Katerina Petrova (petrovaheiress) wrote in landofatlantis, @ 2011-04-28 16:10:00 |
|
|||
Entry tags: | elijah - ancientelijah, katerina petrova - petrovaheiress |
Who: Katerina Petrova, Elijah
What: Confusing and running into each other.
When: Arrival, April 28th
Where: Around town, eventually an apartment (hers?)
Rating: Likely not too high. They've just met and certain rules of propriety must be met.
Status: Complete
Katerina wasn't sure how she got here, or where 'here' even was. She had just returned to her room after the party, except that now she wasn't in a nice British manor. Was she even in England at all now? Nothing around her looked in the slightest familiar. Even the clothing people were wearing was completely unfamiliar to her. It was taboo for women to wear pants. Yet many of the women around her were wearing just that. She was the only one in a party dress, as far as she could tell.
She'd been assigned a place to live and given directions to the apartments, but she had yet to find them. Maybe that should be her priority. Find her living quarters and regain her bearings from there.
Yes, that was her best option. She looked again at the map and directions, trying to figure out where she was now and where she was to be going. Unfortunately, it wasn't an easy task. As she stood, looking at the map, several people bumped into her and a few even told her, rudely, that she needed to move. Didn't they know she was nobility? She was a Petrova. They shouldn't talk to her that way.
What she wouldn't give for something, anything familiar.
Having wrapped up the dinner party, Elijah couldn't get Katarina out of his mind. He was pacing in the parlor, listening to the sounds of Klaus closing the door to his chamber. He was sure his brother had some guest in the room, and he had no intention of finding out whom. As he stared at the crackling fire, trying to not think of the girl, he was struck with a foreboding thought. He had feelings for her. Ones he shouldn't have, considering what Klaus wanted.
He was ceased by the thought to make sure that Klaus didn't have Katarina in his chamber. He raced from the room to find that the hallway was not the hallway. He wasn't even home anymore. He was... somewhere else. And he was being handed something. A map? A key? What in the world? Elijah, for one of the only times in his life, was dumbfounded. He blinked several times to make sure he wasn't dreaming, then turned and began following the map. May as well go with the flow.
As he walked down the street, which was unlike any he had been on before, he took in the appearances of the strangers around him. He must be dreaming. This was so surreal. With a sigh, glancing down at his own formal attire, he shook his head. Whatever would he do? As he glanced back up, he spotted a woman dressed very similarly to how Katarina had been dressed that eve. Could it be? He daren't hope. Yet... He approached and gently touched her elbow. "Katarina?" he asked quietly.
Katerina felt the hand on her elbow, and while the touch was gentle, it terrified her. Everything was so completely unfamiliar to her, what person would dare to touch her? She jumped in response, but as soon as she heard the voice saying her name, she calmed--though the beating of her heart quickened rather than slowed. It seemed almost ridiculous that she should feel that kind of excitement over someone that she had met only that night, but she had felt an immediate connection to him.
She turned to him, giving him a soft smile. "Lord Elijah," she replied. She had been hoping for something familiar, but it hadn't occurred to her that of all people, he would turn up in this strange and unfamiliar place. "I don't suppose you have any idea where we are?" she asked, pretty sure that he would be as confused as she was.
Elijah's heart leapt as she turned and he glimpsed her beauty full on. It was the magnificent Katarina after all. And she didn't have the foggiest about where, or when for that matter, were. "I'm afraid not, my lady," he said, removing his hand from her arm, as was the proper thing to do. Immediately, he felt the coldness of his reality returning and he straightened. He had to make sure that she was safe... he had to protect her.
"Perhaps we can find out together, then? Seeing as how I know no other here, and we both appear to be lost?" he offered, not really anticipating taking no for an answer.
The spot on Katerina's arm where Elijah had touched her felt immediately cold when his hand was removed. However, as a lady who was brought up with morals--even if she didn't always use them--she knew not to react to it. After all, she was dealing with a very charming, proper lord. She had to approach this with the grace and dignity she had learned over her seventeen years of life.
"Well, I certainly couldn't turn down the company of the only familiar person I have seen," she replied. She wouldn't turn down his company anyway. This was suddenly becoming too good to be true. She could spend time with Elijah without the scrutinizing gazes of all of Britain's nobility.
