2. Anna

Also a long long time ago (around the same time as last entry):


I stand at my place behind my lord's large wooden chair. The maid said we were having a special visitor this morning and that our lord needed me today-- not only to show me off, but also as protection. She picked out one of my rarely used gowns, a deep purple one which exposes too much of my neck. "It brings out the color of your eyes," she had said. But all I can think of it is that my neck is too exposed.

Boots loudly scuffle on the stone just outside the door. My stomach churns anxiously at the sound of his arrival.




Lord Henry sits down in the seat before me as I try my best to smile the way I used to when I was a naive little girl. The look on his face is stern. Once he is in the seat before me, he says, "A mermaid visit today, Anna. If he should attack, use fire."

I simply nod and pray that the merman doesn't attack.

My lord leans back so that the wood from the back of the chair creaks from holding his weight. I can feel his agitation. Mermaids are not the friends of the Vampires.

A messenger announces the arrival of Lord Pollonios shortly before he walks in through the door. He wears no clothes. My eyes dart away quickly. From my first glance, I can tell that he is much smaller than my lord, shorter and slimmer. His skin appears to be blue like the ocean he comes from, and he looks very much like a human, but for his flat nose and large red eyes.



From the corner of my eyes, I can see him moving to a seat motioned to by my lord.

"Good day, my lord. I have come bearing gifts." The merman's voice is deep and low but carries far. There is a vibration to his voice; it rumbles as if deep within his chest he brought the water from the sea.

"You are quite a way away from home, are you not? Don't tell me you came all this way to bring me young maidens."

The merman gurgles. I can only guess that he is laughing. "I am sorry, my lord, but my land, unfortunately, does not have much else to offer to one of your calibur. Unless, perhaps, you were needing strong workers."

My lord's voice becomes deep and menacing. "What is it you are hoping to get in return?" I can imagine his dark eyes glowering.


The merman maintains his calm. Quickly, my eyes scan for his face and I catch him glancing at me before I look away again. He is curious about me, but because my lord hasn't brought the subject up, it would be rude for the merman to ask about me. "Nothing at all, my lord. Simply, your goodwill. The previous lord met an untimely demise, and I have stepped in to take care of his lands. I thought it might be a good idea to meet my closest neighbors."

My lord sits quietly for a moment. Both the mermaid and I hold our breaths as we wait for a response. I can't help glancing up again, and I see the merman's eyes on me. It becomes clear to me that he knows the blow will come from my hands, not the guard who stands near by.


"Quite daring of you to appear before me as a new lord." My lord's voice suddenly changes into something more like the purr of a cat. I wonder if he is smiling and flashing his fangs as I have seen him do sometimes. "In a few days, some of the other Vampire lords will be visiting to partake in a show quite unlike any thing I dare say you've seen. I would like you to come."

The merman has no choice. "Thank you. The art of this kingdom is known far and wide. It would be an honor to be a witness."



The merman bows his head, then rises to take his leave. My lord stands, blocking my view of the merman. I peek one eye around my lord's large arm to watch the merman bowing deeply. When he pulls himself up, he glances at me again, clearly still curious. But my lord says nothing.

************************

I haven't said it at all so far, but Henry is actually William Carfax by Atomic Space Kitty. He is simply awesome. The second I saw him, I thought he would make a good bad guy.

Also, although I keep thinking it, I refuse to ask if I've gone too weird. XD If there are people out there going, "Whaaaat?" Then I can only point over to my "About me" section and stress that I really love the X-Men, comic books, science fiction and other odd things. (In particular, I love the late 70 and early 80's when Chric Claremont did the whole Space Opera thing which began the Dark Phoenix storyline.)

Read more!

1. Joan

A long long time ago...



The other members of our small secret group watch me expectantly. The second in command (now the leader) has just read my father's last testament.

"Well, will you, Joan? It won't be easy, and we will do our best to prepare you for your journey."

I don't see that I have a choice. It would be impossible for me to say, "No. The human race can rot, I'll take my chances living with the mermaids."

So I nod like an idiot.




I had seen magic. My father preformed it for us and had us practicing in the basement under his pub after hours. We had to be sneaky. If other humans saw us, there was always the possibility that we could be turned in and severely punished.

