The Darkest Manor (D5LE)

[Lucinia Malveaux]

One eyebrow went up at the near slip of the tongue, but Lucinia let it pass without comment. "This particular one? I'm not sure. The manor on Dromund Kaas goes back millennia, and all our main properties on other planets are made as shadows of it." She pursed her lips thoughtfully. "I can say that the holonet connection is a fairly modern one, although I don't know if that means the building is, or if we made some poor fellow crawl behind these walls." Being a Sith, she didn't sound all that concerned, of course.

Her green eyes flickered to Jan, rubbing her arms. "Unless there's something particular you'd like to see here, we can continue on. I promise, the next room shall be warmer, and the one after that warmer still." She smiled.

[Jan Melmoar]

One eyebrow went up at the near slip of the tongue, but Lucinia let it pass without comment. "This particular one? I'm not sure. The manor on Dromund Kaas goes back millennia, and all our main properties on other planets are made as shadows of it." She pursed her lips thoughtfully. "I can say that the holonet connection is a fairly modern one, although I don't know if that means the building is, or if we made some poor fellow crawl behind these walls." Being a Sith, she didn't sound all that concerned, of course.

Her green eyes flickered to Jan, rubbing her arms. "Unless there's something particular you'd like to see here, we can continue on. I promise, the next room shall be warmer, and the one after that warmer still." She smiled.

"Well....even if the next rooms don't have books the warmness does sound appealing....so long as I don't have to crawl behind any walls."

Jan reflected there appeared to be a Malveaux brand house system going on.

[Lucinia Malveaux]

Lucinia laughed softly. "Well, I'm certainly not going to. Although I wouldn't put it past some of my relatives to install a hidden room somewhere." Her lips quirked. "It's doubtful there would be anything valuable in it, though." With a wave of her arm to indicate the way, Lucinia led the way from the room.

This time, for variety, the stairs went down. At the bottom, there was a brief landing, with stairs going back up (of course), but also a heavy door, at least as heavy as the front, and made from the same dark metal. It did not have the same rusting, but appeared if anything even darker and more imposing.

"Ahh..." Lucinia gave Jan a sidelong glance. "This room is for exploring the mysteries of the Dark Side. I think perhaps we should give it a pass. Else, we would be making a liar of me; it is decidedly not warmer than the last room."

Indeed, one could almost feel a chill coming from the imposing door.

[Jan Melmoar]

Lucinia laughed softly. "Well, I'm certainly not going to. Although I wouldn't put it past some of my relatives to install a hidden room somewhere." Her lips quirked. "It's doubtful there would be anything valuable in it, though." With a wave of her arm to indicate the way, Lucinia led the way from the room.

This time, for variety, the stairs went down. At the bottom, there was a brief landing, with stairs going back up (of course), but also a heavy door, at least as heavy as the front, and made from the same dark metal. It did not have the same rusting, but appeared if anything even darker and more imposing.

"Ahh..." Lucinia gave Jan a sidelong glance. "This room is for exploring the mysteries of the Dark Side. I think perhaps we should give it a pass. Else, we would be making a liar of me; it is decidedly not warmer than the last room."

Indeed, one could almost feel a chill coming from the imposing door.

Jan swallows dryly.

"It....um....yes. Yes you know, I think we could. I usually study things from my bed with an intern in the other room sending through reports. She edges back a little from the door."

[Lucinia Malveaux]

Lucinia's green eyes almost seemed to glow in the dim light. She took a step closer. "Very good. But remember. The dark is not always something to be feared." There was a strange intensity to her soft alto voice.

But even a Sith recognized that going on about the power of the Dark Side really needed the proper audience. After a moment, she smiled pleasantly, leading the way up the stairs into the next room.

This seemed to be the dining room, based on the very long, really just absurdly long table dominating the room. There was a heavy wooden chair on each end, and a few scattered in-between." It was, in fact, a bit warmer, although not much.

