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[h2]&[/h2]
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[right]In Collaboration with [@Achronum][/right]

Mariette swung open the door to her father's study, waiting for him to beckon her before she stepped inside. She gracefully slipped into a seat across from him, not bothering to fold her legs so one of them could bounce. The servant who had told her he was expecting her presence had also said he had important news, and she was excited to find out what it was. [color=DDA0DD]"You requested me?"[/color]

[b]"I did indeed, we have important matters to discuss."[/b] He grinned, trying in vain to hide his happiness. [b]"You're going to be attending the Academy."[/b]

Mariette's leg stopped jouncing for a fraction of a second, only to start again at an even greater pace. She gaped, before slamming her mouth shut in order to save face. [color=DDA0DD]"How? I thought Ikelos had been accepted?"[/color] She hadn't been happy to hear that Ikelos had been accepted, but it was what the Princess had decided. Now, though, she was going to take his place. She ached to know what her father had done to make this possible.

[b]"I pulled a few strings, told the Princess that Ikelos had changed his mind about attending the Academy but didn't want to seem crass by denying her."[/b] Mariette chuckled at this, it was a bold move on her father's part. If this were to backfire, it would send a bad message. 

[color=DDA0DD]"So it's my job to convince him to leave?"[/color] She assumed, sure that Ikelos hadn't been informed about the switch. [b]"Indeed it is, but I'm certain you'll manage. Send me messages frequently detailing your progress."[/b] Her father was usually looser than this, jesting about the other houses or some recent gossip. He must have realized the gravity of the situation. 

[color=DDA0DD]"Of course, father."[/color] She would have said more, but a knock sounded at the door. She was almost certain it was a servant, telling her that it was time for her to depart. She prayed they packed all of her favorite books and bottles of blood, otherwise, she'd have to send for it when she got to the academy. She rose from her chair, shooting her father a secretive smile that he slyly returned, and exited the room. She would not say goodbye, because she would be back quite soon after their plans fell into place.

[center]~[/center]

The ride to the Academy seemed far longer than it was due to her nerves. She could hardly read during the drive, even though the book had been riveting. Along the way, she had rolled down the window, allowing herself to get some much-needed air. She was so eager that she was bordering on anxious, her fingers fluttering against her thigh and her leg bouncing incessantly. Finally, they stopped at the Academy. She waited for the driver to open the door, putting on her collected facade as she knew it was likely she'd run into a Noble. 

She muttered a 'thank you' to her driver, leaving her book in the car and reminding him to have the servants take it in alongside her other belongings. She was greeted by an attendant of sorts who guided her to the dorms. She remained silent as they walked, despite the attendant introducing herself to her. She didn't want to interrupt her thought process. She knew she was the third Eve to attend the academy in just a couple of days, and that it would tarnish her family's reputation. She cared little about that, knowing that she could serve as a shining example of what the Eves truly were.

Once they arrived at the dorms, Mariette smoothed her outfit and straightened her hair. [color=DDA0DD]"Count Ikelos is here, yes?"[/color] She asked, glancing at the attendant. 

[i]"He should be, Countess Mariette."[/i] The lady replied immediately. Mariette felt bad that she hadn't stopped to remember her name, so she simply smiled at the woman and walked towards her new dorm. She knocked at the door to announce her entrance, then stepped inside. Looking around, she offered Ikelos a warm grin upon seeing him. [color=DDA0DD]"Ikelos, it's a pleasure to see you."[/color]

The warm aroma of fresh baked cookies enveloped the Countess as Ikelos looked up from his book at the Countess’s greeting. He matched her smiled and nodded, a brief flash of confusion in his eyes quickly swallowed by realization. [color=MediumSlateBlue]“You’re the last person I expected to walk through the door tonight, Mariette. Not that I’m complaining but considering the circumstances, this isn’t a social call is it?”[/color] He gestured to a chair for her to sit and closed his book, rubbing lazy circles across Narcissus’s back. The family was aware of Mariette’s family’s discontent but so far nothing seemed to come of it. Ikelos let a sigh escape as he concluded he’d somehow been involved in the very matters he tried to escape.  