We live in the Kingdom of the Mermaids. For the most part, the mermaids are very hands off. They could be as cruel lords and masters as the Vampires and Werewolves, but often they don't care to be so. It is only when they want something that we are called to do something for our masters.

To the mermaids, we are nothing more than a commodity. They use us as they please. More than once, whole cities of humans have been lost to attacks from the neighboring kingdoms. The Mermaids simply forget to check on their humans.


Our own mermaid lord recently died. We are only aware of this because the new lord (we assume it is the son of our old lord) has been seen wandering the land, checking production. The last sighting was the small community next to us. One of the merchants traveling back and forth trading goods heard this and passed on the news to us. It is now or never.

We are all certain he will want a place to stay. During the night, he is fine thanks to the cold moisture in the air and the water he carries with him. But after sunrise, it will be too warm for him to continue his tour. He will want to stay at the inn above my father's pub. The one I now run since his passing away.

The new lord has been seen gathering a small group of women who go with his human guards when they were picked. A gathering of women means most likely one thing. He is planning a gift for one of the neighboring kingdoms' lords. We are guessing that it is most likely for the Werewolf King who could properly appreciate the maidens.

The new lord would be here tomorrow night. Somehow, I am to get myself included in his gift. My mission: gather magic users to help fight for the freedom that we are rightfully due.




***************************

So, here's where I get weird. This storyline is something that came out of a playful free write.

I don't want it to be confusing, so I am trying to make sure everything you need to know will somehow be mentioned in the posts. (Because you really won't need to know everything yet.) Feel free to ask what you want, but I reserve the right to not answer. ;) At some point, I will put up a detailed post that explains what I've got worked out so far, but for now, to hopefully cut out the confusion, I will let the story carry what info you absolutely need.

Read more!

Campfire

Amberle stared at the fire as it jumped and sputtered throwing sparks into the air before her. She sat in the middle of the woods alone with a blood-drinking vampire and in front of a fire no less. She didn't like any of it one bit, even though it was to such a point of absurdity, she was almost ready to laugh out loud at her own luck.

"I would explain if I thought you would listen," Henry said softly. So far, he had kept his distance from her, but she could feel his eyes on her as if he were waiting for her to make a get-a-way.



"Why wait? Can't you just 'suggest' that I listen?" She cringed inwardly at the childishness she heard in her own voice.

"There are some it will not work on."

She dared to glance at him to see if he were watching her, but his eyes remained fixed on the fire before them.


Did he mean that she couldn't be dazzled? It made her curious, but as her own voice refused to co-operate with her stubborn tough elf image, she refused to ask anything about it. Instead, she tried to remain angry. Henry left her to her angry silence; this time he didn't bother to try to small talk her as he had on the ride up.

The silence helped her anger stew. It wasn't long before she finally blurted, "What is it you want from me anyway? Why am I here? That's the only reason why you even started bothering with me, isn't it?"

He glanced guiltily at her. "In the beginning, I did try to suggest to you. I had hoped to avoid stretching things out. But you are surprisingly-- refreshing."

For a moment, she worried he might be referring to her scent. She tried to keep the horror off her face.

"I think you are quite unique and for more than just your eyes."


The direction of the conversation was making her uncomfortable, so she jumped on the new conversation topic despite it being the weakest thread. "What's that about my eyes?"

He looked at her in surprise. "You haven't noticed how unique your eye color is, even among the elves?"

Amberle shrugged. "Not really."

Henry sighed. "How often have you seen lilac colored eyes besides when you look in the mirror?"

Amberle scowled. "I don't know! Who cares? What is this all supposed to mean anyway?"



"It has to do with the most sought after commodity that very few are aware of-- magic."

Amberle was thoroughly confused. She had no magic. Her teacher and every adult had told her so and had refused to train her. When ever she used magic, it often backfired on her and anyone near by her until she feared to use any innate powers she did have. "What are you talking about? I have no real magic, and any magic I do have is cursed."

Henry raised an eyebrow. "None at all? I have heard that you created a home out of dust and dirt when you first arrived across the sea. And that when you needed it, you created an entire nursery set for your special guest."

Amberle threw her hands up in the air. "That wasn't me. That was a magical place. It had a wishing well."