"The dining room." Lucinia said. "I don't know who in my family thought we'd be able to fill this table with enough people who would actually want to come to this house." She laughed softly at the thought.

[Jan Melmoar]

Lucinia's green eyes almost seemed to glow in the dim light. She took a step closer. "Very good. But remember. The dark is not always something to be feared." There was a strange intensity to her soft alto voice.

But even a Sith recognized that going on about the power of the Dark Side really needed the proper audience. After a moment, she smiled pleasantly, leading the way up the stairs into the next room.

This seemed to be the dining room, based on the very long, really just absurdly long table dominating the room. There was a heavy wooden chair on each end, and a few scattered in-between." It was, in fact, a bit warmer, although not much.

"The dining room." Lucinia said. "I don't know who in my family thought we'd be able to fill this table with enough people who would actually want to come to this house." She laughed softly at the thought.

When Lucinia steps forward Jan works hard not to instinctively step back, although it was clear the dark side was something a humble ex-soldier wasn't always comfortable with. Although she supposed using it to hang flags wasn't really that bad.

The dining room was a happier subject....although warm was clearly a relative concept for the Malveauxs
"Do you eat in here....without company?"
Her voice echoes a little
"Is this how you mastered moving things with the force? So you could pass the salt to one aonther?"

[Lucinia Malveaux]

Lucinia shook her head, her blonde hair brushing her shoulders. "Goodness, no. Wouldn't that look ridiculous. I'd feel like... like some sort of super-villain from the holovids. I tend to take my meals in the parlour." Like Jan's, her voice echoed a bit in the cavernous room.

Walking slowly around the table, she flashed Jan a quick smile. "We had servants to pass things for us. But still, there was motivation. My brother probably outmasses me two to one. Sometimes I just had to get the mashed potatoes away from him before he ate them all." She reached out with one hand, miming the potato summoning. "It was for his own good, really." She said airily.

A curious glance. "Do you have any family?"

[Jan Melmoar]

Lucinia shook her head, her blonde hair brushing her shoulders. "Goodness, no. Wouldn't that look ridiculous. I'd feel like... like some sort of super-villain from the holovids. I tend to take my meals in the parlour." Like Jan's, her voice echoed a bit in the cavernous room.

Walking slowly around the table, she flashed Jan a quick smile. "We had servants to pass things for us. But still, there was motivation. My brother probably outmasses me two to one. Sometimes I just had to get the mashed potatoes away from him before he ate them all." She reached out with one hand, miming the potato summoning. "It was for his own good, really." She said airily.

A curious glance. "Do you have any family?"

"You had to put him in his place, I imagine brothers would eat all the mash potato, leaving you with nothing. That would clearly be an act of war."
Jan had never really considered force battles for sides...but it did make sense, she'd done worse for mashed potatoes.

"Family? Uh..."
One of her feet taps, a little embarassed
"Not so much....I mean I might have some cousins somewhere."

[Lucinia Malveaux]

Lucinia's lips curled up. "Believe me, it came to that more than once, when my parents weren't there. You haven't seen a food fight until you've seen one where all of the parties involved can throw it with their minds, too."

She tilted her head, regarding Jan... almost sympathetically. Pretty close. Perhaps extra points for a Sith. "Oh...?" Lucinia spread one hand, her smile gently encouraging.

[Jan Melmoar]

Lucinia's lips curled up. "Believe me, it came to that more than once, when my parents weren't there. You haven't seen a food fight until you've seen one where all of the parties involved can throw it with their minds, too."

She tilted her head, regarding Jan... almost sympathetically. Pretty close. Perhaps extra points for a Sith. "Oh...?" Lucinia spread one hand, her smile gently encouraging.

"Well it's not much of a story Lord Malveaux but I can give you the highlights.

I'm from Drezzi, my parents both worked in a small foundry smelting local ores."
Cocking her head
"...Drezzi isn't really an important planet, so you might not have heard of it, but at the time we were all very good Imperial citizens. Anyway, I was born....which I think was for me at least, a good thing. Grew up with food on the table which was nice.....then."

