Moving In (Council/Esme/Taylor)

[Vlad]

The sky was absent of the sun's warming light, it having been covered by the clouds that were a nearly constant thing in a London winter. Wind making the branches of the trees that surrounded the manor sway. The vampire did not stand by the window to observe the weather though, he watched for the guests he knew were soon to arrive.

His beautiful swan, Ms. Esme Lolland. The thought of her curved his lips into a soft smile. Humor, grace and charm wrapped into a beautiful package. He knew the girl would easily fit in among the council with her wits and the way happiness seemed to cling to her like a bright cloak. Her rooms were prepared and Vlad would be glad to see her once more. It would be entertaining to watch her grow more confident in her magic under Morgan's and Jonas' instruction.

Ms. Taylor, his sweet wolf. He looked forward to running in the forest with the girl on the full moon. His shifts were not bound to the lunar cycles as hers were but the prospect of running with another wolf was enticing enough to give him patience. More than that was the lure of the girl's blood which she had offered to him. He could almost hear her heart beating now, though he knew it to be but a phantom of his imagination. The urge disgusted him, but he wanted to taste the wolf's blood. The promise filled him with a sinister glee. Taylor's rooms were just down from his, also ready for her arrival.

He leaned against the wall, the smile gracing his lips as he watched the forest below him. He'd personally given both women instructions as to how to find the manor, there was nothing more for him to do than wait.

[Esme M. Lolland]

Esme had been dropped off at the foot of the driveway with a few rolling suitcases and a dufflebag. Only problem was: she hadn't gotten the confidence to take the first steps to her new home. She was excited to move in, it meant that she'd finally learn the magick that she wanted to learn, but there were so many other things that came along with this house.

Right behind the doors was Jonas, the only member of the Council she hadn't met and the one that she was most scared to meet. Right behind those doors was Vlad, the first person she had met but also one of the most intriguing people in that household. Right behind those doors was Morgan, her new teacher and the woman she had been told she'd mesh with all too well. But most of all, right behind those doors was Judas.

Esme had been pacing back and forth at the foot of the drive, afraid to go into that house because of who she'd meet. It looked like a beautiful place from the outside, much like her family's home in countryside, but beautiful houses lie. The house may hold secrets that she shouldn't know and by walking into that house she'd be sealing the deal. She didn't want to do that.

Gathering all of her strength Esme took a deep breath and grabbed her suitcases. She climbed the steps to the door and looked at the knocker. "This is it," she whispered to herself as she took the knocker in her hand. The bangs resonated through the air as Esme waited for someone to open the door.

[Morgan Le Fey]

Today was the day that Esme and Vlad's wolf were moving into the house. Morgan was clearing her head with meditation. Something told her that Esme would be there soon, and she should wrap it up. She never argued with her feelings so she did what instincts told her. She was standing by the door when Esme knocked and she opened it quickly.

"Esme, my dear student, you are right on time. come in come in please. Leave your things here and they will be taken to your room shortly. It is so lovely to have you here." Morgan smiled softly at her student. "Did you have any trouble finding the place? I am sure that you didn't but it's always polite to ask" she could tell that the girl was nervous.

"Let's us go to the main chamber and I will introduce you to Jonas, I am sure he is around somewhere. I know that you've met Vlad and Judas already." She remembered the words Judas spoke at the meeting and shrugged them away. She wasnt sure what else had happened between the two, she didn't speak with Judas to often if she didn't have to.

[Judas]

Judas watched Vlad and Morgan wait for the new arrivals like cats outside the mousehole. He could clearly picture them both having swishing tails and wide, satisfied grins. He got a few good chuckles out of the image. What was the point in waiting around? The girls would get here eventually whether there was someone waiting for them or not. The invention of the doorbell was a wonderful thing.

He heard the door open and listened to see which of the women if was. It was Esme, the girl he'd...met...a few nights ago. His emotions had been all over the place since that night, he felt sixteen years old and ignorant. It wasn't a feeling he enjoyed. Yet, somehow he couldn't bring himself to be angry over it, and he'd tried. And the sound of the girl's voice brought an involuntary half-smile to his face. It wasn't a true smile like the one the girl had wrestled out of him the night they'd met, but it wasn't his usual grimace either.