[color=DDA0DD]“I’d love to tell you it is, but I’m afraid I’m here for more...political reasons.”[/color] Mariette nearly flinched as she said the word, knowing that Ikelos was wary when it came to politics. Such a shame, too. He had a pleasant face that could easily sway the weak-minded. She slid into the chair he offered her, glancing around the room. It was beautifully renovated, but she would have to bring in some items from home to make it cozier. 

[color=DDA0DD]“We both know that our house is in a pitiful state, and I’ve come here to change that. I’m asking for your help.”[/color] She decided to keep things vague, she would answer his questions about the subject but it was better to let out as little information as possible.

[color=MediumSlateBlue]“Lilie would be upset with something this sudden.” Ikelos said. “We just switched her partner. Don’t you think this would be too sudden for her?”[/color] As much as ikelos would love to leave before Mariette could stir the pot, the poor girl was so upset and confused he didn’t want to leave her floundering again. But once a vampire made up their mind, it was a pain to change it. And Mariette seemed determined. [color=MediumSlateBlue]“Does this have to do with the recently deceased member of our family?”[/color]

Mariette tilted her head inquisitively, emerald eyes scanning her relative. They were bright with curiosity. She wanted to learn more about this Lilie, and why Ikelos was already concerned about her feelings. Unfortunately, now was not the time to question. She had a mission to accomplish. [color=DDA0DD]“It has nothing to do with him,”[/color] She replied easily. She kept her face neutral, not wanting to give away any thoughts on that man. [color=DDA0DD]“This is about making a necessary change. One that will benefit everyone in our family and bring pride back to the Eves.”[/color]

[color=DDA0DD]“As for your mage, Lilie...I assure you I will take care of her. She’ll adjust to me, and you can call her and visit her whenever you’d like.”[/color] She had to appease him in that sense, otherwise, he’d never leave. Her face softened to show that she was sympathetic to his needs. [color=DDA0DD]“There’s no need to worry about her getting involved in the affairs of the Council. If you wish to keep her blissfully ignorant, I’ll do everything in more power to assure that she’ll remain in the dark.”[/color]

Ikelos picked up Narcissus and placed the ferret on his shoulders. [color=MediumSlateBlue]“Do that. No one needs to be involved in their petty squabbles if they don’t have to be.”[/color] Ikelos sighed and got to his feet. [color=MediumSlateBlue]“Do you already have a car ready for me then? My things are still packed so it won’t be long to get me out. I’ll have to write Lilie a note though. She stepped out for a moment before you arrived.”[/color] Ikelos went about gathering paper and a pen, leaving a note on the counter. 

[i]Dear Lilie,

I regret leaving you like this and so quickly too but my house is a bit of a mess. Don’t worry, I’ll leave you my number in case you need someone to talk to or pictures of Narcissus to brighten your day!

Take care.[/i]

A bit of tension drained from Mariette’s shoulders as Ikelos caved. It hadn’t taken as much effort as she had originally thought it would, but she knew that Ike did his best to stay out of political drama and that this was the easiest way to do so. [color=DDA0DD]“Yes, the car I arrived in will be waiting for you at the gates.”[/color] She didn’t want to rush his departure and hoped he would stop to say farewell to Lilie, though she assumed he wouldn’t say a personal goodbye since he had left a note. She wondered what the mage was like, she had to be quite a charmer in order to have made an impression an Ikelos so soon. 

She stepped towards her relative, offering him a dainty hand. [color=DDA0DD]“Thank you, you have no idea what this means to me. I hope to aid in the restoration of our house, and if I’m successful I will make sure your family reaps the rewards.”[/color] She prayed she could make good on this promise, not wanting to disappoint her house. If she went back a failure, she would never be able to forgive herself. 

Ike shook her hand and went about taking his things, an attendant from the car ready to help. Like the vampire said, his things were barely in the door and were just as quickly taken out. Ikelos said a quiet goodbye to the Countess before closing the door behind him. With a loud thud, the Countess was alone.

