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In Progress Blackwood Manor
- Thread starter Harlequin
- Start date
Harlequin
Active member
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Blackwood Manor[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]one[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The building sat elegantly in a large forest clearing, its pale grey gravel driveway cutting a path through the trees. The building itself was a pale greyish-pink and sprawled outwards into the forest. Three storeys high, the building was a testament to its architect's vision. Curled around the columns supporting the entrance to the grand building were strands of ivy set against the pall grey of the stone.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]A lone woman stood just at the top of the driveway where a pale greyish-pink gatehouse stood, complete with fencing and gate. Her hair blew in the wing and she drew her cloak closer to her body. A horse drawn carriage was approaching from a distance.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]A smile appeared on the woman's face as she saw the carriage and she stepped forward to greet her visitors. The carriage stopped a short distance away from the woman. Its driver gave her a polite dip of his hat and got off to let the carriage's passengers out. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]A tall, thin woman and a short man stepped down from the carriage. A few seconds later a willowy adolescent girl exited the carriage from the other side. [/FONT]
“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Siaran!” said the lone woman, rushing forward to meet the other, “Finally you're here, I feared you had lost your way in the forest,” she said.[/FONT]
“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Of course not, Elle,” replied the tall woman. “Our driver was especially good at finding his way through the forest.”[/FONT]
“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]I am glad,” said Elle.[/FONT]
“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]There was an – incident where Siaran's skills were needed,” interjected the short man, frowning, “but it passed without notice.”[/FONT]
“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Incident?” questioned Elle, brows furrowed, lips falling into a frown. “I thought everything was cleared,” she muttered. “Anyway, thank you, Siaran, and thank you, Lucian, for notifying me.” Elle turned sharply, then, and began walking towards the old house.[/FONT]
“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Come with me,” she said, “The porter will attend to your things,” said Elle with a turn of her head. She was followed into the building by Siaran and Lucian. The young woman lingered outside for a while longer, smiling to and thanking the porter who had appeared from the gatehouse to collect their things. She caught up to her parents moments later and realised that Elle was giving them the tour of the building.[/FONT]
“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]This is the grand entrance hall,” she said, waving her arm at the room. “Through there is the refectory and the auditorium can be found down that hallway. More importantly, your quarters are in the north wing – first floor,” she said, walking towards the grand staircase set against the left wall of the entrance hall, shoes tapping against the white marble floor. “Sierra, of course, will be sleeping in the Aerie with the other students. That would be the south wing, dear,” said Elle, “and you can get there by taking the other staircase.[/FONT]
“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Is everything ready for the start of term, Elle?” said Lucian.[/FONT]
“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Yes,” she said, “the others will arrive in the next few days and the students should arrive in two weeks. Everything else is ready – the support staff have been here for weeks,” she said.[/FONT]
“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Fabulous,” said Siaran. “Let's hope this project of yours works, Elle.”[/FONT]
“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]It will,” said Elle, stopping mid-step and turning towards the thin blonde woman, “because it has to.”[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]~…~[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The carriages made their way in succession along the gravel driveway to the school, each one filled with three students. They had departed from Sevenwaters, the town nearest to the school, a few hours before and they had a while yet until they reached the school. [/FONT]
“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Do either of you know how long it will take for us to reach the school?” said Pharos Ward, throwing the question to the other two students in the carriage. The other boy gave a non-committal grunt and the girl shrugged with a vapid smile.[/FONT]
“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Of course not,” he muttered to himself, sighing. For hours there had been no conversation in their carriage, though mid-way across a bridge the girl had remarked upon how pretty the water looked. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]He sat there in silence for a while longer, staring intently at the girl's pointed black shoes. She was wearing the Blackwood uniform – black trousers and a black shirt; her blazer was folded next to her. She was playing idly with her hair.[/FONT]
“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Is there something on my face?” she said, taking a mirror from her trouser pocket and scrutinising her face. [/FONT]
“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]No,” said Pharos, “there isn't anything on your face. I was just staring into space.”[/FONT]
“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Oh,” she said, and fell silent again. Pharos turned his eyes to the window, where he could see the forest gradually becoming more ordered and less like a forest but rather like an orchard. Opening the window and craning his neck outside of it, he saw that they were approaching the school.[/FONT]
“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]We're almost there,” he said, and the boy next to him leaned over to see.[/FONT]
“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]It's huge,” he said. “I didn't think it would be this big,” he said, fingering his blazer sleeve gently. “It's bigger than the town hall in Aryse.”[/FONT]