Spreading her arms
"Turns out inhaling toxic fumes for a couple decades is no good for the health and mom got sick, then dad....you know how it goes."

Puffing out her cheeks and giving Lucinia a look of what might possibly be genuine sadness....or the rep is getting better at her innocent face.
"I decided the factory life wasn't for me and the army was always recruiting so....yeah. I don't think my future mansion will be on Drezzi."

[Lucinia Malveaux]

"Oh." Lucinia said, her voice soft. Her green eyes shifted off to the side, her pale cheeks turning just a bit pink. A reminder of just how well off her family was compared to others in the Empire. And just how confusing an emotion like sympathy was to one of the Sith. This was perhaps why she preferred to counter her enemies plans rather than preemptively destroying them.

After a short pause, she looked back, managing a gentle smile. "Come." She reached out, taking Jan's hand. "There's still a few rooms I'd like to show you. Shall we?"

[Jan Melmoar]

"Oh." Lucinia said, her voice soft. Her green eyes shifted off to the side, her pale cheeks turning just a bit pink. A reminder of just how well off her family was compared to others in the Empire. And just how confusing an emotion like sympathy was to one of the Sith. This was perhaps why she preferred to counter her enemies plans rather than preemptively destroying them.

After a short pause, she looked back, managing a gentle smile. "Come." She reached out, taking Jan's hand. "There's still a few rooms I'd like to show you. Shall we?"

Jan blinks, the last Sith she'd told the story to had just laughed before declaring that she understimated his power.....in hindsight he had been a rather low level dark lord.

"Oh....Uh, sure! Let's"
She allows herself to be red, the tip of her nose turning a little red.

[Lucinia Malveaux]

Lucinia flashed a quick smile back over her shoulder as she led Jan along. As before, her hand was a little on the cold side, but her skin was very soft, even as she gave the hand a little squeeze.

This time, the stairway made a circle, curving up and then back down for no apparent reason, leaving one to wonder what the designer was thinking, or if they even were. Perhaps they were mad...

The stairway opened up into a long hallway. This was almost normally lit, with rooms leading off to both sides, lights visible under some of them. Lucinia stepped closer to Jan. "This is the guest wing. My sister Drascovina and some of her friends are staying here." She whispered, smirking. "We definitely don't want to disturb them."

[Jan Melmoar]

Lucinia flashed a quick smile back over her shoulder as she led Jan along. As before, her hand was a little on the cold side, but her skin was very soft, even as she gave the hand a little squeeze.

This time, the stairway made a circle, curving up and then back down for no apparent reason, leaving one to wonder what the designer was thinking, or if they even were. Perhaps they were mad...

The stairway opened up into a long hallway. This was almost normally lit, with rooms leading off to both sides, lights visible under some of them. Lucinia stepped closer to Jan. "This is the guest wing. My sister Drascovina and some of her friends are staying here." She whispered, smirking. "We definitely don't want to disturb them."

Counter hand squeeze....the poor Sith clearly just had poor circulation.
Jan takes a moment to orientate herself after the circle stair.

"Ah....They're....teens?"
Shudder
"Definitely a good reason to stay quiet."

[Lucinia Malveaux]

Lucinia nodded, grimacing delicately. "Teens, yes. Very much so. I don't know that I've ever encountered anyone quite so teenaged as them." She shuddered. "Fortunately, sound travels poorly in this house, so once we're away from here, it should be safe."

A moment of hesitation, then, Lucinia glancing at Jan through her lashes. "This next one is... a little strange. Uncanny, I might even call it. But, if you're feeling brave..." Her red lips curled up, "-you are feeling brave tonight, aren't you, Jan?"

[Jan Melmoar]

Lucinia nodded, grimacing delicately. "Teens, yes. Very much so. I don't know that I've ever encountered anyone quite so teenaged as them." She shuddered. "Fortunately, sound travels poorly in this house, so once we're away from here, it should be safe."

