her desktop computer, raking a hand through her chocolate strands. “C’mon, c’mon!” She whined as she angrily stood up from the table, causing a few miscellaneous things to shift slightly, but fall back into place. “Why isn’t it posted yet?! They specifically state in the syllabus that grades are to be posted no later than Thursday, at 9AM! It’s 9:05 and there is still no sign of my grades being posted!” The woman groaned and paced in her room. “I need to know my grades!” she angrily chimed, and upon spotting the candy dish she kept in her room, snatched one up and feverishly discarded the wrapper before plopping it into her mouth welcoming the orange zesty taste that soon enveloped her palate.

“Oh, lolli…” She sighed, feeling her nerves calm a little at a distraction. “I would go insane without you here, I’m so glad we keep a dish in all the rooms.” She sat on her bed, and glanced at the ceiling. She could hear the ticking from her clock nearby and giving it a quick glance, was sent into her small frenzy again, though not nearly as horrible since she had candy to distract her nerves. Checking for what would be the twentieth time today, she clicked refresh and let out an annoyed shriek. “UGH! I can’t do this anymore!” She groaned. Whenever she had an issue, she would let a butler know. Someone had to have an answer as to why this was happening. She needed these grades so she could show her father and they were standing in between her knowing if she would be accepted into the college she applied for or not. “I just..I just need to leave and get some breakfast…and…” She tried reasoning with herself, but as she had made a beeline for the door and got her hand on the knob, she froze as the ping of her computer indicated a message.

Freya blinked, and her brown eyes glanced over towards the machine as she scurried over and refreshed the page another time. There is was – her grades! She quickly skimmed them and began jumping in delight. “Oh, oh! I have to show James!” The print out was in her hands in a matter of moments, and she discarded the now eaten lollipop and ran down the hall, calling for him to show him her flawless results for the accuplacer, and her now acceptance letter into college. “James!” She called as she bolted down the stairs, nearly sending herself crashing down twice. “James, look! Look what I did!” Freya came to a screeching halt when she had found him, her hair awry and her clothing a bit disheveled from running everywhere. “Look, look, look!” She shoved the paper towards him, beaming.

[EasilyAmused]

The day at the Von Ryker estate was a lot like any other day. The staff members were completing their daily chores and the butlers continued with their duties around the house. Today’s morning kitchen duty belonged to James Noble, a young man who had been working for about a year at the estate. His sister worked under the maid while he worked under the head butler. The young man’s skills extended from more than just the kitchen but he was an excellent cook, making a mix of different types of cuisine from all over the world.

After proceeding with a few extra flips of the French toast, he slid the two pieces gently onto the plate before preparing the tray and sliding a lid over it. During his short time at the estate, the master’s only daughter had begun to take a liking to him to the point he was willing to talk to her more than he did his fellow coworkers. She was a klutzy little thing but she always seemed to have a big heart and a great personality, and that was something he respected. Nodding at the tray, he scooped it up and carried it with an expert skill down the halls of the estate to provide the food to the young Miss.

That was until he heard is name being called. Stopping in his walk he watched as the young Miss nearly toppled herself for, what he could only assume, wasn’t the first time. Lifting the tray high in the air to brace his body for impact by planting his feet; luckily she didn’t tackle him and he let out the breath he was holding in. His arm lowered from the air as he stared intensely at the paper in her hand, scanning over every word and giving it his full attention. Pulling his head back and standing upright, the corners of his lips curled into a small smile. “Well done Miss, there isn’t a soul in this manor who doubted your talents. And now they are recognized by the outer world as well.”

It wasn’t common to see James smile. Everything was easier when he didn’t smile and kept a straight face towards most things, people and situations. However, Freya always seemed to pull something out of him and he wore his emotions a bit more openly; even if they were small and barely noticeable, for those who paid attention, they could tell what he was thinking. “Breakfast is prepared.” He said with a gesture with his free hand for her to enter into the dining room.

Following her in, he pulled out her chair for her as she sat down. Placing the tray in front of her, he lifted the lid exposing the breakfast of the morning. French toast with a small cup of syrup, freshly cut apple in the shape of a rose, hot chocolate, three strips of bacon and a glass orange juice.