Elijah smiled at her response, entirely too thrilled with this turn of events. He didn't want to do anything... bad... to Katarina. He knew that she would have to be sacrificed, according to Klaus' plan. But here, and now, he didn't have think about that. Unless Klaus showed up, which he hoped wouldn't happen at all; and if it had to happen, not soon.
He stepped beside her and offered her his arm, as was befitting their stations in life. "May I?" he asked, inclining his head toward her map.
Katerina linked her arm with his and handed over the map, hoping that he could make better sense of it than she could. She was aware of the looks that they were getting for people, possibly for the way they were dressed, but it didn't matter to her. She and Elijah were dressed far more appropriately than any of these other people, even in formal wear. Though she wouldn't mind finding a place to purchase something a little more casual. She still wanted to find the place she would be staying first.
"I haven't been able to find where we are on this thing," she told him, "and people have been incredibly rude, walking right into me."
Elijah glanced around them, freezing several onlookers and causing others to hurry along with an icy stare. He wouldn't have anyone being rude to Katarina. Not at all. "I looks like you are staying close to my quarters, so we'll be neighbors. It shouldn't be too hard to find," he said, giving her a reassuring smile and setting off down the road. He looked at the land-markers on the map, then looked back up at their surroundings to see what matched. Soon, he found their exact location, and began leading them in the correct direction.
"What was the last thing you remember from home? And what did they tell you when you arrived here?" he asked, still unsure of whether or not he was dreaming, and needing a bit of confirmation to the contrary.
Katerina honestly didn't mind the idea of living near Elijah. It wasn't just because of her attraction to him, but that didn't hurt. He was someone familiar, even if she didn't know too much about him yet. She wanted to get to know more about him and this seemed like the perfect way.
She walked with him as he led them in the direction that she assumed would lead them to where they were supposed to be staying. When he asked his question, she thought about it for a moment before answering. "It was after the party," she told him. "I was returning to my room, then I was here. I was given this map and had been told it would help me find where I was to be staying." She was frustrated at not having more information than that.
Ah, so not too long before he, himself, had been 'pulled' to this place. Or perhaps the exact same time? It made him wonder if Klaus, or anyone else from the dinner party, had shown up in this strange land. At this point, he didn't wish to ponder that... he wished to give Katarina his undivided attention.
"I apologize that I do not have more answers for you, Lady Katarina," he said solemnly, glancing only briefly at her profile. People were still looking over at them, yet Elijah didn't give them a second thought. He was acutely aware of her arm in the crook of his elbow. Of her skirts brushing against his trousers as they walked toward their accommodations.
Katerina was honestly not giving any thought to whether others from the party had been there. The only one she cared to see was him. From England, anyway. She wouldn't have minded seeing her sister, but after Katerina's disgrace only two years before, the Petrova family was determined to keep them apart.
She pushed aside all thoughts of Catelle and returned to the present--and the man on her arm. "It's quite alright, my Lord," she replied politely. "I'm just glad to not be alone anymore, and to have such pleasant company."
Honestly, Elijah knew that Katarina had been brought up to speak in only the most dignified way, and to flatter men as much as possible. It was the woman's place, after all, in their society. Yet he couldn't help but feel a bit giddy at her words.
"I disagree with you there, my lady. You are the most pleasant company any man could dream of having upon his arm," he said charmingly, meaning it. He had only known her a brief time, yet he was captivated by her. She was so unlike the other women had had known in his already extremely long lifetime.
Their homes were were doors away from one another, and he smiled at that. He could keep a protective, if not jealous, eye on her and make sure she stayed safe this way. It was ideal. "I do hope your new home is adequate. If it is not, I shall complain and fix it straightaway," he said as they went up the walk to the front door.
The truth was, even though she had been taught to always be respectful, Katerina truly met her words. She couldn't show that much, however. His brother had made his intentions to court her clear before she left for her room. While Niklaus--Klaus was charming, Katerina hadn't felt the connection to him. Her connection had been with Elijah. Was it wrong to be pursued by one brother, but to feel something for the other? Then again, they weren't exactly home right now. Klaus might not even be here.
She certainly wasn't going to bring him up. "You truly are a gentleman," Katerina replied as he led her to her apartment. "I will let you know." She paused. It wasn't appropriate to invite a man in without a chaperone, but she wasn't quite ready to be alone, either. She pursed her lips together gently as she considered it. "Would you like to come in and visit?" she asked him. "I didn't really get much chance to talk to you at the party."