psl; [a marriage of inconvenience]

[hedgemaze]

THE AUBEL ESTATE is located in Derbyshire, England, a stately old home reminiscent of centuries long past. Long ago, it had fallen into disrepair and abandoned until previous generations of the Aubel family purchased the land for themselves, having found their fortunes in matters of real estate. Since that time, the outside has been restored and the inside has been renovated at least three times. Four, if you ask the uncle who remembers the one summer where the chandelier fell from the dining hall, taking a large portion of the ceiling with it. How embarrassing, if such a thing is true.

In its present state, it straddles the line between the old and new. The large, prominent rooms are ostentatious as they are filled to the brim with austere English culture; the smaller quarters, traditionally used by the servants and staff, are far more modest, and over time have allowed the tendrils of modernity to creep in as a result. Regardless, the home is impressive no matter how you look at it, and there are few who do not cast an envious glance at the estate as they pass by Derbyshire on their way to town, or perhaps northwest to Manchester, if they've even farther to go.

PHILIP AND JAMES AUBEL, father and son respectively, are the owners of the home, though only the father remains for any extended period of time. And even then, he only stays perhaps one or two seasons at a time, until he returns to his home in London, spending one or two seasons there, before returning again, living out his life of retirement to the fullest. James visits nearly every week (driving in from Manchester, and back) in the Spring, until the first freeze of Winter, when nothing will grow. Though they have a staff of two dozen -- give or take, depending upon the time of year -- taking care of the estate and its grounds, James is more diligent about keeping up appearances of the house, showing a special interest in maintaining the complex hedge maze on the land directly behind them. Only he keeps access to its center, a literal walled garden of seasonal flora.

AS RECENT DEVELOPMENTS WOULD HAVE IT, James has been drawn into an arranged marriage by his father and an old business acquaintance. She is scheduled for an extended visit soon, and the staff have done a meticulous job of preparing the hall for her arrival -- and the rest of the rooms, as well, if she is expected to make her living here permanent, one day. Today, the weather is clear and the help is eager to aid her in unpacking. The grounds are green and the family dog, an old greyhound with cataracts in one eye, bounds up to her with a slow wagging tail. The father will greet her, of course, with all the usual formalities, and though he doesn't know her all that well at all, she at least seems nice enough. He disappears soon after, leaving her to her own devices as she sees fit. James himself is nowhere to be found.

Somewhere, sooner rather than later, a collision course of first impressions will take place.

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D I R E C T O R Y;

➤ shitpost.
➤ first impressions.
➤ diamonds.
➤ text her, texter.
➤ saviour.
➤ flirt.
➤ closer.
➤ cross-examine.
➤ PARTY CRASHERS.
✶ elle + devon
✶ elle + corvus
✶ ian + james + corvus
✶ devon + james
➤ alien abduction.
➤ sleep now.
➤ bathe.
➤ remember.
➤ drink.
➤ welcome home.

Comments

[hedgemaze]

[James Aubel jolts awake, eyes wide and a hand clutching at his pillow. He pushes himself up in a daze, having fallen asleep on his stomach, casting his eyes around his darkened room. He thought he had felt a sharp urgency in the air, a noise, loud and acute-]

Simon...? [He murmurs, when the greyhound scratches at his door and barks again. He pulls himself out of his bed and opens the door, frowning. The floor feels cold on his bare feet; otherwise, he's dressed in his night clothes, a loose fitting black sleep shirt with long sleeves, and drawstring pajama pants to match.

Simon immediately turns around and heads down the hall, obviously wanting James to follow.] What's gotten into you? [James blinks the sleep from his eyes, but he's starting to get a bad feeling about this. His pace quickens as he moves down the hall, down the stairs, and straight out the door. He hesitates, not wanting to traipse around outside in his night clothes, and with bare feet at that.

That is, until Simon barks in the direction of Devon, a small figure in the distance by now, lit only by moonlight, heading past the roses and towards the convoluted maze further back.]

Oh, hell... [James is certainly awake, now. He runs across the expansive green lawn, his lungs already yelling at him for exerting himself in such a way. He ignores it, for now.] Devon! Devon! [He curses to himself. She's already so far away.]

[winterheart]

[She doesn't feel the sensation of the misty evening grass tickling her feet. The night air doesn't deter Devon in this state either. She keeps going and going as long as there's no obvious obstacle in her way and if there is, there's something akin to an invisible helping hand that maneuvers her away from danger.

And soon she's at the entrance of the maze. There's a pause as if she's heard something, someone, external, but... Regardless, she moves forward and makes her first turn at the right.

