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 Posted: Sun Aug 01, 2010 12:54 am
 『 Unexpected News 』 Word Count: 780
Dressed in a modest Victorian style nightgown, hair shaken loose, and legs tucked beneath the covers.. it certainly appeared that Clarissa Arks had been ready to turn in for the night. With the exception of the book in her hand, for which she had occupied herself with for the past hour. "Love In The Afternoon", by Lisa Kleypas. Captivated by the storyline of the infamous Hathaway sisters, she didn't seem to notice as a pair of footsteps stopped outside her door with a gentle knock.
"Miss Arks, your mother requests your presence downstairs."
Annoyed at the interruption, Clarissa set down the book with a disapproving frown. "Who is it?" She called out. "Claude." She should have known. It was her butler, Claude. Who else would dare to knock this late at night? She could sense the man waiting patiently outside her door, but she refused to answer. In the air hung an awkward silence as she turn her back to him— pretending to read. As she expected, the locked door fell open to reveal the butler by her bedside. Now now, that wasn't very gentlemanly of him, to intrude on a lady's privacy! She was tempted to inform him, but she bit back the words.
"Miss Arks." He repeated once more, with a hint of exasperation to his tone this time.
Eyes skimming over the page, "Oh, is that so?" She said softly, flipping each page with exaggerated slowness that was certain to irritate him only further. She had told him on numerous occasions the condition of her cooperation, but each time he adamantly refused.
Not this time, she had sworn to herself. "Miss Arks." Sparing him barely a glance, fifteen minutes passed in this silent manner before she heard a defeated sigh. "Clarissa." Only then, did she turn to him with a warm smile. "I've always told you to call me by my first name but it seems like you never listen, my dear Claude."
Of course not.
It wasn’t his place to do otherwise. “It is improper milady.” But his words fell on deaf ears as Clarissa interrupted him. “What does my mother want?” Frowning, she appeared to be perplexed by the request. Her mother rarely called for her, especially at such a late hour. With a shake of his head, “I’m afraid I do not know.” He answered, with a helpless shrug of his shoulders. ..That's unusual. Placing her hands together in her lap, she stared down at the bed in a thoughtful manner. There wasn’t much in this household that Claude did not know. As the head butler, he was privy to most of the gossip that went on around here.
"I suppose that I'll soon find out then."
With a bow, Claude escorted her down the stairs. Together, they walked in silence to the receiving room. When she had reached the door, Claude quietly took his leave.. His absence left her feeling a tinge of nervousness as she began to wonder what it is that her mother had wanted. Gently turning the knob, the door fell open to reveal her mother standing at the window with her hands clasped together, staring blankly into the distance. How strange. There was a tension in the room, that had not been there before. Taking the position next to her, Clarissa enfolded her soft and slender hands into her own. “Mother, what’s wrong?” But as she asked, a dreadful thought suddenly occurred to her. At the possibility, her throat tightened until she felt she could barely speak.
In a hesitant voice, “A-are you sick, mother?” She heard herself asking softly as she gripped her mother's hand all the tighter.
Startled by her daughter’s alarming question, she was slow to react. “Of course not!” Though her daughter remained unconvinced. With a laughing smile, “Really, Clarissa. Even if I was..” She began, “Which I assure you, I’m not—” She was quick to place a heavy emphasis on the last two syllables, “—and if I was cruel enough to keep it from my only lovely daughter, would you not have heard the news from Claude by now?”
With a sheepish smile, Clarissa nodded. Then she tilted her head slightly, "Than what is it that you called me down her for, Mother?"
A long silence passed before she spoke. "Your father," Her mother said unsteadily, "has informed me that we are moving."
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Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 2:10 am
『 Unexpected News 』 Word Count: 899 "Once upon a broken heart
I was walking alone in the dark
Looking for a way to start again.."
Clarissa was sitting at her vanity table. She'd been staring blankly into the distance, deeply in thought, rather than asleep as she should have been. Her mind was elsewhere, deliberating over an entirely different matter.