[knuxieh]

Freya held the paper out in front of herself at James, awaiting a response which she did in fact receive. She noticed the slight corners of his mouth turned upwards, and caused her to smile even wider. She wouldn’t draw too much attention to this though, because she knew as soon as she mentioned it he would try to stifle it if even just a little. She enjoyed seeing small bits of James’ exterior fade for if only a moment. It was almost like a game, if you will. She loved focusing on details, and even the slightest change in behavior from any of the help around the manor was picked up by her. She was very attentive and she saw this as a good and bad thing.

James complimented her, and she nodded, lowering the paper as she carefully tucked it into the pocket of her thin house sweater. “Breakfast…?” Freya’s stomach growled at the mere mention of food. “Oh my gosh!” She flushed, embarrassed. “I guess…I guess I didn’t realize I was hungry since I was putting all my energy into getting these results…” She laughed lightly, as she rubbed her arm gingerly. James didn’t seem to give her much flack for her stomach thankfully, as they both made their way down the hall and into the dining area. The dining room had to be one of her favorite places to be. She could always smell what was going on in the kitchen, and had a room specifically converted so she would be able to see what was going on inside the kitchen while she was working on a piece of art or something trivial of that matter.

She entered the room first, James not that far behind her and smiled towards him as he pulled out her chair. “Thank you, James.” She was pushed back towards the table, and she eagerly looked at the silver tray that he had placed before her. As soon as the lid was removed, she breathed a sigh of content. It smelled divine – she could practically hear the French toast still sizzling softly. “Oh James, this looks amazing. You never fail to amaze me with what you can do with food!” She commented in wonderment, as she picked up the apple rose. “This is just..it’s too pretty to eat! James, how can you expect me to eat this when it’s so pretty?” She whined slightly. It was true, though. James truly was an artist when it came to presentation. “I hope you can forgive me for eating it…” She bit her lip – a nervous tick as she placed the apple back down and as she poured a healthy amount of syrup over her French toast, she tilted her head. “Why did you give me hot chocolate and orange juice this morning, James?” She asked as she cut a piece of her toast and took a bite, enjoying the light and fluffy texture. Freya was not one for caffeinated beverages, like coffee – unlike her father who could not seem to function without the caffeine running through his system. She was fairly certain it was because he wanted to give her a variety, but she wanted to ask anyway.

[EasilyAmused]

Though it didn’t show on his face, his eyes twinkled with the knowledge that she would be hungry. The Miss always got enthralled into things and loses track of time. It was no surprise that she would lose track of time waiting for her grades and stressing over them. He made a mental note to make sure that the candy bowl in her room was filled before she returned to it.

At her thanks to him pulling out the chair he gave her a simple nod of ‘you’re welcome’ before lifting the lid. Her reaction made his eyes twinkle with happiness, though he did not wear it upon his sleeve. He loved to cook; it was one of his favorite things and the fact that she enjoyed it made it all the worthwhile and receiving the complement about the apple, he bowed his head slightly before stepping back from her, giving her space to eat.

Her question was met with a straight forward polite answer. “Juice is an important part of any breakfast. This is juice freshly squeezed from the oranges from the orange tree outside. And the hot chocolate seemed like a suitable replacement for milk as a celebration for good news.” There was two things that James had a secret passion for; cooking being one of them and the other being hot chocolate. It wasn’t uncommon that James would present Freya with hot chocolate on her down nights or during times of her accomplishments. And this time was no different. “Shall I fetch you milk in its place?”

The chatter of the maids began as the Master was up and moving; the smell of coffee came from the kitchen which indicated that her father would be arriving shortly. James kept back from the table allowing her to eat in peace without him looming over her shoulder and even he was excited (inside) to see her father’s reaction about her getting into the college she wanted to so desperately; however it would require her to move in order to attend. It would be sad to see her go, she was the bright light in this house.

[knuxieh]

She had to admit both the reasons that James had given were correct, but she was not sure if both juice and chocolate mixed well. Glancing at both beverages, she shook her hed towards him. "No, I don't think I'll be drinking the juice this morning. I'm afraid my palatte won't take very well to citrus and chocolate being on it at once," she giggled as she reached for the cup that had the hot beverage in it and began drinking. Freya did love the way warmth and cooling went through her with beverages. It was something that really could not be put into words.

