All rights to House of Anubis and its characters goes to Nick . . . Blah blah blah . . . Legal stuff . . . Blah blah blah . . . I make no money from this . . . Blah blah blah. Now that that's out of the way: enjoy the story. And HURRAH- it will be multi-chapter! :)

The swelling morning sun crept over the treetops and spilled like shining milk into the windows of the Anubis house kitchen. From the stove a tea kettle violently screeched under the heated pressure of the steaming breakfast tea brewing inside, sending out herbal wafts to engulf both kitchen and dining room in a field of robust aroma.

Answering the call of the crying kettle, Vera, robe-clad, padded into the kitchen and moved the whining

metal to a cool resting place for it to settle to a simmering wane.

Pouring some of the torrid tisane into a floral mug, she drifted back into the dining room with slippered feet whispering over the floor boards.

Just as Vera had comfortably situated herself on one of the chairs, footsteps from the adjoining room signaled Victor's approaching entrance.

"Morning, Vera," he said as he walked through the archway and towards the kitchen.

"Morning," she answered with a yawn, "There's tea on the stove."

After pouring himself a cup of tea and a slight demitasse of black coffee, Victor, clean-shaven and properly dressed, sat across the table from where Vera had chosen.

They both sipped their brew in silence as the day steadily grew more vibrant.

It was thirty minutes of composed tranquility before either of them had finished sipping their tea. While Vera collected their empty dishes, Victor left to fetch the post from the front of the house.

Vera had set the mugs and saucers in the sink and returned to the dining room when Victor reentered the room, nonchalantly placing assorted letters on the dresser as he sat down to read the current day's morning newspaper.

"Stamps are up five pence," Victor commented unconsciously as Vera merely sighed and sorted through the miscellaneous, unsystematically piled letters.

Most were for Victor from utility corporations and a lawn service, him being the caretaker of the premises, but one letter in particular stood out from the remaining bland missives.

This letter had antique silver lettering and a blue wax seal with a rearing horse head as the equidistant crest. Its casing envelope was already yellowing, as if from age, yet softly emitted the unsullied fragrance of fresh lavender.

Dropping the irrelevant letters back onto the dresser head, Vera pulled out the plush chair of a nearby desk and quickly sat down, pulling a newly sharpened letter opener from its resting place in a chalice on the top right edge of the desk.

With a new-found vigor, quite contrary to the morning lull of the early day, Vera fastidiously sliced the top crease of the letter, pulling out its innards with special care, as if the contents were already preciously dear.

The paper had a parchment-like feel and was the color of eggshell. As she unfolded the creases to open the letter and bare the message, it made a soft crinkling rustle, soothing to the ears.

Dearest Vera,

We had heard of your latest affair for the man that shall not be mentioned and now have heard

of your consistent occupational vacancy. This being said, we are concerned that you now may be in a

state of emotional distress because of the aforementioned impasse. We insist that you come to visit for a

while until you can strategize a superlative, beneficial disposition for your future.

We have included a ticket for your journey, if you do decide to come. The times and arrivals are on the

reverse side of this paper. Be warned, though, if you do not send notice of your decision after three days'

time, we shall send out riders to retrieve an answer.

Ever Yours,

G & M

(PS: Pack for mild weather, if you take our counsel. -M)

Vera, who had suddenly stood at the sighting of the letter's signature names, once again sat down, just as quickly as she had risen.

She slumped uncharacteristically in the chair as she reread the letter again and again, checking the dates and times, which had been dated two days previous, with dismay.

Victor, noticing this obvious deviation from her normal character and demeanor, put down his Red-Top and rose to stand by Vera.

Without uttering a single phrase, Vera handed the letter to a humbly soundless Victor, who took the letter with piqued attentiveness.

Victor read the letter as many times as she had, though with much less comprehension of its meaning than Vera.

Through the jumbled labyrinth that was coiling heated questions inside his mind, Victor finally managed, "How ambiguous. Who is this G and M?"

"They are my remaining siblings, George, named after our father; and Marie, named after our maternal grandmother," Vera answered steadily, recalling her senses again.

"And how did they know where you were?" he asked next with the same inquisition.

"I suppose they found me in the same way that I found you, Victor," she answered with a titter.

Although not completely satisfied with her response, Victor sighed, and probed no further- for the time being.

In the next hour, Victor succeeded in mailing off executive utility bills and, seeing as how Vera had made breakfast, created a brunch of date-and-fig-filled rusks.

"So," he voiced tenderly, setting down the aged, oaken salver, "have you decided what you are going to do, concerning the letter?"

Vera, who had laid her head on the desk in dizzying frustration, slowly sat up and made her way over to where Victor had set down the biscuits on the dining table.

Picking up one of the flaky, fruit-filled crusts, she sat down next to Victor, who had once again taken to re-reading the letter.

Nodding her head in the affirmative manner in response to his question, Vera took a bite of the pastry and stared curiously out of the dining room window.

She took a draft of an anise-infused peppermint decoction and said, "I've decided to journey this trip."

"Splendid," Victor said, pleased at finally receiving an answer, "And where exactly are you journeying to?"

"We," Vera returned, "are leaving for Wiltshire country."

"Wiltshire," Victor said absentmindedly, continuing to blunder on, "that's quite the beautiful place this time of year. I hear that they have a wonderfully abundant supply of- . . ."

Victor suddenly stopped, turned to face Vera, and said, "Wait- we?"

"Yes, Victor: We," Vera nonchalantly answered as she swept out of the room and up the staircase.

Victor, stunned into a halt at first, quickly caught up and followed her into their suite off of his office, where their personal belongings were currently being stored.

Vera had already grabbed a change of clothes and was in the process of switching into an outfit much more appropriate than the pajamas she was wearing when Victor entered.

"Victor," she said through the sheer changing screen, "would you mind pulling down the luggage bags from the closet?"

"Of course I will," he exasperatedly replied to her hurried yet still endearing silhouette shadow.

Victor walked to the closet and pulled down the bags, quietly mumbling, "What am I getting myself into?"

A/N:

Poor Victor. He is so whipped.

Haha. ^-^

And there's chapter one! I will try to keep up steady updates. This story, if all goes well, should be pretty lengthy. :)

This isn't my first multi-chapter fanfic, but it will be for HOA, so be gentle and please feel free to leave a review. Actually feel free to leave lengthy reviews on your thoughts of my writing style, too, if you want. I'm going to need all the tips I can get for when I get to MSA. Feedback is a writer's oxygen, so no pressure, but please don't kill me. ;)

Mwuah and thanks beforehand for your beautiful reviews,

~Allison Summer~