[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/YKCoTYy.png[/img]
with: [b]Piper Chapin[/b] ([@Fabricant451])[/center][hr]
Colorado. Elaine Carrington had almost forgotten what it had been like.

Before passing her acceptance exam into Strathmore, it had been just her and her family— or at least what few of the siblings she had that remained. So really the better half of her life was just her parents and her brother, Emile. She remembered how some of her brothers would visit and how the household staff would talk about the one’s that had moved on with their lives, but really it was always so irrelevant to her beyond a few fleeting exceptions. The exceptions being the ones who came around for the holidays and brief visits or the ones she kept in contact through social media. Though really the number of Carrington’s she talked to online were few in number and overall she didn’t really think about it all too much. Indiana, Emile, and Nathaniel were the only ones that cared and Nate was always so aloof for Elaine to really “connect” with. So really in Elaine’s mind she had two siblings and two parents.

A warm albeit anxious smile left Elaine’s lips as she shuffled her hands in her coat’s insulated pockets. It was [i]cold[/i] but not irregularly so. Even after being effectively raised in California, she had known Colorado well and she had spent two years in Maine where the winters were pretty much the same— cold, brittle nights subject to blizzards and mountain chill running down the peaks to the soft rolling hills. In fact, according to weather reports she had taken a peak of on her phone it was actually ten-to-eleven degrees colder back in Maine. So it was a pleasant change even if Elaine didn’t dabble too much in the winter activities or sports Strathmore students took interest in, and she most certainly had little care to hike uphill in snow-capped forests like Kiana Farahani did. Preferentially, Elaine liked sitting inside in warmth in front of a chess board with a warm cup of hot chocolate at her lips.

Such preferences is how she met Piper Chapin, after all. 

Elaine wasn’t quite sure she remembered what led up to Piper heading up to Colorado for a [i]Carrington[/i] retreat, but she did recall that when she received her father’s e-mail she was sure to appeal for bringing her along. After all, it being the holidays meant much to a lot of people and Elaine would’ve hated to be sitting in Colorado while Piper didn’t have the option to go anywhere. Sitting in your dormitory room on Christmas? She couldn’t imagine the dreadful feeling that would bring. It took some convincing but her father relented, seeing her appeal as rational— but Elaine couldn’t help but think there was something going on for it to result in such hesitation from her father. But it wasn’t such a worry that she focused on it.

Elaine took a glance to Piper pairing it with a warm smile before she went to open the main doors of the lodge, though she was certain had she knocked some of the household staff would’ve reacted in kind. But Elaine wanted to get inside and begin the few weeks she would be in Colorado for. Whilst she knew that the familial “reunion” would be dramatic and high strung, as long as she found something to take her mind off the family members she barely knew or cared about she knew it wouldn’t be a [i]total[/i] disaster. 

In part, that was another reason why she was glad Piper was with her and not back in Maine waiting for her return— she wasn’t just her friend or girlfriend, but in a way represented someone Elaine couldn’t be and as such allowed Elaine to “turn off” for a while without worry about expectations or responsibilities. She could just sit down as Piper put on a basketball game on the computer or something of similar effect. Elaine was always thinking so it was nice to have someone who could give her a break from her anxieties and process; even if it was just for a little while.

[color=8a2be2][i]It doesn’t look different at all.[/i][/color]

“Ms. Carrington?” One of the staff members noticed as she entered, a little offset she hadn’t knocked.

Admittedly, Elaine wasn’t too pleased with the response she received. Surely the staff could’ve started out with a “Welcome to the Carrington Winter Lodge, how can I help you?” rather than the kind of slight confusion. Manners would’ve been something her mother [i]drilled[/i] into their heads, so the surprise that they slipped up was a bit warranted. Still, Elaine wasn’t going to yell at them like fire from hell itself— a minute correction however was on her mind and probably would continue to be on her mind until they ended their exchange of words.

[color=8a2be2]“You can tell my parents that their youngest daughter has arrived as expected. How are we handling rooms given the situation?”[/color]

“Of course.” The man replied with a nod as he recalled instructions specific to Elaine, before he motioned to another employee to take the girl's luggage and set it off in their respective rooms. “Your allocated room for your guest should be across the hall to your own. Do you need help in guidance?”

Elaine shook her head— she had been to the lodge many times before and could manage “finding” herself around without any help. However, the sentiment seemed a bit more well-mannered than the one he shot at her upon arrival as a “greeting”; a fact she was happy about considering her initial annoyance. Her mother had always taught her that if you were going to act or perform you should do it correctly with rigorous preparation to not leave room for mistakes. Mistakes led to embarrassments and embarrassments led to failure. Cassiopeia Carrington did not expect this just from her children, but her employees as well.

[color=8a2be2]“Right, thank you. I know the way.”[/color] There was a quick pause following the statement as Elaine looked to the stairwell and then back to the man. [color=8a2be2]“Oh, by the way. You should probably greet people with comments that are warm rather than confused; my mother has little patience for things being done incorrectly. Have a nice day.”[/color]

“Right… of course, Ms. Carrington.”

The man’s reply was a quiet mutter, the nervousness dripping from his words like falling rain sputtering off a metal rooftop. It wasn’t the most vindictive or hostile as Elaine could be, and from her perspective was matter-of-factly spoken like a fact rather than an emotionally charged opinion. She noticed him give her a final albeit tense nod as he walked off— as per her opinion she hoped he wouldn’t make such a daft mistake again; especially if her mother returned from her room to witness it. 

With her statements done and said, she turned her attention back to Piper. [color=8a2be2]“Sorry about all that, you know how it goes. Do you want to head to our rooms first or something else? It’s a big lodge; plenty to do.”[/color]