(On top the hedges there are five, no six crows, they're all watching her with beady eyes, they look up to see the human man and the canine beast. Even out here in this faraway land, across the ocean, there is always someone, something that disrupts them, that disrupts their voice calling for her. They need to lose them in the future.)]

[hedgemaze]

[James hurries towards the maze, clenching his teeth when she sees her disappear into it. Logically, he knows that there's nothing in there that can harm her (he knows that maze like the back of his hand), but there's a growing anxiety in the pit of his stomach. An anxeity born from what that maze represents, what lies within it, what used to reside there and... something else. Something more present, but he couldn't specify, exactly, what.

Simon trots close next to him, whining a little. When they reach the maze, the canine stops in hesitation. His owner disappears into the hedges without him, and Simon lifts his head upwards to bark at the crows his human master didn't notice.

James, on the other hand, presses forward -- before he realizes that there's barely any light in the maze at night, only the dull rays of moonlight filtering through the hedges to guide him. He mentally chides himself for being so thoughtless, to run out here without a torch, but there's nothing he can do about it now. He calls out:]

Devon? Where are you?!

[Maybe she'd hear him and wake up. James reaches out a hand to feel at the hedges, letting his memory and the sensation of the leaves guide him. He turns right, walking hurriedly while trying to peer in the darkness ahead. Reaching out with his mind, he wonders if he can locate her more easily, but for some reason he's met with nothing more than an eerie... blankness.]

[winterheart]

[Another twist, another turn. Her path seems directionless this time. But there's nothing she can do against this pull, against the silent voices that burrow themselves into her dream filled mind and...

It's a stroke of luck, extremely dumb even. She moves too closely to the surface of the hedges and while it is meticulously maintained, there is a stray branch, that scratches and drags across her cheek, startling her awake.]

OW!

[She yells loud enough for James to be able to hear and locate her. Devon blinks, once, three times, rapidly, and the outside cold wrapped around her bare legs, the tiny streak of blood running down her streak, the darkness and the unfamiliar scenery in front of her hits her too fast.]

Oh god... Ohgodohgodohgod.

[As typical with sleepwalking (as if this was anything, but typical) Devon does not recall anything. She just remembers laying in her warm bed at first and then suddenly she's outside. The feeling of displacement is strong and she hugs herself, collapsing to the ground breathing heavily. When will this stop? When will it go away? What keeps doing this to her?]

[hedgemaze]

[James hears Devon's exclamation, and suddenly he's aware of her presence again. She's woken up.

However, he holds relief at bay until he can locate her. Her voice came from northwest of here, and he winds through the maze, hand still out to guide him in the dark. Finally, he turns, and in the faint moonlight he can see her figure collapsed on the ground. She looks small and scared.

James rushes towards her, sucking in deep breaths for his own benefit, and falls to his knees next to her, trying to peer at her face. He puts an arm around her shoulders, concern in his voice.]

Devon, it's me. Are you hurt?

[Is that... blood on her face? Did she cut herself on the hedges?]

[winterheart]

[There's no protest against his arm around her shoulder and she leans her forehead against him without meaning to.]

Where... Where am I?

[It's so dark and Devon's still trying to sort out her panicked thoughts. All she can really see are James and the tall leafy walls around them.]

... The maze?

[hedgemaze]

[He nods. The feeling of her forehead pressed against him is nominal compared to the relief he's allowing himself to feel, now. What are the chances that she'd find her way in here of all places?]

Yes, the maze. You wandered all the way out here, and you're lucky Simon woke me up to find you before you got lost.

[Because waking up in the middle of the night, lost in the hedge maze? Probably not fun for anyone.]

Can you stand and walk? I'll lead us out of here.

[winterheart]

Y-Yeah... [She hoists herself up, putting one hand on James to do so. She's trembling.]

I didn't lock my door, I...

[hedgemaze]

It's fine, don't worry about that right now. [He interrupts her, not wanting her to dwell on other anxieties. He grasps her hand with his own, fingers wrapping around her tightly. Her touch feels cold. He frowns.]

Let's just get out of here, shall we? Stay close, it's difficult to see.

[And he turns around to lead her out, slowly retracing his steps, his free hand out to guide him against the hedge walls. He makes a weak attempt at a joke to lighten the mood.]

Trying to keep me on my toes, aren't you?

[winterheart]

[His hand around hers is comforting. It's like what Ian would do whenever they would cross streets on outings together. At James's joke, Devon breathes softly, but acknowledges it with a nod.]

It's one thing after another isn't it?

[hedgemaze]

It could have been worse. You could have wandered farther in, and without me to find you.

[The weave in and out through the maze for a bit longer. His feet are cold, now, but he ignores it.]

So count your blessings.

[Finally, the exit to the hedge maze appears in view. Simon sits a few yards away, looking anxious.]