Foot steps echoed in the silent night as a girl ran towards the mansion. She was late! Everyone was gone, and she knew it. Breathless, Susy Q. stopped at the top of the steps to catch her breath. Quickly she fixed her white wool cap, white wool scarf, and long red, wool jacket. When confident in her appearance, Susy pushed open the grand doors and entered the mansion.

For a moment or two Susy just stood there. This place was huge! What a perfect place to spend Halloween. However, in the dark by herself the place was more then a bit creepy. "Hello?" she called hoping for a friend answer(or more rightly put an answer from someone other then a ghost).

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"Hello," Maeve replied in her usually gloomy tone. She took in the sight of the white and red attired girl and tried to look friendly. It had been a rather lonely night so far. She held out the tray of muffins, intending to offer one to the newcomer. "Muffin?"

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THE HALLOWFEST 2010
<a href="http://www.arwen-undomiel.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=20958">information here</a>

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Evening was awoken by the sound of nothing.
Now that was interesting. The sound of nothing? Why, that wasn’t even a sound! Usually when she woke up she could hear all sorts of things. But then she took to sleeping in trees a lot. Trees were actually quite comfortable, but no one else agreed with her. In fact, it had been somewhat strange sleeping in an actual bed, in an actual room. She swung her feet over the side of the mattress, instantly alert.
Well! The first night of her time at the mansion had passed quite swiftly. She had drunk some of that mulled wine, and tried out a sandwich. That had been about it. Oh, but she had spotted someone interesting! She had suspected that that young lady was a valkyrie. What else could she be? Evening had encountered many strange folk of all kinds in her life, and in these days nothing would surprise her. But still, with this knowledge of mythology, and faeries, too, Evening would never reveal if she herself was not human. If the question was asked, you could be sure she wouldn’t answer.
She changed into a new gown and swiftly crossed the room. What would the new morning bring? She remembered she hadn’t been for her usual walk last night. That wouldn’t do. But was there any extensive woodland around the area? She would have to ask.
Going across the landing towards the large, sweeping staircase which would lead her downstairs, she glanced around. She could spot nobody else up yet.
“Hello?” she said aloud.

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~~Siggy by Lembas~~

After having witnessed the trick performed by the lady on the doorstep, Eä couldn't help being haunted by the feeling that ordinary trick or treaters were not supposed to act that way. But how was she to know, having so little Halloween experience. Eä smiled as the lady claimed her payment for the performance and stepped aside to let her in.
"Welcome! I'm Eä and even though I'm not the hostess of this grand event, allow me to welcome you to the party.

Curious as was her nature, the hall seemed the perfect place to hang out as more people of various sizes, races and attires arrived. Carrying the tray of sweets Eä was well aware that some of the guests probably took her for a servant and therefore didn't mind her presence. Normally, the mistake would have annoyed her but for the moment the role allowed her to quietly observe.

"I'm Fuschia, what's your name?"

The voice brought her thoughts and attention back to its physical manifestation which was quite a colourful - and another armed - presence. Apparently the lady had been speaking to her and Eä caught the last question.

"A pleasure to meet you Fuschia, I'm Eä. Here, want a muff..." Eä glanced the dish that had already been emptied and tilted her head.
"Nevermind, the dining room is that way and I'm sure I saw pudding somewhere" She offered, while pointing to that direction.

The rest of the evening was passed socialising, nippling at the buffet, avoiding being prodded by swords when she moved through the crowd and not being turned into something natural - oh gods, the mere thought of being a natural creature! She shuddered, and let her mind float lazily on the magic airwaves emanating from almost everyone in the room.

"Interesting people" She thought.
"This was one of the reasons why she loved Kit's Halloween parties. It attracted all kinds of quint folks. Eä glanced towards the Headless Horseman. Being headless was almost the normal, bordering ordinary in this crowd.

