Ever since leaving their roots in the Orient roughly seven decades ago, my lineage the Hillcrests, ah, hasn't had the smoothest time adjusting to this distant land of Britain. Odd that I call my country that, given it's the only country I've ever known. It has been mainly through our alliances with fellow magus lines gracious enough to lend a helping hand that we've managed to persist, as much as we tell ourselves it's been due to nothing but our own will and cunning.
That'd make me, drinking hot chocolate and seated quite comfortably in a first-class carriage on this train, a link in yet another chain my family has forged to keep itself anchored to this island. My name is:
[ ] Blossom Hillcrest, I'm only nineteen, it was imperative that my parents had me married into another mage family as soon as I was of age.
- [ ] Despite my youth, I always try my best to be ladylike, as befitting a noble English magus.
- [ ] Hah, I'm a magus, I treat others however I want. This has got me into some trouble, heh, but it's hardly like other magi are so well-behaved themselves.
- [ ] I try to be proper and noble towards others, regardless of how I really feel.
- [ ] I try to be proper and noble, towards those I feel truly deserve it.
- [ ] Write-in.
[ ] Lazuli Hillcrest, I won't be specific but I'm already in my late twenties. It was my husband Jarvis and I who decided on our marriage.
- [ ] I do feel truly honoured, but I try not to draw to much attention to myself. I hope my in-laws will accept me.
- [ ] I see no need to humble myself. If I don't get along with his parents, little matter, I am certain Jarvis himself'll always be by my side.
- [ ] Write-in.
With a great puff of steam announcing it, we arrived at Winterwood Station, yet the second I step out I'm stuck by an awful chill. The warmth of the train's interior must've made me forget just how cold it'd be outside, especially with Winterwood's infamous weather.
The rusted, worn-down looking station added another startling contrast to the train.
"Oi, you'd be the new Missus, right?" a loud, chirpy voice came from the other station, with its owner having to brush past a couple of leaving passengers to meet with me. He looked a rather straggly young boy, in quite faded clothes and a frayed scarf around his neck, his hair brown and rather messy. Still, at least from the broad smile on his face, I judged that he didn't mean to be rude, so I nodded in return.
"Name's Trevor Daltrey meself, most of the lads just call me Trev," he went on, "Oh, I'm one of the workers at the old Wisteria House, pay's, er, alright. Mostly I'm on scrubbin' duties with the fireplaces and other crannies, so um, getting to greet Master Jarvis' bride is quite the step up I'd say".
"Trevor!" a harsher, more suitably icy voice shot out at him, with it belonging to more severe, sharper-eyed and sharper-suited man, "Would you
please show more decorum towards no less than the young Jarvis' bride?! Hmph, if only the young Master himself could be here, surely he wouldn't tolerate such flippancy".
[ ] Really? That doesn't sound like Jarvis at all...
[ ] Why yes, that's pretty much Jarvis for you.
[ ] Write-in.
"Oi, seriously Quinn, just tryin' to be friendly here is all," this Trevor said in return, before he turned back to me and said, "Ah yeah, this here's Quinton Elliot, 'e's our butler up at the manor house".
"I am most capable of introducing myself," this Quinton could only snarl back.
What caught my attention about him though, was the quite neatly-tied together package Quinton was holding. When I gestured to it, he said "Oh, this is a most important delivery for none other than the Wisteria's head, and your new father-in-law, Lord Montgomery. Um, but as you are of course Master Jarvis' bride, y-you would be most entitled to hold it for just a while, ah, should you wish," he then gulped.
Smiling, I took the package and began feeling it all over, I could only come to guesses about what lay within:
[ ] Feels like, hmm, fossilised coral.
[ ] A fisherman's net? No wait, there's a scale of some sort in here.
[ ] A fine glass bottle, used for carrying high-quality water.
[ ] A baton I believe?
[ ] Feels like an old hat, a three-corner one I think.
[ ] A tiara, almost like one belonging to a princess. *giggle*
[ ] Mostly just feels like some ashes, yet no urn.
[ ] A plank of wood, but carrying an awful smell, like that of incense used at an old shrine.
I could see this maybe being used as a decoration for the garments the Wisteria are for known making, but I couldn't quell the suspicion that this strange object was really a summoning catalyst, for that rumoured Grail War I'd heard whispers about.
The very sort of thing my grandparents came to this country to avoid.
"Oh hey Missus?" Trevor spoke up and snapped me back out of my thoughts. "Since we're here and all, would ya like to see the town?"
"
Priorities, Trevor. I do believe we should be heading back to Wisteria Manor first thing," Quinton said glaring down.
[ ] "No it's fine, I wouldn't mind getting to know Winterwood, cold aside".
[ ] "Why yes, it's about time I went and saw the Wisteria household. Especially with this cold around".
[ ] Write-in.
