I do not own The Corpse Bride, but I do own the few characters that I made up for this fan fiction.

"Vanya, will you come here?" Victor Van Dort called to his daughter from the bottom of the large staircase. The grand hall was brightly lit by the fire that burned warmly on the far wall and gave the house an even warmer feeling.

The answer that Victor got was the sound of footsteps making their way down the hallway and to the top of the stairs.

The black haired girl looked down at her father with a blank, pale expression. "What is it?" She asked in a rather bleak and empty voice.

"We're going to be leaving soon, pumpkin, so please be ready. We would not want to be late for Grandma and Grandfather." The man smiled at young Vanya.

"Yes father," She turned around and walked down the dark hallway in silence, heading for her room. Vanya was a rather unusual type of girl and always kept to herself. She strongly resembled her mother in face and shape, but seemed to be taller like her father and with his black hair.

Her eyes were heavily lidded and shadowed darkly because of lack of sleep. Black, think lips were always set into a natural frown and seldom opened to speak.

"I wonder what mother wants me to wear," She whispered to herself as she slipped on an old, black corset dress. Long sleeves and a flowing skirt covered her thin form and made her skin look paler than it was.

"Vanya, we need to leave!" Her father called again.

Even though the girl was in no need to see her grandparents, she made haste and made her way down the stairs and followed her father outside, where her mother was waiting by the carriage.

"We don't want to be late, dearest." Victoria placed her hand on her daughter's back and got into the carriage with her. "And you know how Grandmother gets when we're late."

Grandma is always like that, Vanya thought.

The rest of the ride was quiet besides the occasional remark on Vanya's plain outfit.

Victoria had said, "Dearest, you should have worn something more appealing. You never know when Grandmother will spring a suitor on you, and when she does, you want to look good."

Victor had said, "Love, maybe you should listen to your mother. A brighter outfit would really bring out your—" Glare from Vanya, "—Never mind, love."

The rest of the ride was silent, and when they arrived at the Everglots' estate they were greeted by the tall, hunched over woman and a short, fat man. Neither of them smiled.

"Why, dear Vanya," The woman grabbed at her granddaughter's cheeks and pinched them tightly. "You have absolutely no flush to your face. You're white as—um—never mind."

Dinner was completely ignored by Vanya, and she didn't eat a thing.

Victor had said, "Love, please eat something."

Victoria had said, "Dearest, you'll be hungry all night."

The grandparents had said, "What a peculiar child."

After that, tea was held in the west wing. Lord and Lady Everglot said on one couch, Victor and Victoria on another, and Vanya stood by the tall window, watching the rain fall.

"How old is she now?" The old woman asked with a rather touchy scowl.

"Nineteen next month," Victoria answered, smiling proudly. "Victor and I are planning a feast for her and inviting the family to join us. You'll both come, will you not?"

"Of course," Lady Everglot answered, sipping her tea and then shaking her head. "Nearing nineteen and still not engaged, it's so unheard of! Why are you not holding dinner parties and hosting ballroom dances? How else will you find the proper husband?"

"Mother," Victoria groaned, taking a drink out of her small cup. "We've spoken about this all before; Vanya can find a suitor on her own."

"Well, if you remember," Lord Everglot began. "It was us who set you up with Victor, my child."

"Yes indeed," Victor said, holding up his tea cup as a small toast and then taking a sip.

"Vanya, come away from the window." Victoria called to her daughter, "Come make conversation with your family."

The girl sat down next to her mother in silence, looking down at her tea.

"Vanya, why are you so silent?" Her Grandmother asked, "Why not speak?"

"I have near nothing to say," The girl replied, looking up slightly.

"Near nothing? Well, why not say it then?" Lady Everglot asked.

Vanya shrugged, "It is unimportant."

"Dearest, how do you know that it's unimportant? I would love to hear about anything you wish to talk about," Victoria smiled and placed and hand on her daughter's shoulder.

"She's right, love," Victor said, taking his daughter's hand. "I feel it is as if we do not talk with each of enough."

"I know, but trust me; it is not something that you want to hear." Vanya pulled her hand back and then stood and walked back over to the window. "There's someone out there," She said to her family, pointing to something outside of the window. "Standing by the gate without a coat, it's raining rather hard."

While she spoke, the small cloud of her family walked over to the window and glanced at the person that Vanya was speaking of.

"By God, it's Pastor Galswells!" Lord Everglot said, shocked. "What the hell is that old chap doing out in the rain? And at this hour!" He snapped his chubby fingers and called the butler, "Emil, fetch 'em! Bring him in for tea!"

"Right away, sir." The balding, big-nosed man took quick, small steps and ran out of the room.

"Has he been there this whole time, Vanya?" Her Grandmother asked, sounding repulsed.

The dark girl looked up from the scene of Emil helping the old man inside, "Yes."

"Why didn't you tell us?!" The old woman asked, raising her voice.

"I thought it was a hallucination; that's why I didn't want to tell you. I didn't want you to think me mad, Grandmother. It frightened me at first, the thought of me seeing things. But he looked up at me, so I thought I'd say something," Vanya shook her head as Emil came in with a limping Pastor next to him.

"Pastor Galswells, what in God's name are you doing out so late? And in this weather!" Finis bellowed, walking up to the man.

Pastor Galswells was gasping, and he looked deadly pale. "The time has come," He said in a raspy, age-old voice. "Return to the world beyond, Van Dort." He coughed fiercely, "But only one can go; it cannot be you," He pointed to Victor. "Or one who has not gone, and knows this. Only one can go, and only one can return." He began to sway, Emil tried to hold him up but fell down with the old man in the process. "Only one who does not know…Return, Van Dort. They need you," And then his eyes rolled back, he coughed once more, and his head fell limp.

Pastor Galswells was dead.

Okay, there's the prologue. I will post more soon! I'm going to go eat PIZZA now, so peace out!

REVIEW!!!!

~Lyllith