Alluring as the Night

//Lenora
https://uponherlips.forumotion.com/t3046-lenora-serah-karios

//Orianna
https://uponherlips.forumotion.com/t2265-orianna-the-vampire-princess

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Orianna had made a decision. A big one, in fact.
To finally leave her castle grounds and see the rest of the world. She didn't budge on this no matter what, despite how much Theresa tried to talk her down.

Seeing that Orianna wasn't going to budge, Theresa volunteered to go with her to keep her safe. If this was really happening, she couldn't stand the thought of her goddaughter getting into trouble.

The two left the castle after an hour and cleared the surrounding forest. They'd never gone so far from the castle in hundreds of years. (Except that one thing that they agreed they'd never talk about)

After another half hour walking, they arrived at the edge of a town. After that happened, Orianna's buried childish curiosity broke free. She wandered around, looking at everything there was too see, asking strangers questions, and stepping into places she shouldn't be.

Theresa had to keep up with her charge, cutting through crowds as she followed Orianna through town, soon leading them to a Manor with a small garden. Well, small compared to Orianna's.

The Manor's maid was setting everything for her mistress' midnight snack when she noticed the visitors walking into the garden. Once she placed everything, the black-haired maid approached them, polite as always she talked to them. "Excuse me my ladies, do you have any business with the mistress of the Manor?"

"Forgive the intrusion, I was curious of your garden," Orianna greeted. She gave a respectful bow to the maid, while Theresa kept a hand on the pommel of her sword. She wouldn't assume an attack, but so long as they were outside the castle walls, she'd keep her sword hand ready.

Zofia payed attention to the clothing of the girl who was speaking, she had a regal air to her and her companion seemed like a bodyguard. "May I ask your names, my ladies?" She said while performing a graceful bow.

On the meantime, from the window of her study, Lenora, the mistress of the Manor watched the exchange of pleasantries. Thanks to her predator vision, the noblewoman noticed that the young woman, the one speaking to Zofia, had no heat coming out from her body. "An undead like me, hmm... Maybe another vampire?"

Orianna curtsied with the hem of her dress and nod of her head. "I am Orianna Mirvand Rosella, good maid. And this is my godmother and trusted guard, Theresa Morvain~!"
Seeing as how tge mortal world hasn't seen her royal blood in ages, what harm was there of their names?

"Ah, a pleasure to meet you, Lady Orianna and you as well, Lady Theresa." Once again, the maid performed a bow before gesturing to the tea set on the garden. "If you wish, I'm sure my mistress would love some company for the evening. Please, make yourself comfortable, it's not everyday we have another vampire as guest, even less from royalty."

"Ah so you've noticed!" Orianna seemed quite happy to have an exchange outside her castle, so she was quick to accept, much to Theresa's concern.
"I will simply watch over the pleasantries," she answered the maid. "I hope that you treat my princess with respect."

"Indeed, my Lady, vampires have a certain... Scent, it's pretty easy for my kind to identify." With the same grace, Zofia led Orianna to take a seat at the garden table, once Orianna took a seat, the maid returned her attention to the princess' bodyguard. "I assure you, my Lady, she will be treated with all the respect a woman of her standard deserves."

It wasn't long until the mistress of the Manor show herself at the garden. "My apologies for the delay, there was so much paperwork to go through." Stopping in front of Orianna, Lenora performed a bow. "It is nice to meet you, my Lady, my name is Lenora Serah, allow me to welcome to my humble abode." Taking a seat, Lenora gestured Zofia to prepare the tea.

Orianna Rose from her seat, calmly bowing in turn, but excitement still burning in those lavender eyes. "Princess Orianna Mirvand Rosella, Lady Lenorah. Thank you very much for your hospitality!"

Theresa eyed Lenora from the moment she arrived to the moment she took her seat, keeping a vigilant watch for any hostile intent.

"Please my Lady, it's the least I could do, it's not everyday that I receive such a royal visit." By the time the introductions were over, Zofia had already finished preparing the tea and was now serving the two ladies. "Ah, many thanks Zofia." Once the tea was served, the maid took her place next to her mistress. "May I ask what brings you here, princess?"