A moment of hesitation, then, Lucinia glancing at Jan through her lashes. "This next one is... a little strange. Uncanny, I might even call it. But, if you're feeling brave..." Her red lips curled up, "-you are feeling brave tonight, aren't you, Jan?"

Tilting her head side to side

"I'm going to say 'yes' and the good news is that if I flee in terror it won't be particularly far or particularly fast."
She sets her face to a confident once, smirking agt Lucinia.

[Lucinia Malveaux]

Lucinia laughed softly; this time bringing a hand to her mouth actually did make it quieter. With Drascovina possibly just down the hallway, no doubt she was motivated to be quiet. "Well, good enough." She said.

Still holding Jan's hand in hers, Lucinia continued on instead of down the guest wing. If Jan's sense of direction was good, she'd realize that they were close to where they had started. But instead of taking the door that would lead back to the parlour, Lucinia led them up a spiral staircase. The steps were cold stone, and lights in sconces provided just enough light to see by.

After far too long, the stairway opened up into a long hallway, dimly lit, a door just visible at the end of it. Along the way, lining both sides, was a series of holoportraits, all human, men and women. Nearly all of them seemed to be old, and wearing very stern expressions. "This is what I have to walk through every morning and every night. My ancestors." Lucinia murmured.

There was something just a little bit off about the portraits; eyes a little too unfocused, jaws a little too tight or too loose. A cold wind seemed to blow down the hallway.

[Jan Melmoar]

Lucinia laughed softly; this time bringing a hand to her mouth actually did make it quieter. With Drascovina possibly just down the hallway, no doubt she was motivated to be quiet. "Well, good enough." She said.

Still holding Jan's hand in hers, Lucinia continued on instead of down the guest wing. If Jan's sense of direction was good, she'd realize that they were close to where they had started. But instead of taking the door that would lead back to the parlour, Lucinia led them up a spiral staircase. The steps were cold stone, and lights in sconces provided just enough light to see by.

After far too long, the stairway opened up into a long hallway, dimly lit, a door just visible at the end of it. Along the way, lining both sides, was a series of holoportraits, all human, men and women. Nearly all of them seemed to be old, and wearing very stern expressions. "This is what I have to walk through every morning and every night. My ancestors." Lucinia murmured.

There was something just a little bit off about the portraits; eyes a little too unfocused, jaws a little too tight or too loose. A cold wind seemed to blow down the hallway.

Oh no, no she did not like these portraits at all....Jan's skill crawled as she swore one glared at her.

"They're all very....very.."
Whispering
"I don't want to offend them but."
Shivering
"They know they're creating a rather creepy ambience, right?"

[Lucinia Malveaux]

Lucinia's hand squeezed Jan's a little tighter as she slowly lead the way down the hallway. Indeed, some eyes did almost seem to follow them, while some seemed almost eerily unconcerned.

Lucinia shook her head. "No. They're all dead." She glanced back over, meeting Jan's eyes with hers, her expression serious. "And they were when these portraits were taken. It is a family tradition that when the head of the household passes, a death portrait is made of them." She waved a hand. "You see the results here."

[Jan Melmoar]

Lucinia's hand squeezed Jan's a little tighter as she slowly lead the way down the hallway. Indeed, some eyes did almost seem to follow them, while some seemed almost eerily unconcerned.

Lucinia shook her head. "No. They're all dead." She glanced back over, meeting Jan's eyes with hers, her expression serious. "And they were when these portraits were taken. It is a family tradition that when the head of the household passes, a death portrait is made of them." She waved a hand. "You see the results here."

"Well that's.....something"
To one particularly unhappy looking woman in a portait
"No no, I really mean well, no need to glare."
Jan's happy for the squeeze as she tries to ignore the sense of the walls closing in on her.

"I might have a portait done of me while I'm alive....no offensive! No need to sneer"
She shies away from one grumpy looking man.