Hearing the maids start rustling about, she smiled. Her father was awake, and moving about the house - which meant it was almost time for him to enter the dining area and for her to tell him of the good news! She finished up her breakfast with ease and as she did, her father entered the room, making a point to give a greeting towards James, and the other staff nearby. He was a friendly looking older man, with a beard and thick wavy black hair. He sat down in a chair at the other end of the table after coming over and kissing Freya on the forehead as a greeting. This illicited a giggle from his daughter, and a smile from him. Sititng, he began drinking his coffee and graciously took the newspaper that was given to him by a nurse passing through and began catching up on what was going on.

Freya bit her lip gently, passing a nervous glance over towards James, before standing up from her chair and clearing her throat. "Ahem. Daddy- I have an announcement." She opened up. This caught his attention and he put the paper down, giving his child his attention. "Yes, dear Freya?" He questioned as he raised an eyebrow. Nodding, Freya moved towards him and delicately took out the paper that held her results and unfolded it with care before handing it to him. "I did it, Daddy. I got in!" She beamed.

Her father took a few moments to take in what he had just heard, his eyes looking over the numbers carefully and after a few moments of silence, a smile broke forth onto his face. He was truly proud, and pulled her in for a congratulatory hug. "That's my girl! I knew you had it in you. You're a Von Ryker after all," her father boasted. "A full ride...my girl got a full ride. Well, Freya - I think that this deserves some kind of celebration! Don't you think so, James?" He asked, looking towards the head butler. "And of course you'll want to live on campus, won't you? Get the full experience?" Freya nodded and straightened her glasses slightly. "If that's okay." Hearing this, her father laughed, and nodded. "Of course! I'll have to make sure you'll have everything you need. As James is preparing the party I'll be making sure that you'll be well taken care of when you leave, Freya. I'm very proud of you for doing this." Turning to James, he smiled. "So, James - how long do you think it will take you to plan for a party of up to 200 patrons?" He asked, a twinkle in his eye.

[EasilyAmused]

Mister Von Ryker was always a gentle and kind man, someone people within James’ position would love to have as employer. Not only was his master kind to him but he was to his sister as well, even knowing his backstory and what he and his sister went through, Mister Von Ryker was willing to give both of them a job. James proved his loyalty to his master and became a valued member of the staff, much like his sister in her department of the maids.

James, ever keen on the world around him, caught the nervous glance in his direction and, with a straight face, he provided Freya with a small but reassuring nod. Out of everyone in the room, the only person who wasn’t tense about the situation was James. He understood just how important this was to her and had no doubt in his mind that her father would react in a negative fashion. As he stood there he simply waited for the relief to move across the young Miss’s face.

The relief took longer to arrive than he had expected, mainly because the Master took long to read the paper. However he couldn’t argue with the man wanting to take it all in, his daughter worked hard to be accepted and receive a full ride along with it. It was worth the intense read and attention to celebrate the fact that his daughter made it into such a difficult college.

Upon hearing the request from Mister Von Ryker, James placed an open palm against his heart and bowed his upper body. “I will make the arrangements and the party can be held tomorrow.”

“Right, the term begins on Monday. We’ll have the party tomorrow, you can pack Saturday and we’ll have your things and you settled in at the dorms on Sunday evening.” A chuckle left the maids; the Master seemed as excited as the Miss, to their chuckling James shot them a look only to hear the Master chuckling as well. “I guess I do get excitable from time to time. But how could I not? This is such an accomplishment for my daughter and her life has only begun!” At that James excused himself from the room to begin the preparations.

As he promised, Friday evening arrived and the manor’s garden was in full swing for a party. 200+ people arrived to celebrate the Miss’s acceptance into one of the most prestige college’s in the country. Friends, family and business partners arrived with gifts and goodies to help her make it through her time in college. After being spoken with by the Master and agreeing, James ventured back into the house and knocked politely on Freya’s door. “Miss, I’m here to escort you to the party.”

[knuxieh]

Freya wasn’t sure if they should hold the party so soon, but just like that her father and James were already talking about who to send out invitations to, and what menu that he should have prepared. She sighed softly as she watched a few maids giving her a congratulatory smile. She couldn’t help smiling back and returned upstairs to relax after an exciting start to her day.

Friday came swiftly, and Freya woke up, a little disgruntled. She couldn’t say that she was a morning person and before even going to brush her teeth, she plopped a piece of candy into her mouth from the dish and went to writing in her diary of the events of yesterday. She heard preparations going on outside her door and she soon tossed the stick of her candy in the trash and curled moved towards her bathroom she had attached to her room. She knew she would have to get dressed and freshen up before the party began.