The previous night before when her mother had related her the news, Clarissa had turned pale. "Clarissa?.. Clarissa." Her mother had been quick to inquire if she was okay. "I-It's just a bit of a surprise, that's all." Clarissa broke out in a smile, felt it crack, and turned aside quickly so her mother wouldn't notice. "I'm fine, really." She said with a smile to put her mother's mind at ease. A few minutes later, she excused herself from the room.
Sleep had proven to be elusive for her, and she spent most of the night tossing and turning. It was only until the early hours of the morning, did she finally fall asleep. But when it came time for twelve (though she would have liked to stay abed a bit longer) she forced herself to wake the next morning. With the help of her personal maid Mizeria, she began to dress for the upcoming dinner party; or rather an important business meeting for her father and his associates. As the hostess to this grand party, it was her and her mother's duty to entertain the guests and see to their convenience.
While she often enjoyed such parties, but she could not bring herself to feel the same today.
Forcing a pleasant expression to her face, she received the guests with a cheerful smile. The party was an unqualified success. Everyone was having a lovely time, the music was delightful, the food delicious, the evening neither too warm nor cold.
Than why? Why, on such a perfect occasion like this, did she feel so miserable? She desperately wanted to know.
The party had ended around midnight, and the guests had begun to retire to their room shortly afterward. Bidding her father good night, she had done the same. Unfortunately like the night before.. sleep had eluded her again, once more. Tired of the right, she had let herself be consumed by the darkness. The world became painted in shades of gray, blurring everything into dream scape. How long she sat there, whether it was a few minutes to a few hours, she didn't know nor did she care. There wasn't even the tiniest flicker of emotion; there was no pain, shock, sadness, or even anger. Only emptiness where her emotions should have been.
The door opened to reveal the quiet sound of doorsteps moving across the room.
"You seem distracted tonight mi'lady." said a low voice from behind, interrupting the silence.
Resting one hand on the back of her chair, his towering figure leaned over her. Lifting her gaze to his, "What makes you say that, Claude?" She murmured, with a soft laugh. Her lashes lifted to reveal a pair of large, violet-colored eyes. The sparkling allure was gone from her eyes to reveal only the hollowness within. Despite her efforts, her distress did not escape his notice. Claude's gloved fingers were soft on her skin as they trailed down along his lady's jaw.
Claude's eyes flashed as he said, "I heard what happened," He began, "How are you feeling?"
"How am I feeling?" She echoed, her voice trailing into silence. "S-shocked, I guess. I don't really know how I'm supposed to feel."
In a soft voice, "Is that right?" he said, his voice laced with doubt. "Or is it that you refuse to acknowledge your feelings?"
That provoked a slap from her, as she found herself jerking away from his touch. "Of course not!" She pushed the chair back with such force that it fell to the ground. It was obvious that she was lying, her trembling body betrayed her words. Defensively, she wrapped her arms around herself to still the trembling.
".. Forgive my rudeness, my milady." He said with a startled laugh, replacing the chair to it's former position. "Such a question was uncalled for."
Tension rose between them, making it a little harder for Clarissa to breathe. Unable to endure the silence, Clarissa broke the eye contact and gazed back into the mirror. She drew in a deep, unsteady breath before she said, "I-I don't know." She sounded lost, even to her own ears. Clarissa bit her lower, eyes clouding over, "I think that I'm-"
(absolutely terrified)
"— scared." She admitted, unable to get any other words past the lump in her throat. There was so much she wanted to ask, so much she wanted say.. But the tears streaming down her cheeks said enough. Before she knew what was happening, he took her into his arms and held her close. Pushing with her weak arms against his broad chest was useless, for Claude only gripped her tighter. "D-don't." She heard herself say, her words a contradiction of her true desires.
Pressed against his warm, comforting chest, Clarissa felt her self control fall to pieces. A stabbing pain seized her throat and all of her tears spilled down at once.
"This is the only world I've ever known.." How could she possibly leave it?
Claude pressed a light kiss on her forehead, "But milady, that is precisely the reason why." ♥ ♥ ♥
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Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 2:13 am
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Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 2:16 am
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Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 2:16 am
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Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 2:17 am
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Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 2:18 am
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Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2010 12:17 am
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Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2010 5:18 pm
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Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2010 5:19 pm
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