Judas made his way to the top of the stairs, he'd heard Morgan tell Esme that her bags would be taken to her rooms. He didn't have anything better to do, he knew the sorceress hadn't been referring to him, but it would be faster if he did it himself. He wouldn't even consider the possibility that it also gave him an excuse to welcome the girl.

He went down the stairs and picked up the girl's luggage with ease, it was lighter than he would have expected. "Consider me the bellboy." He said to explain why he was holding Esme's things. "Welcome home, kid. What do you think?"

[Taylor]

Taylor had stared out the window of the car staring at the forest. Her eyes moving inbetween the trees, the corners of her lips turned upward in a small. It helped ease the nerves she was feeling. Having lived in the same house for years and by herself she was used to being alone. As the car moved closer to her new home she let her eyes study the building and took a deep breath as she got out. She had one large plain black suit case and then a smaller matching one as well as her laptop tucked safely in its case.

Dressed in nice white button down blouse, a pair of black flare dress slacks and a pair of heels she looked around she smiled and breathed in the scents of this place. Shaking her head she walked up to the door and took a deep breath. Dropping her one suitcase beside her she made sure that her bangs were tucked behind her ear and yet still covered the scar. She doubted that it mattered here but it was habit.

Her fingers curled around the knocker and she knocked a few times before letting her fingers slide away. Looking at the door she glanced back at the forest and then at the door. She licked her bottom lip and began to wonder who would open the door and greet her.

[Vlad]

The door opening shook him from his thoughts. He'd been lost in the uncertainty of what was to come, the unstable future. There was much to think of, much to consider and decide. But that could wait on the sidelines for now, the council had visitors to greet. The future could wait while he enjoyed this moment, he would live in the present for the first time in a long while rather than the past or the times yet to come.

He made his way to the top of the stairs, deciding to stay there once he saw how crowded the landing had become. He was curious at Judas' welcoming nature towards the girl he had spoken against at the council meeting. Or perhaps not against, no, the soul collector had simply been upset that Vlad had shared some of his personal information. Understandable, but none of the hostility he'd protrayed then was present now. The man seemed almost...fond...of his swan.

"Forgive my greeting you from a distance, Ms. Esme but I fear another body added to the landing would make it difficult to breathe." He nodded at the mention of the girl meeting Jonas, it was a good idea for introductions to be put out of the way as soon as possible.

Another knock on the door brought his attention away from his swan. "I believe that is our second guest, if someone would be so kind as to open the door for her." His wolf and his swan were here at last, brought quickly as Jonas had requested. It would be good to have, forgive the expression, new blood within the manors walls.

[Esme M. Lolland]

Esme smiled as the door opened and it was Morgan who welcomed her, she didn't know what she would have done if it were any other member of the Council, maybe turn and run away. She walked in the doorway and left her belongings on the floor as Morgan had instructed. "No, I had no trouble finding the place whatsoever, the hardest part was getting the courage to walk up the stairs."

Esme smiled as Judas came down the stairs and took her bags, she couldn't help but laugh when he said she could call him the bell boy. She looked around the room, "From what I've seen so far, my new home seems pretty impressive, old man. I don't quite know if I'll being doing any exploring any time soon, judging by how old it is. As far as I know there could be skeletons in the dungeon," she joked, she hoped the Council would get the old jokes and not get upset about it... she at least expected that Judas wouldn't get too upset.

She was startled by Vlad's voice and looked to the top of the stairs, "Hello, Vlad. I understand your fears entirely and I forgive you for not coming down."

Before she could say anything else there was a knock on the door, Esme pointed towards the door, knowing that everyone else probably heard the knock as well. Vlad made an audible comment about it. Esme took a few steps away from the door, hoping to leave a little more room on the doorstep for this other guest. Esme wasn't quite sure if she was ever told about this other person in passing, she was starting to get a bit more excited by this move in than she expected she would be.