Where the wild roses grow [open]

[anonymous]

[ooc: An open thread. Post here if thou wishes to. Have fun with yours truly. Trouble is highly welcomed. But I'm aiming this at Ida- hope she returns. She must post here- even if she's the last. Doesn't matter who goes first after me anyway.]

The gray clouds spread across the dark sky, and lazy tufts of snow fell down, covering everything it can touch. The trees share the same powdery covering with the grounds, and occasionally there would be a few peaks of grass here and there beneath the snow, but other than that all one could see is white- pure white serenity, encased in blistering coldness.

Drake made his way silently through the white trees, covered in his usual sweater and other clothings. His crimson hair appeared to be covered with the powdery granules of ice- yet he did not bother to brush them off, watched them even to fall down the ground once he picked up speed once more in his pace.

He wasn't in the mood to stay confined in his room. To him, as he had looked out the window hours ago, this winter wonderland was the place to be. It was a rather lonely Christmas. Ree had gone off to visit someone else- her family, presumably- and now he was left alone, with nothing else to look forward to.

He sat beneath a tree, crossing his legs, his arms limp at his sides, eyes closed. Around him he could feel the cold sting falling over his face, and the sounds of the forest surrounded him. Yet he was alone, and no one else was there, and he opened his eyes, opening to meet the glare of the sun, but instead he sees the whiteness of Christmas before him. His brows furrowed in anger and disappointment, he turns, and stares out into the middle of the trees, watching life happen as it should.

He remembered the last Christmas he had with his dad still alive- he had been five, yet the liveliness and carefree attitude of a child were gone. He was stern, poised, graceful, behaved. A gentleman as always. They were having dinner; the draperies were colorful, red and green, and in the corner stood a majestic Christmas tree, fully decorated and wonderfully made. Yet the whole family was quite- only three beings eating together in one long table filled with delicious food, seated far from each other, silent, eating. It sounded so tragic...and yet...

He brought himself back to the present. He never wanted to remember anything about his past ever again- he was sick of them all- of the lack of love, the lack of warmth, the lack of attention from every one of them! What he would have given to attain those. But that was a long time ago, and he had changed so far.

In the silence, he moved, adjusting his position on the bark. He was bored. He was truly bored that he was actually now briefing through his childhood.

[~Just a little girl.]

The truly wonderful thing about Christmas was not the presents or the decorations, and for her, not even the family was qualified. After all, she didn't have any of that. For her, it was the secrets it brought out of people.

Ida walked through the trees, her long blond hair flowing majestically behind her, her violet floral dress swinging with her mane. Above her the snow sprinkled silently, powdering everything else with white fluffiness. Winter was her favorite season- not that it reminded her much of her caretaker, but because it was a bittersweet serenity she loved.

Her boots made footprints when she walked on the snow, and a small fog came to be whenever she decided to breathe. Her reason of entering this place was because she had been bothered by everything else in life- and that she needed time for herself, some time to think. And the North Woods were always a good choice when it came for a little isolation.

But she ad been wrong about that--for when she arrived at the heart of the woods, she saw a man sitting idly on the ground, and she thinks why he would be there. Was he hurt? He seemed fine, just troubled, after all. No injury. His expression twitched from annoyance to...boredom? She wasn't really good at telling people's feelings. And yet...

"Mister Von Drae?" she says aloud, her voice high and small and chirpy, carrying out through the air. "What are you doing here, sir?"

[anonymous]

"Mister Von Drae?" he heard, and he turned his face towards the sound of the voice. It was Ida- the little girl he had attacked one time in class, the little porcelain doll he had always wanted to observe...Ida, the little girl.

"What are you doing here, sir?" the question thrown after regarding of his name irked himself a bit, since she was in no position to restrain him or whatsoever. Nevertheless, he did not disregard the question asked, and replied with a slight tone of annoyance in his voice, "I'm resting. i should ask you the same question, by the way."

He stood up, his eyes still on the child, not wanting to lose her from his sight. She was an interesting girl- though not everyone would see that. She had a mediocre Alice, and she wasn't a genius...and yet, something was fascinating about her, and he wanted to know. He needed to.

He walked over, looking down upon her, thinking how fragile she looked, and how vulnerable. She was right under his spell, he could tell; all he had to do was remove his gloves and suck her dry. But that was a dishonorable thing to do, attacking innocent girls unprotected like this...but after all, he had done plenty of dishonorable things because of his Alice. So why was this any different?

Nevertheless, he chose not to harm her...just yet. He needed her trust, her complete cooperation. "Will you accompany me deeper in the forest?" he asked suddenly. It surprised him too- but it had been said, and there was no going back.

[~Just a little girl.]

"I'm resting. I should ask you the same question, by the way."

the sentence was said with a hint of annoyance, and Ida couldn't help cringing back a bit at that. Drake always managed to scare her. Maybe it was because of his notoriety, his Alice, of his way of presenting himself. He was a vampire, wasn't he? Or something like that. He could take lives- she looked at his bracelets wearily, the so-called 'restrictions'. Those weren't enough to save her that time. If it weren't for her...she had been so close to death, she thinks, letting out an audible sigh.

He stood up suddenly, not giving her any time to reply, yet she didn't mind. She didn't know what to say- it was better that way to have him move without her mouthing anything. Best for the both of them.

He approached her this time, and she backed away a step, scared, uncertain of what he had in mind. If he attacked, there was no way anybody could save her...her screams might be just a mystery to them, of a girl who died so mysteriously.

"Will you accompany me deeper in the forest?"

The question was surprising. She actually jumped at that- not really expecting it, but it was better than him biting down her neck. "Uh..." she stammered, not knowing what to say, "O-okay. If you wish..."

[anonymous]

The little girl sighed before him, looking so stressed out it was pathetic. He needn't any of this right now- he was hungry, and a little life sap wouldn't hurt, but then...somewhere in him he knew he didn't want to frighten her more. He was as scary as he is.

"O-okay. If you wish..." she replied to his question, although sounding scared and forced. But there was nothing he could do here- after all, little Ida didn't like him, and Drake had no power over her. Unless of course he took over her sanity- that wasn't possible for him though.

"Let's get going then," he said, turning to the place between the trees, and started his long trek down the sloping hill. There was something there, he just knew it, and nothing was going to stop him from finding out. Drake was ready and looking for trouble- even if it meant endangering Ida's safety as well.

Not minding if she followed or not, he moved without a sound, careful not to attract any unwanted attention from creatures. He would save his energy for now- unless of course if he needed it.