Eä chuckled to herself.
"So much potential..." She thought.
"This will be another memorable Halloween"


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Roused by Evening's voice, Eä lifted her head from her drawn up knees on which it had rested. She found herself curled up in a huge armchair - and hugging a grinning pumpkin.

"Hello there" She replied, while arranging the pumpkin neatly next to the chair where it admittedly looked much nicer than in Eä's lap.

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>>Be the change you wish to see in the world<<



Banner credit: Shadowcat & Nurrantiel Mashiara

Evening stopped next to the chair where Eä sat, and smiled pleasantly. She had been hugging… a huge pumpkin. It was now placed on the chair beside her, like a kind of round, orange, grinning guest. Who was a pumpkin. “Good morning,” Evening said. Not to the pumpkin, obviously.
Still, would it be polite to address the pumpkin itself?
No. That would be a strange custom too far.
“I wonder what the hostess’s plans are for today,” she said instead.

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~~Siggy by Lembas~~

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Ianto awoke to the quiet hum of voices. A few of the guests were already awake, and he hastily stood up, straightening his tie almost immediately.

Eä and Evening were chatting in the prescense of a pumpkin, and Dana stood half-listening to them.

"Good morning, ladies," he greeted them with a smile. "You wouldn't happen to know if this place has got a coffee maker, would you?"


Or atleast some sort of magical coffee-making device. A morning without coffee was like a body without a soul, in his opinion anyway.

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- married fingon fingolfinion 6/4/13 -
~art credit~

How the pumpkin had ended in her lap, Eä did not know, however, she was well aware that her unwanted, vegetal companion attracted more attention than she had anticipated - when she had not made the choice to sleep with the pumpkin!

"I believe the hostess is notorious for sleeping in. She must have been quite busy preparing everything before we came." Eä leaped out of the chair and smoothed her tulle dress as Evening approached.

"I would propose that we explore what is to be our home for the next two weeks."

Noticing the attentive presence of the trick or treat-lady from the night before, Eä turned to the conjurer - performer - magician - she couldn't yet put a finger on the nature of the other woman's skills but gave a short applause in response to the glittery performance.
"Good morning to you too. Gracing us with yet another trick." Her voice was even, deprived for any emotion.
Eä shot a winning smile to the pointy hat's owner, not seeing any reason not to play the friendly card to any stranger in the house. Catching Dana's gaze and locking it with her own grey-green eyes she diverted the other's attention while shoving the unfortunate pumpkin head behind the chair. Really, she must return to it some time and teach the vegetable something about manners. She put the mental note behind her ear.

"Last year, the kitchen had some kind of coffee machine. Perhaps we should start our exploring the house in the kitchen." Eä nodded to Ianto, taking a few dancing steps to the side.
"And if it's not already a magical device I'm sure we can easily make it into one." She added with a smile.

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>>Be the change you wish to see in the world<<



Banner credit: Shadowcat & Nurrantiel Mashiara

"Hey PD, daughter!" Nurr tilted her head. "Going in disguise? It's very good. I would have liked to, but me and procrastination go hand in hand..." She continued on the rest of the evening taking notes on various aspects and, finally, decided to head to bed.

Nurr always woke early when in a strange place. The rest of the house was eerily quiet, and by wandering through various doors she was able to find the library. She sat curled up on a chair and must have nodded off, because she came to with a start at the sound of voices. Breakfast? Nurr left the book and entered the dining area. "Good mo-o-o-rning!" She said with a yawn.