“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]We'll only be using part of it,” said Pharos quietly, “so why would it be so big?”[/FONT]
“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Well, I like it,” said the girl, looking through her own window. “It's grand.”[/FONT]
“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]You would think so,” said Pharos quietly, though he did find himself in agreement with her. The building was grand and it was set in a beautiful place. As the first carriage reached the gate it stopped, the others following suit. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Pharos picked up his things and climbed down from the carriage, placing his things gently on the ground next to him. He turned as the gates opened with a creak and saw a thin, black-haired woman standing behind them. [/FONT]
“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Welcome to Blackwood Manor,” she said. “I am Selene Goldenrose and if you would please follow me I will direct you to the school.” With her piece said, she turned sharply away from the assembled students and strode towards the main entrance to the school. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Pharos picked up his bags and began walking after the woman, falling into a comfortable pace. It wasn't long before he was inside the entrance hall. The first thing he noticed was how bright it was - the floors, walls and staircases were made of a bright, white marble and candles lit were placed around the huge room. At its centre was a huge, clear monolith with an engraving set at its bottom.[/FONT]
“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]You will be sleeping in the Aerie,” said Selene when all of the students were inside the chamber, “but for now leave your things here; they will be taken to your rooms. We will proceed along to the auditorium for the induction,” she said, taking off once again.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The students were led down a hallway whose walls were covered with tapestries and paintings, though Pharos could see that underneath the decorations the walls were bare stone. The group of thirty-nine were led inside the auditorium, a large, spacious room with seating arranged in a semi-circle looking down upon a stage. [/FONT]
“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Sit towards the front of the room, if you will,” said Selene, filling in the first seat in the front row. The students filed in, sitting close together. A slim red-haired woman in a tight-fitting dress came onto the stage and stood to the front-centre.[/FONT]
“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]My name is Elle Dumerre,” she said, casting her gaze over the students, “and I am your headmistress. Welcome to Blackwood Manor. This will be your home for the next three years; I hope you enjoy sharing it with me. Each student is to have his or her own room with a small living area, bedroom and bathroom. Classes will start after the third bell. Details can be found inside your rooms,” she said. “The Manor is your home and as such there will be few restrictions on where you are allowed. However,” she added sternly, “you are to stay away from the northern wing which is where the staff will be housed. For the first few weeks of term the grounds will be out of bounds. Students are permitted to enter the courtyards and gardens inside the Manor complex. Lessons will begin the day after tomorrow.” she said, and she suddenly smiled. “Please, enjoy your time here at Blackwood. I expect you all want to rest before dinner. Selene will see you to your rooms.” [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Elle left the stage quickly, retreating into the wings. As soon as she had gone Selene was standing, clipboard in hand. [/FONT]
“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]If you will all follow me,” she said, and exited the auditorium. The students filed out after her, some of them talking, most of them walking silently. Pharos made distracted conversation with another boy as they walked along narrow corridors. [/FONT]
“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Welcome to the Aerie,” said Selene loudly, stopping at a long, wide corridor. “Girls are on the left, boys on the right,” she said. “Rooms have been assigned to each of you,” she said, and began reading from the list of names on her clipboard. Pharos left after a minute or so as he was assigned room B12. Unlocking the room with the key he was given, he entered and shut the door behind him.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]He entered into a small living area which led to two other rooms – a bathroom and a bedroom. In the living area there was a sofa and table and the bedroom came with a desk and a three-quarter bed. [/FONT]
“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]It'll do,” he said to himself, closing his bedroom door and stepping out into the hallway again. The other students were mostly inside their rooms or chatting outside of them, but directly across from him was a girl leaning in her doorway casually, watching everyone go about their business. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]She wasn't dressed in the Blackwood uniform and he hadn't seen her during the induction or when they were milling about outside, either.[/FONT]
“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Hello,” said Pharos, leaning in his own doorway. “I didn't see you at the induction. What's your name?”[/FONT]
“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Sierra Firefly,” came the low, smooth voice of the girl. “I know who you are,” she said. “You're Pharos Ward.” She inspected her nails for a moment and then looked back at Pharos. “I saw Goldenrose's list,” she added after seeing the look of confusion on his face.[/FONT]
“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Oh. Oh, right,” he said, frowning. “Why didn't you attend the induction? And how is it that you didn't come here on the carriages with the rest of us?”[/FONT]
“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]My parents work here,” she said lazily, fingering her long black hair. “They brought me last week. I'll see you at dinner, Pharos Ward,” she said, smirking at him and retreating into her room, door closed swiftly behind her. Pharos was left standing there alone, staring at the polished door with its plaque reading “G12.”[/FONT]