She did her hair in an up-do with ringlet curls. Pushing through her closet, she pulled out a deep green cocktail dress and got white heels with it before she moved towards the door, and grinned as she heard a knock at the door. She opened it, and saw James standing there. “Hello, James. I’m ready to be escorted.” Freya teased as she linked her arm in his as the two of them made their way downstairs to the rest of the party. Her father saw the two of them approaching and caught the attention of everyone in attendance.

"outfit" [+]

“Everyone, thank you so much for attending on such short notice. I was told just the other day that my Freya was accepted into the prestigious Le Donna School of Arts ; on a full ride no less!” The people in attendance gave their approval and cheered for her respectively. “This is a party to celebrate her achievement and departure from her home into the world of knowledge. Feel free to leave your gifts for her on the table and mingle.” Alexander Von Ryker closed his speech with that and when James had a free moment, he pulled him aside.

“James. I know it might seem a bit…foolish. But can you double check the gifts brought for Freya? I know most mean well but sometimes…you know how they like to play jokes.” He quietly requested.

Freya was enjoying herself for her party, mingling with some people throughout, answering questions about what she planned to study and congratulations on her acceptance. She did find herself getting a bit overwhelmed, and quickly excused herself before finding the nearest table with food and beginning to put an assortment of warm food on her plate. She sat down away from the crowds with a few croissant rolls, some grilled salmon, and broccoli and began eating. She realizes quickly through her first croissant that she forgot to grab something to drink and frowned. Sighing to herself, she simply accepted her dry fate. She felt herself starting to panic and then eased herself down, glancing around to see if any of the guests had noticed…Luckily they had not and she continued eating.

[EasilyAmused]

Waiting outside of her door felt almost like an eternity to James. Reaching his hands up, he flatted his midnight blue hair before brushing off his hands against his black tail coat and folding them in front of himself. Upon the door finally opening he couldn’t help but let his fine lips curl up slightly into a smile. His eyes twinkled pleasantly at the sight of her in her lovely cocktail dress. Extending out his arm to her in the proper manner he tucked his free arm behind his back and gracefully escorted her to the party.

Leaving her in the care of her father and the guests, James made his way around the party checking on how everything was behind handled. He passed his sister several times before stopping her and pulling her to the side. “Are you sure you’re okay with this?” He asked softly, his voice filled with a rare amount of concern.

“James it’s okay. Really, between your job getting much easier and your ability to finally study cooking; it is the best move for you…” She spoke in a reassuring voice only to be interrupted by her brother.

“Annie I can’t just leave you…”

“You can and you will.” Annie said sternly glaring her brother down with a brute force. With that she took his hands in her own after putting down her serving tray. “James I’m not a little girl anymore and you know more than anyone how much I appreciate what you did for me. I swear I will protect myself and I will tell you if anything happens to me but the offer that the Master gave you is just what you need. Please; take him up on it.” Silence fell between the two siblings and James’s face returned to the normal seriousness and he nodded.

Returning to his rounds after checking on everyone else, he noticed that Freya was no longer with the group. It didn’t take him but a moment to pick her out of the crowd and a peaceful closed lip smile moved across his face. As quickly as it came it left and he elegantly made her a fruit drink before arriving to her. “Miss?” He said gently offering her the drink.

After a moment, her father arrived to them. “James, I take it as everything is fine.” At James’s nod, her dad turned to her and continued, “Dear daughter, I am so proud of you and I have an extra gift to give you.” With that he looked over at James who proceeded to place his open palm over his heart and got down on one knee bowing his head to her. “I’d like to send James with you to make sure that the only thing you have to focus on is your studies. I have it all arranged that his apartment is next to yours. James is a loyal and trustworthy butler, I think he’d really help you.”

[knuxieh]

After making sure that James would take the proper precautions, the Master of the house continued to relax and enjoy himself.

And just like that, here he was showing up just when she needed her. She smiled towards him and gave him a thankful nod.