It was clear that Henry did not believe her despite her protests. "Who gave you the idea that you have no magic? Was it the adult elves? The ones who should have taught you?"

Amberle looked into the fire, but she said nothing.

"Amberle," Henry's voice became low even as his eyes sparkled with surprise. "Have they never told you?"


"Told me what?"

"Who your father is?"

There was a golden glow that errupted behind Henry, almost blinding Amberle with the sudden brightness cutting through the dim light from the campfire.

"Let her go." Leander stood with magic crackling at his fingertips. "Now."



****************

I have to admit I'm kind of excited about this storyline. It was really fun to take the pictures, and the sims (in general) were pretty co-operative. It was the game that was not always working with me.

I hope these pictures aren't too dark. If they are, let me know so I can fix them because the next four Mondays will all be part of this one night.


I also thought this random picture was cute, but didn't fit in anywhere. Doesn't Leander look thrilled?

Read more!

Gabe & Alberta's first official date

Gabe’s such a romantic. What’s the first thing he does with Alberta on their first official date? Plays punch me punch you. I was rather sure this would not end well with him being a mean sim and all.





Wait for it… Is this is?



No, they continue playing. Either Alberta is really easy going, or (as I prefer to think) he really worked hard not to hurt her like he would his brother.



Afterwards, they played some darts.

Don't worry, Gabe was only teasing.


Alberta's stomach growled, and Gabe couldn't have that. So he grilled up some burgers for everyone.

(Really, where do they keep the ground beef? If it's in the same back pocket as the mop, then no thank you!)




It started to rain suddenly and mysteriously.

But that didn't stop Gabe from working his classic moves on her.


They did head inside eventually. Where Gabe pounced on her and gave her a big squeeze!

I just love his face in this one.

Unfortunately, I missed her first kiss. She seems to have gotten it sometime around the beach party. Gabe totally snuck it in there while I wasn’t looking! (I do have a bad habit of leaving the game while a lot loads. I suppose missing her first kiss is what I get.)

But it’s ok, they need lots of time to practice anyway.



************************

Just a bit of filler so that the new storyline starts on Monday. :D

Read more!

Reasonable

Amberle sat on her couch waiting for him. She stared down at her feet, every so often wiggling a toe to see it press against the top of her shoes. Her suitcase sat near by. There was no choice. He had given her none. He knew all her friends and could attack any one of them. There was nothing she could do to stop him.



Except for this. He had visited her last night (could she really have only found out yesterday?), but she definitely hadn't been in the mood for talking to him. Her cat, CJ, had hissed violently at the unnaturalness standing in her apartment reminding her of that one strange night. It was clear that this was not his first time in her apartment.

Henry had told her that he needed her to be ready to travel. Amberle cursed her own luck. She had thought it was getting better. The last time she had any sort of kitchen fire had been months ago. Most of her mornings had started out rather well which had only given her a false sense of luck on her side. Of course all her luck was simply piling up for this big doozy. Her first time and it's with a vampire.



Henry appeared before her, but she kept her eyes down.

"I'm ready." Amberle couldn't look him in the face. She knew she would search for those teeth that could rip her throat out. The ones that had killed three people, draining them completely of their blood.

Henry stood before her, uninvited, having somehow snuck into her home for a second time (that she knew of). "The cat?"

"I left him with Samantha." Amberle dared to look up. "He doesn't like you, you know. Especially when you sneak into my house."

Henry crossed his arms. "He's not the one I'm concerned about."



"I don't know if I like you either right now." Amberle turned her head away from him.

The silence between them bloomed like a mushroom cloud.

"Amberle..." Henry's voice was soft and deep the way it had been the other night when he had tricked her. But it seemed as if his words stumbled and faltered so that he could only say her name softly.

Amberle's anger brewed. She hadn't been acting like herself that night. He must have used his powers of persuasion to get her into bed. "I suppose you got what you wanted. Now what're we doing? Are you going to just drop off my body in the middle of the woods?" The words spit out of her mouth. She was sure her face was a twisted mass of anger, so she kept her face down.

Henry's voice tightened. "If I were going to kill you, we would have had no needs for these games." There was no response to that; Amberle kept silent. Henry sighed. "Perhaps when you are more reasonable, you will let me explain."