"As a princess oft will tell you, I do not really get to leave my home's walls too often outside of political missions," she answered, thanking Zofia for the tea as well, taking a sip. "And since it's been hundreds of years since that's ever happened, I've been confined to our home for so long. Eventually I managed to convince my tightly-knit knight to allow me to finally go places outside of my previous range."

Theresa was unnerved by how talkative Orianna was in the face of a total stranger. She couldn't help worry about what could come of this if she kept this kind of chattering up. But perhaps her princess had a reason for this... She certainly hoped so.

Lenora listened to Orianna's tale with attention. "Well, if there is anything you'd like to know about this region feel free to ask, it might not be the most... Crowed and lively city but there are a few ways to find some entertainment, of course if you'd like to ask about myself, the Manor or Zofia, please, be my guest, my lady."

"Quite frankly, I'm just elated to finally get to leave the confines of my home," she admitted. "But since you offered, I'd love to know more about you and your maid." She was eager to see more of the world since the last time she was free to leave the castle grounds and what better place to start than a fellow vampire, and such a gorgeous one at that.

"About us?" Lenora looked at her maid before returning her gaze to Orianna. "Well, we feel flattered, about me I'm just a humble noblewoman who likes to enjoy the little pleasures of life, I have lived here for a very long time, when I moved into the Manor, this village was pretty much half the size it is today." The woman made a stop to take a sip from her tea. "Usually a quiet place but I do enjoy living here and Zofia is pretty good company even when we didn't have the... Best of meetings."

"Trying to drink from an unaware woman usually has it's dangers, my lady." Zofia added.

"Specially when said woman is a werewolf, is it not?" Lenora replied with a chuckle.

"A werewolf?! How exciting!" Orianna was more than intrigued by them at this point. Irresistibly gorgeous and interesting to boot. "I've never seen a werewolf, to be honest. Not in my whole life! My mother had many encounters with them, long ago, but I never had the chance for one, myself."

"I'd advise against it unless you're certain of their intentions, princess," the ever-dutiful bodyguard added.

"Of course, Theresa, of course! Caution takes precedence outside the castle walls. You've told me ten-million and a half times.

"I can assure you, my lady, my intentions are only to serve my Mistress and her honorable guests. Nothing more." The maid replied in a calm and soft tone.

"She's pretty calm for a werewolf, when I met her I was actually surprised. Usually after trying to bite them, a werewolf would retaliate in a highly aggressive manner. Zofia dearest only retaliated with a slap." Lenora let out a chuckle while remembering the past. "After that, we talked, found out that the poor thing didn't have anything to call home and so I invited her to come with me, that was..." The noblewoman stopped to think for a moment. "How long ago was it?"

"Thirty years ago, my lady."

"Ah yes, how fast time flies. Well, since then she has been my maid and I have to admit, I don't think I could live without her now."

"Oh my, that's interesting! My mother would tell me about how proud and spirited werewolves were. Most stories she told me when she came home often ended with 'and then he tried to shred me to ribbons!'"

Looking upon her goddaughter's face, it was hard suppressing Theresa's smile as Orianna went on conversing with their host. So happy, so invested in the story and excited to hear more. It was as if she were still a little one, hobbling around at knee-height. "A very reasonable response, I'd say. I probably would've done the same, if you'll excuse me."

"Indeed, I guess I did deserve that." Lenora added with a chuckle. "But now please, enough about us, tell us more about you, lady Orianna."

Orianna was taken aback by Lenora's statement. Perhaps she merely wasn't expecting it, maybe she was hesitant, or maybe she simply wanted to hear more about her two hosts. Even still, she couldn't help but remember courtesy. "I don't mind telling you about myself, but I'm not quite sure where to start. Would you... Like to know anything specific?"

Theresa kept her attention focused on Lenora, a sharp eye out for any tell that Lenora had intentions other than innocent curiosity. She felt a bit more eased by now, as they haven't tried anything as of yet, but it never served her very well to lower her guard.