"Thank you, James. I was really struggling through all this good food with nothing to wash it down with." Freya always wondered about James' timing and took a welcoming sip of the cool beverage before her father had made his way back over towards them. The praise she was recieving of course illicited nothing but a proud smile from her, and at the mention of yet another gift, she raised an eyebrow. Surely she was having enough with all these people giving her send off gifts that they all thought she might need at university - but was surprised when James suddenly lowered himself. It took her a moment to process what just happened. James had not even given any indication that this was coming up, so she looked back and forth between the two. After nothing was said, she swallowed hard. "So, this...this means I get to have James' awesome cooking skills while I'm at college?! Awesome!" She cheered. "Thank you, Daddy. Also - James, you do want to come with me - don't you? I would absolutely adore your company. You seem to understand my crazy little ticks and quirks but still focus on me as a person. I think you've been wonderful to me in your short time here, but I also don't want to drag you away to an unfamiliar place if you aren't wanting to go. You can stay behind if you want, I won't mind."

She could hear her father open to speak, and she shook her head. "I appreciate it, Daddy. I really do. But - I don't want to drag James with me if he is really not up for it. I'm sure he is - otherwise you wouldn't have publicly announced to me that he was coming with me. But, it would still be nice to hear it straight from James. Besides...," She grinned. "If he doesn't come, how else will he get to study with new ingredients that aren't found here and learn new techniques." She shrugged nonchalantly. She was positive James would come, though. If nothing else? For the learning experience on his cooking.

[EasilyAmused]

James kneeled motionlessly on the ground in front of her, his head bowed as he waited for her answer. She didn’t seem too pleased with her father’s announcement and he felt his stomach turn as he listened to her talk. His sister would have a stroke if he told her he turned down the job because the Miss asked if he truly wanted to go. In his mind he understood that going with her would mean a lot for his master, the young miss, his sister and himself but leaving Annie behind was pulling at his heart while denying this opportunity was turning his stomach inside out.

Realizing that the attention was on him as she declared that he would have to agree with it in order; he let out a small sigh before raising his head to look at her. “It’s my honor to serve you in whatever aspects of your life I can be helpful with. When your father offered me this position, it took my time to think it over before I gave your father my yes. It’s my fault you weren’t informed sooner.” With that he bowed his head again. “I won’t let it happen again.”

With that the Sunday rolled around and James was missing most of the weekend before Sunday afternoon rolled around and it was time to move Freya to her apartment on campus. James stood outside of the manor in front of a sleek fashionable silver car waiting for his Miss to come out after saying her final good byes to everyone else.

He had the door to the back seat waiting for her, his sister stood next to him. “You’re doing the right thing…” She said softly to him only to watch his sigh. A closed lip smile moved across her face as she watched the door waiting for it to open. He was sighing because he knew she had won and that he was going. During his down time he would study and learn more about cooking. James was too good at it not to take up the chance he had.

Their bodies straightened up as they saw the front door open and Frey step out. Annie smiled brightly at the young Miss while James wore the same straight face he always did.

[knuxieh]

Freya was glad that James wanted to accompany her on this new chapter in her life. The rest of their evening went by smoothly, ending with her going amd accepting her gifts from everyone before seeing them off with her father. She still couldn't believe that in two days she would be leaving the place that she had mainly called home for so long. But, it was the only way she was going to make her mark on the world. With that in mind, she went inside and turned in for the evening.

Sunday morning arrived and all her bags had been packed the night before and had already been placed into the car earlier as she stood in her mirror, unsire if she looked alright. She bit her lip and grabbed a lollipop before putting it in her mouth, discarding the wrapper. She wore an oversized lavender sweater that hung loosely over her knuckles and draped over her upper thighs. Checking her white jeans for the fifth time to be sure there were no stains, she pulled on a pair of pastel pink boots with bows on and grabbed a cute bag before heading downstairs.

Her hair was left down and since it was naturally curly, her tight ringlets landed wherever they pleased. "Morning, James!" Freya greeted as she hugged her father again before approaching. "Ready for this crazy adventure together?" She asked as she again looked over her outfit. She was still unsure about the impression she would give off and spotted Annie nearby. "Ah! Annie!" She called as she waved her arm to catch the young woman's attention. "Uhm...you're my go-to gal about outfits. Do you...think I'll make a good impression with this?" She questioned. "I just want to be absolutely sure before we leave." This was her version of being nervous. Worrying about her outfit.