Amberle glared up at him. More reasonable? Was it unreasonable to be angry about being tricked? "I am reasonable." She stood up, but finding him too close, she turned her head. "Let's just go."

Read more!

One day by the sea

Moonglow sat staring out over the sea and giggling to herself as if someone were telling her jokes only she could understand. Ann smiled at the young girl. Moonglow often sat laughing at things that only she could see. She was truly a magical child.





Ann bent down to dig in the dirt. She was looking for a particular piece of sea glass that was to be dropped into a new beauty potion she was cooking up. The baby's laugher rang through the air. Ann could tell she hadn't moved from her spot.

The sand moved easily beneath her fingers until her fingernails scrapped along the wet bottom layer. The sand became more difficult to move then, and Ann had to work to dig deep. The piece of glass she needed was just under her fingertips. Ann stopped. Something was wrong.

The absence of Moonglow's laughter left a void that stopped Ann's heart.

Ann turned to see the baby was crawling recklessly towards the sea as if she were expecting arms to envelope her.


Ann's feet stumbled through the sand too slowly to reach the baby in time. The waves lapped at her hands and feet, sucking at the sand beneath. Ann flung herself at Moonglow, grabbing her with both hands and lifting her high from the water.

As it slowly dawned on Moonglow that something frightful had happened, the baby began to cry in Ann's arms. The unthinkable had almost happened. Ann had almost lost her first true heir to the sea which had helped name her.


Ann knew then that she could stay no longer. There was something afoot, something that Ann could not sense herself because her own innate magical ability was weak.

She had to find them a new home in a place no one would find them.

*****************************

And here's the kick off for the next season (Summer 3)!

This promises to be the oddest season yet.

Read more!

Random Ama

We managed to move over the course of two days-- but not whole days, only at night because everyone had to work. It was more like one day really. So the place is a MESS. But I got my bookcase put together and now I have my computer set up again all nice and cozy. Hmm... how long can I really go without being able to see the stove? Do I really need to see the stove?

Well, I figured sort of as a celebration I'd post some pics I haven't really been able to turn into a story. And I figured I'd feature Ama because she is the daughter of one of my favorite sims and so she's becoming one of my favorites as well. (If I still have this blog when she's a teen, I can see trouble with a capital "A.")





Right now she's just a cutie with attitude though. She likes to get up in the morning and greet her ants in her little ant farm,

She has this thing with bugs. Bug hunting is her favorite thing to do. This is Ama hunting bugs in front of her mother's work. (Remember when she got grounded that one time?)

Ama likes talking about bugs when company is over for dinner. In this case, their guest did not react the way Ama expected-- much to her great disappointment.


My favorite pics of Ama came from the time she caught some fireflies outside so she could sleep by their mysterious green light.

I love this one. Her eyes look like they're shining brightly as she watches the jar of bugs.


Ama gets it from her mother. Bonnie Centowski is the sort of sim who will be your best friend in a matter of minutes. If you aren't careful, she'll have you outside in the makeover chair she keeps out back giving you a new hair style that you won't be able to say no to.

Like Orlando's guest the other day. Orlando Centowski shows up with this odd sim wearing too much make up and one of those slutty outfits from the Night Life expansion, and Bonnie welcomes the woman into her home as if she were a friend of the family! She gives her a free make over, and even offers her a discount if she comes by the clothing store and lets Bonnie pick out a new outfit for her. (Hmm, ok, maybe Bonnie did notice the outfit.)


Bonnie was something of a troubled teen, and that happened to be when Orlando came into her life. He was rather plain compared to her colorfulness. I think Bonnie at first only used him as an excuse to get out of the house and simply never bothered to delve any deeper into the boy.

Until college that is. Bonnie had never been one of those girls to dream of getting married in a white dress in a church with 500 people she hardly knew watching. She certainly was not the type of girl who would want some extravagant or public proposal.

But Orlando showed he understood her better than anyone else. He invested his own money to help her start her own clothing shop. It nearly brought her to tears to think someone could believe in her like that. And then, while she stood there fighting back tears, he proposed with a knowing smile on his face.

And they've lived happily ever after since.

Read more!