[hider=Mariette’s Adventure]
Mariette flinched as the door slammed shut behind Ike. Just like that, he was gone, and she had taken his place. So, what now? She considered her options. She could wait for her things to arrive and settle into her temporary home, or she could sate her spirit of inquiry by looking into Lilie's personal effects. The decision was easy. After all, there was no better way to learn about someone than digging through their stuff while they weren't there to stop you. Deciding to start small, Mariette wandered into the study to see if she could find anything interesting there. She wasn't completely disappointed, stumbling upon a collection of decorative pens in all different, girly designs. Some even had furry pom-poms on top that were soft to the touch. Mariette picked one up, turning it over and smirking at the pink and purple print that covered the plastic item. It was evident that Lilie was feminine, something that Mariette didn't have a strong opinion on at the moment.

Wanting to dig a bit deeper, Mariette scampered off to the bedrooms. She peeked into each one to see which was occupied, and after figuring out which room was Lilie's she stepped inside, not bothering to be discreet. Forcing herself to move past all the interesting things that could be found in the bedroom, Mariette started her search in the bathroom. Lining the sink was a vast variety of hair and beauty products. She picked a few up, sampling some of the makeup on the flesh of her arm. It appeared as though the mage cared about her appearance. Deciding this was a good thing, Mariette rubbed away the makeup that lingered on her skin and stepped towards the shower. She swung open the glass door, reaching out to grasp Lilie's shampoo. Opening the cap, Mariette squeezed the bottle until the scent washed over her. Lavender with strong hints of vanilla. Delightful. If Lilie didn't already have a perfume with this fragrance Mariette would have to purchase one for her. She wanted the mage to smell like that all the time, it was therapeutic and would likely enhance the feeding process. 

She placed the bottle back inside the shower and strode back into the bedroom. There were all sorts of things to be found there, though the room could be considered quite empty in comparison to Mariette's room back in the manor. Perhaps the girl came from wealth and was just a humble creature, or she had little money and spent what she could on things that were important to her such as the full array of beauty items in the other room. Beginning with the bookshelf, Mariette took her time in scanning Lilie's selection. [i]A Beginner's Guide to Spellcasting[/i], [i]Ballet Through the Ages[/i], [i]Wands: An Introduction to Magical Conduits[/i], and a few other books caught Mariette's eye. She would have to take a few and read through them, in order to expand her knowledge on Magic. 

Abandoning the bookshelf, she went towards the bedside table. Here two pictures in lacquered wooden frames could be seen. One of a white-haired young woman being held by a boy with dark brown hair. She found herself drawn to the girl, mainly because of the clarity in her eyes. They were a crystalline blue, even lighter than Ikelos', and carried a sort of lightness that was only found in the optimistic. Mariette glanced at the other picture, ignoring the rest of the happy, dark-haired family to stare at the pale-skinned ghost of a woman in the center of the group. She was identical to the girl in the other photo, so she must have been Lilie. [i][color=DDA0DD]What an interesting creature[/color][/i], Mariette mused. After taking a few moments to memorize the mage's face, she opened the drawer of the nightstand, striking gold. 

Inside the cabinet was a book, and upon opening it Mariette discovered that it was a personal journal. Flipping through, she didn't bother reading all of the notes and entries. Instead, she scanned over most of it in a hunt for anything that may trigger feelings of sadness or worry in her mage. She didn't want to bring up anything that could cause a bad taste in her blood or discomfort in their relationship. Upon hitting the word 'scared' multiple times in the same entry, Mariette backtracked to find the source of this fear. 

[color=DDA0DD]"What can I expect from vampires..."[/color] Mariette mumbled, reading some of the writing aloud. [color=DDA0DD]"What will happen if they drink too much...how will it feel when they bite my neck for the first time?"[/color] Mariette closed the journal, letting out a small sigh that turned into a chuckle. This Lilie was quite hilarious. She still believed that vampires drank from the neck. Where had she been educated? Deciding this was enough snooping, Mariette exited the room, her thoughts still on the diary entry. She wanted to know the exact reason why Lilie was so afraid of her kind, especially when she should have been taught to respect them. It was a puzzle that Mariette would have to solve, lest she go crazy. 

When she returned to the sitting room, she saw her bags waiting for her. She figured she could call back the servants to deal with her things, but they wouldn't know exactly how she wanted her clothing folded, or how she wanted her pens arranged in the study. So, she began to unpack, eager for her mage to return from who knows where.[/hider]