[EasilyAmused]

James’s chest swelled with pride as Freya exited the manor. He couldn’t help but feel proud that he was the one chosen to watch over her while she was in college but he still couldn’t help but feel guilty that he was leaving his sister behind. To took him a moment to remind himself that as much as Freya was getting an opportunity, so was he. His main objective was to make sure that she didn’t find out that he was attending classes as well. She’d go into a panic mode insisting that she do things herself instead of focusing on her own school work. His job was to make her life easier; the fact that he also got to attend the school was a mere perk he received. He owed so much to his master, the least he could do was pay it back in this fashion.

Annie jumped at the chance to help the young miss and bounced over to her. “Allow me! The only thing I would do differently is this.” Without thinking she reached up and gently pulled apart the young woman’s curls, spacing them out a bit more and allowing them to loosen lightly. “There you are Miss, ready to tackle your new adventure!” She said with a large amount of confidence as she stepped back from her.

Upon her arrival, James gave her a gentle bow and shut the door after she climbed in. Going to the driver’s side he got inside and began towards the housing area. Looking in his rear view mirror he gave her a nod. “Are you nervous Miss?’

[knuxieh]

Freya blinked in surprise as Annie swiftly loosened a few of her strands. "Thank you!" She beamed as she said her final goodbyes as she got inside the car. She watched as the manor got smaller in view behind them and she glanced towards James. "Nervous? Me? James please. It's me..." She began as she cleared her throat.

"Oh my gosh, course I'm nervous! I don't know what the rooms will look like or even how I will settle in...will I make friends?" She frowned as she glanced out the window. "I mean I'm so very excited I just hope that I'll take the sudden adjustment well. But with you here there's no doubt the transition will be smooth, James." She hawned and preyed on another lollipop. "How long do you think it will take to arrive? I wonder what floor we will be on? Oh I hope we get an amazing window view!" Suddenly she stopped talking and looked at James. "Oh my gosh! James! Since you'll be staying next door does thay mean you'll be wearing regular clothes?!" She asked, her eyes widening wkth excitement.

[EasilyAmused]

Her nervousness and excitement seemed to fill the car at once as they drove along the road heading into the city. He could understand why she was so nervous; new area, new people and new environment. Plus she’s going to be attending school and studying. Hopefully she can keep her time under control so she doesn’t get too overwhelmed. And if she can’t, well it’s his job to step in and create a schedule for her so she will be able to have time to relax, even if it’s a scheduled event.

His expression didn’t change much, until she mentioned seeing him in regular clothes. His eyes expanded slightly in the surprise of that statement and his gaze flicked to her reflection in the review mirror if only for a moment before returning his gaze to the road. “When I am with you Miss I am your butler. I must remain professional at all times, it is my duty. However if you do not wish me around when you have company you can merely text me. I do not doubt your ability to make new friends in such a short amount of time.” The corner of his fine lips curled upward into something that could easily be described as a teasing smirk. “However I’d recommend waiting for the right group of people before you pull out your playing cards.”

[knuxieh]

Freya stared forward, catching his glance at her from the driver's seat. However, his matter-of-factly answer made her frown slightly and give an audible sound of distaste. This sound only followed by her pouting as he teased her. "Well - nobody at the school knows who you are. And plus, I don't think I could sleep well knowing that you didn't get to actually wear regular clothes. I understand that you're very by-the-book and everything, James. But...we're going to be in a totally new place. It's the perfect time to try something new!" She then thought about something and got herself a rather clever grin.

"I mean, unless you're saying that your skills lie solely on what it is you're wearing. That's got to be it. Too bad...I thought you were pretty adaptable, James." She shrugged. "And about the cards! I'll have you know - Uno is a classic game to play with others! Everyone should learn to play even once! Yourself included." She stuck her tongue out at him and gasped as she realized they were coming up on the school. "Oh, hey we're here!" She grinned as she put her hands onto the glass as they moved inside the gates. They had known where they were to be staying and she knew James would head straight there. Once the car stopped, she got out and stretched. "Phew! That was a great ride! Guess we should get all these bags up, huh?" She smiled as she waited for the trunk to open and pulled out two bags, waiting for James to grab some and headed towards the entrance. She didn't even check to see if there was a trolley for making the bags easier to carry as she waited in front of the elevator. "You should have packed lighter," She teased, giving a giggle towards James.