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going on a journey through my old claims

Evening smiled as Dana approached them, addressing them both as “starshine”. Well, that was friendly enough! She inclined her head to the young woman. She noticed that Dana, too, was rather uncomfortable in the presence of the grinning pumpkin, which, once Dana had finished some rather confusing glittery magic trick, was removed by Eä – or rather, shoved behind the chair.
Politely, Evening clapped Dana’s trick.
She glanced over at Ianto as he approached them, saying something about coffee, and smiled.
“What a good idea!” she agreed with Eä. “We should explore the house. Certainly, it looks to be a magnificent building. Unusual though the household’s customs are.” Briefly, she wondered what a kitchen was. The truth was, Evening didn’t really belong indoors. She was yet to get used to these strange traditions of breakfast, lunch and dinner, and oddities such as coffee and muffins.
She approached Dana and generously dusted a patch of glitter off her shoulder. “There you go.”
Suddenly, she heard the call of “good mo-o-o-rning” from downstairs, perhaps the dining room. Someone was downstairs and here they were chattering!
“Perhaps we should find some of what you call breakfast,” she suggested to the others.

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~~Siggy by Lembas~~

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Chase a couple hearts, we could leave 'em in shreds
Meet me in the gutter, make the devil your friend
Just remember what I said, cause it isn't over yet

Get.Lost.In.The.Dark.To.Find.Yourself
-sig by Loafers-

Fashionably late, as usual, Lady Macbeth entered the home in a fanfare of lightning crashes and screeching bats that came out of nowhere and flitted off into the middle of the night. Tall and regal, she wore a gold ballgown that would undoubtedly be replaced by another one by nights end, and carried an elaborate masquerade mask, calling that her Hallow's Eve costume. She looked around the front corridor, smiling almost wickedly at the sounds of voices coming from the dining room.

"Come along, Donwald. You bring our bags to our suite and then mingle," she said, waving hand up the stairs as she sauntered towards the voices. "And bring whatever wine I put in there. We wouldn't want to be rude, now do we?"

Macbeth grumbled something in response and, reduced to carrying his wife's heavy luggage, trudged upstairs to see to their rooms. He was pleasantly surprised to find that they had to sleep separately, almost giddy. His wife had been nagging him all the way from Scotland and he was all too glad to finally be rid of her for a while. After grabbing the bottle of wine she'd mentioned, he wandered around the upstairs, looking much more like a kid in a candy store than the king he was. He loved Halloween, the costumes and the candy and, most of all, the opportunity for mischief. Though, for the most part, he had cashed in all his allotted mischievousness.

Lady Macbeth found the small group of people - were they people? - who seemed to be planning to go and explore the house. She was appalled that the hostess would allow such a thing, but she was curious herself. Standing aside, every bit as queenly as she was dressed to be, she cleared her throat loudly to get their attention.

"It is a pleasure to meet you all, I am Lady Macbeth, famed queen." She grinned, glad she had practiced her introduction in the mirror on the way there. "Exploring the ah...mansion seems like a splendid idea. Where, pray tell, is the hostess, though?"

Cries and demands for breakfast rang from all sides as the Hallow-guests emerged from whereever and however they had spent the first night in the haunted mansion.
"Haunted" Eä frowned, wondering why that particular word kept creeping into her mind.

She looked around at the eager faces, growling stomachs and watering mouths - though soon realising how contagiously fast hunger spread. Based on previous experience Eä knew that Kit didn't have a reputation for employing the brightest servants - and she hired new ones every year. Before she had time to dwell on that last observation, Eä's stomach growled again.

"Well, I suppose we'll have to get to the food on our own. One would assume that it wouldn't take more than a flick of a wand or someone to snap her fingers before the food would appear in a delicious abundance on the table..."
Taking a round in the hall, Eä mused aloud until noticing that all attention had drifted to the latest arrival, Lady Macbeth.

"Oh, it is good to see you too. Did you and your ... eh... husband have a pleasant journey here? She inquired.
"The dear hostess has not been present today - in fact no one knows where she is..." Eä added in a feigned eerie tone.

"But don't you worry about that.. after all it is Halloween, the time for... surprises!"

Eä clapped her hands excitedly.

"So now, lets get something to eat - yet again! Isn't it what we are here for"

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>>Be the change you wish to see in the world<<



Banner credit: Shadowcat & Nurrantiel Mashiara

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^ By me and my SS *squiggle hugs*

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Even In Darkness [Updating]