Disclaimer: No I do NOT own Avalon, I'm only a fan that love's to read and write it. The true genius is Rachel Robert's.
Writer's Note: Just so you know I couldn't find the description of the Manor or library, so if I'm wrong that's because it's from memory.
Chapter One: Starting Again
"Corvina you really must look at this!" shouted her mother excitedly looking around the dark dusty manor. Placing a box full of clothes on the dust covered floor she looked at her surroundings properly. Though slightly run down and a bit dreary with a lot of work she saw great possibility's in the Manor.
"So what do you think?" Damia (Day-me-a) asked her eyes shining with her wide smile.
"Well for starters these drapes HAVE to go," Corvina said, turning left into what might have been a tea room, at its time of construction. There were four windows, two on the side wall and two on the front, but the curtains were decaying and hung like limp, wet rags. Corvina grabbed some of the cloth and tugged, the curtain came down easily, letting light flood the place.
"Ahh that's better, Vina (Veen-a)," said her mother approvingly, running a hand through her daughters raven wing hair. Corvina and Damia had often been mistaken for sisters. They both had long, silky black hair, clear porcelain skin, and tall willowy forms. Except for Damia's very dark brown eyes and Corvina's light hazel-amber they could have been twins. And they were close as twins also. Having grown up with her father never really there Corvina had always turned to her mother for advice. When things became out of hand Damia pulled the plug on her marriage to Gregory Orrin and took her maiden name of Char'day back.
"Remind me how we got all this again?" asked Corvina looking around, amazed at the hidden beauty of this place.
"Remember Uncle Jack?" Vina shook her head 'no,' "Well I do. He was my favorite brother and inherited it from my great grand-mother. Last year he died of a heart attack and his Will was lost for awhile. Jack always did like hiding things," she added fondly.
"And he gave us THIS? WOW!" she jumped as her voice echoed back down the hall. Her mother laughed,
"Well let's get to work chickadee! We should choose rooms and move in some things before the day is done!"
And with that they set about, stripping curtain's, opening windows and moving boxes to the correct rooms. Corvina was poking around down stairs while her mother tested the stairs up to the attic bedrooms. That was the first (and almost last) time Corvina entered the Library. The door creaked and dust puffed up from the carpet as she peeked her head around the door. With effort she pushed the door the rest of the open (the carpet was high enough to push against the door frame) and gasped. The Library was huge. Ceiling high book shelves covered the whole wall and above the windows. On the ceiling there were gems in strange constellations, and planets hung down on many mobiles, cobwebs making it clear they had not been moved in years. Comfy chairs and two studying desks sat against various walls and corners. And a marvelous marbled fire place was set against the back wall.
Even with the torn curtains closed and cobwebs hanging everywhere it was clear this place was priceless. Her steps leaving shoe prints in the dust, she walked over to a book case and studied the books in them. 'This row held Encyclopedia's but not on normal things, on things like jewels, and dragon's even mer-people.
"Whoa," she breathed, reaching for the closest book. Suddenly a chill wind got her attention and she turned toward the fire place, and almost screamed!
"Go-o-o-o-o," whispered a rough haunting voice from the shadowy form before her. Corvina gasped, containing a shout and ran out the door, slamming it shut behind her, breathing hard.
"Chickadee! I think I found your room!" her mom's voice floated down the house to her. It was as clear and light as a nightingale, sounding strange in the horror movie like scene that had just happened a second ago.
"Coming mom!" she shouted, glancing at the carved wooden door, she then turned and ran down the hall, through the living room and up the stairs. Behind her the door locked of its own accord.
"It's kinda small," said Corvina after making sure she had control of herself. After standing on the stairs outside the room panting, she had convinced herself that the wraith in the Library was really just a shadow and her nerves getting the best of her.
"That's because of all this junk! But once we clear it out it'll be a great place for you to sleep and do whatever."
"I guess I better put my box in that corner," she sighed, running a hand threw her hair shaking it out of her eyes.
"AND help me move this furniture down stairs," reminded her mother.
"Yes mother," she said faking sarcasm.
"I love you Vina," her mother's reply was cheery.
Writer's Note: and thank you to Rainpath for telling me how to make the chapters work! PS: This chapter has been recently updated and the spacing hopefully fixed.