[EasilyAmused]

“My duty is to be your butler, that does come with obligations such as wearing a suit and tail coat. If it makes you feel any better when I am off shift I wear street clothes and I sleep in pajamas instead of my suit.” He said with a nod as he turned to go through the gates, “And don’t fret Miss, I know how to play Uno…” Another smirk curled the right corner of his lips, “I’m actually rather good.”

Upon their arrival to the apartment complex, James parked the car in spot 40B and climbed out. Letting her out of the side she was in; he collected a few boxes from the trunk. “You’re just outside of campus, taking that road.” He pointed, “Will walk you right into the main area of campus, please take the sidewalks as people aren’t that apt to pay attention these days.” With that he pushed a button and the elevator doors opened. He allowed her inside first before following in and hitting the top floor button. The elevator climbed quickly and upon its arrival, James led the way down the long inside hallway. At the end he stopped in front of 40A and pulled out a loose key, sticking it inside the door he opened it to reveal her corner apartment. “Follow me.” At that he entered after dropping the key in her hand.

The living room was the first area entered; a wonderful designed and spacious look to the apartment despite its size, he set the boxes down and picked up a small box, James pulled out a container and placed it on off the coffee table; a small glass bowl filled with suckers. He then proceeded down a small hallway and turned, entering the bedroom.

The bedroom had a soft graceful appearance with a large window overlooking the campus area with a desk sitting underneath it. Her boxes of clothes yet to be unpacked sitting organized nicely by the built in closet and cabinets into the wall. He pulled out another container of suckers and placed it on the end table next to her made bed. Gracefully moving around the room, he went to the desk and placed a bowl next to her computer as well.

Leaving the bedroom he went across the hall and through the opened walk way into the kitchen, simple and sweet just like his Miss. He placed a bowl of suckers on the kitchen table and left; the cabinets and fridge full of food, treats and of course, hot chocolate.

Lastly was the bathroom, the staff and James did their best to make it as comfortable as possible with simple colors and of course, he placed the last bowl of suckers on the counter and folded up the box and stepped out into the hallway. “Shall I unpack the rest of your things?”

[knuxieh]

Freya sighed as she secretly knew he would give her the whole reglations speech again. She would hold him to see how good he actually was at Uno, though. People didn't yeild to pedestrians? She thought that was pretty odd as they got into the elevator, and she held onto the small silver key that she had gotten. "With pleasure." The young woman followed in after him, and gasped at the living area. "Wow, this is beautiful!" She grinned as she placed the two bags she had grabbed down and opened another sucker, enjoying it as they walked through the space.

"Ooh, this is my new room?" Freya questioned as she noticed the window.The view was gorgeous, and she found herself lost there, just gazing at the skyline and nature in the distance. She ran her palm over the desk and as they went into the kitchen she glanced towards James. "Would it be terribly rude to ask you for brunch?" Her stomach gently growled as she rubbed the back of her head. "I'll unpack some stuff while I wait. It's the least I can do!" Opening a box, she began placing photographs of her on vacation with her dad on a table in the living room. "I wonder what you're going to decorate your room with, James?" She wondered aloud as she unpacked some books for the built-in shelving found in the living area. She knew that James needed cookware, so she started looking for a pan or two to give him. "Here you go! Uhm...I actually don't know what pans you will need. I'm not sure what you're going to even make.." she admitted with a nervous laugh as she held a sautee pan and a medium sized skillet.

[EasilyAmused]

She was so cute, her simple joys of walking around a place she could call her own even made James’s lips curl up into a smile before he had to remind himself that he was supposed to be professional around this time. She as so terribly cute though. She seemed in a frenzy until she saw the view of campus from her room. But when she asked for brunch he placed his land hand palm down over his heart and gave a gentle bow. “It will be ready within the hour.” He said promptly and left for the kitchen.

Inside the kitchen, he began to go through the cabinets, between grabbing the things he needed and putting away the few remaining boxes he was able to begin his cooking process. It wasn’t until her appearance that he realized just how focused he had been on his preparation. Taking the pans from her he gave her a small bow of his head before placing both pans on the stove top. “These are just what I needed, thank you.” He said softly, feeling embarrassed that his Miss was the one to find the pieces of cookware he needed and not him. His embarrassment showed in his ears as they turned a small shade of pink.

“Eggs benedict with sautéed potatoes with a side of fruit.” He said as if it was the most simple meal in the world. With that he began to focus on his creation. His hands moving almost on their own in a rhythmic pattern of practiced accuracy; within 45 minutes he had everything competed and presented flawlessly. He placed the prepared plate gently down on the table in front of her and gracefully poured her a glass of orange juice. “Would you like anything else Miss?”

[knuxieh]

Smiling, she nodded towards him. James was always very receptive to her requests, and she would patiently wait until he was finishing working his magic. As she handed the cookware over to him, she blinked in suprise. The tips of his ears were pink! Noticing this, her smile grew wider and she decided to simply ignore it. He looked so focused on his task at hand, she would hate to disrupt him. It was simply mesmerizing watching James work with food sometimes. To her it seemed he could make amazing things out of seemingly nothing. With that thought, she frowned as she realized that she had not opened the fridge to even see if they had food inside, or taken stock if they had packed food to make.

What if she was being an inconvience? She placed her hand over her chest as she glanced at the boxes at her feet. Busy. She needed to keep busy. She had not even been in the apartment twenty minutes yet, and she was already finding something to stress about. Realizing this only made her become more frantic as she began ravaging through the boxes, somehow putting things where they didn't belong. In her frenzy she didn't care what got put where, just simply that it went. Her stuffed animals were placed onto the bookshelf, and shampoo was put on the counter. She wanted a lollipop, but James had already prepared something for her, and she froze as the gentle clink of the plate settling onto the table pierced her daze.

"Wha...?" She blinked, and looked at James, and then down towards the plate. "Oh, wow. You made this just now? Oh wow it looks so good! I'm sorry that I didn't ask first about what we had. I hope it wasn't a bother..." She sat down on the soft couch and exhaled softly. She hadn't realized what disorganization she had just caused for herself in her unpacking stressed state, now focused on the beautiful spread in front of her. "Oh, no that should be just fine for now. Thank you so much James." With that, she began enjoying her meal. It warmed her and the juice chilled her slightly. Freya was a pretty slow eater, liking to enjoy the dishes in front of her. Fifteen minutes later, she gave a yawn and curled up on the couch she was sitting on, finding it too much trouble to go to her room. She had not even bothered to take her shoes off on the couch as she settled in. Within a few minutes, rhythmic soft snoring could be heard from her.

The only thing left behind were the cardboard boxes strewn around the living room and a blanket hanging up over a doorway that was pretending to be a curtain.

[EasilyAmused]

Taking his time while she ate, James cleaned the kitchen and it up with the unpacked boxes. She wouldn’t spend her time in the kitchen, that wasn’t her job. She was supposed to focus on her schooling while he took care of everything else for her. That was his job as a butler, as her butler. A smile moved across his face, honestly; he was happy to be here, he was getting a bonus by taking the job… but then his smile dropped. He couldn’t be too happy about this, he was leaving his sister behind… but she wanted him to be there. His heart and his stomach pulled, fighting for which he felt would be right.

After finally finishing the kitchen, he walked out into the living room to find her curled up on the couch sleeping peacefully. He gathered up the brunch things before starting back towards the kitchen; before entering the hallway he turned and looked over his shoulder at her. He took a moment to watch her sleeping peaceful, a smile moved across his face showing his straight white teeth. She was adorable and innocent, there was no doubt out it and while she was sleeping, he felt more comfortable showing expressions. Shaking his head he did his best not to chuckle at her adorable sleeping and ventured back into the kitchen.

He finished up the kitchen and went into her bedroom. Looking around he realized that the last things to put away was her clothes. Would she be okay with him putting away her underwear? Probably not. However he wouldn’t have any issues picking out her outfits for her if she needed him to. He undid her bed and walked back into the living room. Gently, he scooped the light weight woman into his arms and carried her into her room and gently placed her down onto the bed. Pulling the blankets over her, he placed a large hand on her head and gave it a gentle rub before heading out and shutting the door silently behind him.

While she slept he put away the remaining boxes and began marinating chicken for dinner before checking to insure that the house was in a proper order and nodding to himself, a small smile playing across his fine lips as he looked around approvingly. He and the staff from manor did a good job arranging the apartment and hopefully she was happy; especially her suckers everywhere. That was something he really knew she enjoyed and would make it a point to always provide her with that… why? Well it was his job as her butler, right…?