“Remember what I taught you!” Robert called after his young mistress as she gleefully went up the front porch stairs of Adriel's tiny white-washed fisherman’s shack. It had been another hot, summer day; and today he, Elia, and that little rascal Adriel planned on finishing painting the hut. Robert, however, had a quick errand to run so he was dropping her off first so they could start ahead. He made a promise to be back immediately after to help. He watched her knock excitedly on the front door but turned around to wave him goodbye.
He responded with a short bow just as Adriel opened the door to let her in. He greeted her with a big, loving, bear hug but broke it off almost immediately when he noticed him. The young butler looked him straight in his eyes with a threatening glare. Adriel seemed to have immediately caught on to what he wanted to say (Don't even think of laying a finger on her!) as he nervously averted his gaze and quickly closed the door behind them. Robert snickered victoriously. He observed that Adriel seemed to scare very easily. But Adriel, although wimpy enough to be thrown off by a stare and knocked over by a single punch, seemed like a nice, dependable guy. Someone who genuinely cared for Elia. Someone who was simple enough to not put on pretenses. Someone very much unlike the person he had to visit.
After a brief walk, Robert stood outside the tall iron gates of one of the cove’s other statelier chateaux. He breathed a deep sigh. In truth, he did not want to be there. Nor did he want to talk to the person living inside. But Adriel’s interrogation led to more questions than answers. He mentioned he was house sitting for a pale man in red. The pale person had found him by the road after he got kicked off the fruit delivery truck he snuck onto that night he escaped from the orphanage. He said he owned a hut that he barely used for himself and that Adriel was welcome use it on the single condition that it would be repainted. Robert could not think of anybody else more fitting of Adriel’s description better than this person. If he wanted answers, it was probably best to get them straight from the horse's mouth. No matter how unpleasant that horse would have been.
He composed himself and produced a vintage black iron key from his uniform’s inner pocket. To his surprise, however, the gates automatically opened with a loud creaking noise; without him having to use the key. He slid through the opening and climbed up the manor's sloping driveways. The grounds below looked unkempt was his initial reaction. The reflecting pond too was thoroughly covered by a dense growth of lilies. And the flowers by the twin stairs base have already overgrown their beds. He made a mental note to call the landscape contractor. To his relief, though, the chateau was intact and pristine. It was smaller and quainter than the Chateau de Thebe but still it was equally imposing. He knocked on the piano nobile doors.
A preppy, lanky, blond teenager answered the door. He wore a silken white button up shirt under a pale brown suit jacket which he paired with equally pale khaki pants. With his fair appearance, he looked like an angel glowing ever so lightly in the gentle morning sun's rays. But as he stepped out, he revealed a red cardigan so bright Robert wondered if he were looking into a portal to the fiery netherworld.
“Well, if it isn’t Bob?" the teen teased.
Robert gritted his teeth. He hated that nickname. When he was younger, children his age used to chant and ask him if he can "fix it". But he never fully understood why. He never got the reference. He was not a builder but a butler. He thought it best to suppress this memory along with his seething displeasure. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, young master, but—" he began.
"Oh I already know about Adelaida Thebe's passing,” the teen cut him off dramatically. “You really thought I would miss out on news like that? You of all people should know that Capeside is a small, tight knit town. And when rumors start, they—" a soft ding broke off the teen's train of thought. He looked earnestly at his smartphone. Then chuckled as he typed away on its screen.
This brat in front of Robert was Edward Whittaker. A socialite snob in his late teenage years. Edward tragically lost both his parents while they were on a treasure-hunting expedition in Selvadaroda. As the lone son of House Whittaker, he was bequeathed more money than he could ever spend in three lifetimes, including this chateau and its grounds. But his ambitions were by no means satisfied with any of these. Indeed, Edward aimed for the big fish. He knew well his worth as the new Whittaker family head. He wore it with pride and showed off the coat of arms and red house colors whenever he could. But more than that, he knew that he was next in line to power as the head of the Royal Thebe's cadet branch. A position that entitles him to the entire royal fortune should anything happen to the main family—to Mistress Adelaida and her only son, Antoine.
With the mistress gone and Antoine missing, Edward would have been guaranteed the inheritance—at least he was until Robert found Elia. What anyone would to do with such a huge sum of money, Robert did not want to know. All he knew was this young man's appetite was never fulfilled. Ironically, he would have been the perfect Thebe. Cut-throat and ambitious. But when he chuckled at his smartphone like this, Robert thought in many ways, he was not any different from the real young Thebe, mistress Elia. Both had blonde hair. Both had the family's signature vividly colored eyes. And both just happened to be orphans. But most importantly, both were still just kids.
"If you’re done with bad news, maybe you’d like to hear some good news instead?" Edward said. “I just received an email from my lawyer."
Edward flashed his phone to show Robert the conversation. "We’ll be visiting you to talk about Adelaida’s will. I scheduled it on the same day that the National Historic Commission comes. Next week. You know, the agreed date from before she passed?"
"With so many people around, we could make it a party!" Edward's eyes suddenly rounded with excitement. "You know what, let’s do that! I'll invite everyone in town!"
Robert just stared blankly at Edward. He already hated this conversation. He had his own thoughts. But he dared not voice them. Whether he liked it or not, whether he was actually related to the bloodline or not. He cannot talk back. He was free to think. But Edward was a Whittaker—and he was still part of the Thebe clan.
And yet, he did not show even a trace of remorse for Mistress Adelaida.
“Hey! What’s that look for? You’re always so gloomy! Don’t worry! When I get the chateau, I’ll let you keep your job. You can still continue your 'historically-accurate' stewardship...or something. Watcher knows I could use a hand managing the property and you already know how to do that.”
Wait... Does he somehow not know about Elia?
“I mean, it’s a lot different from your plan but so long as you get to keep the chateau right?”
(What plan?)
“C’mon, don’t think I couldn’t tell. ” Edward laughed boisterously but then suddenly lowered his voice, as though weary that anyone might overhear. He leaned in close to Robert.
“It’s just the two of us—you can be honest with me. You were trying to seduce the mistress weren’t you? Strutting around in your tight unnecessary uniform? Trying to win some favors with a little eye candy? It kinda worked didn't it? But what would've you done if she’d actually asked you to sleep with—“
Robert grabbed Edward’s bony shoulder and shoved him inside the vestibule. His face burned bright red with embarrassment and anger, matching well with the flags that decorated the walls of the Whittaker manor. He had heard enough. He wanted to talk back. He wanted Edward to shut up. He wanted him to take back his words. Heck, he even wanted to land his fist on Edward’s face. But he didn’t do anything. He wouldn’t. He knew his place. He could never.
“Good choice, Bob.” Edward gloated. “I'll forgive you, since you made the right decision.” Robert loosened his clench and Edward brushed the hand off his own shoulder. It fell limply to the butler's side.
“Man, you should really work on your temper, Bob! You almost had me fooled that you would dare!"
“Almost." Edward said with a wide grin before turning his back on Robert. "If you don't have anything more to say, you are excused now.”
Robert walked dejectedly out to the manor’s formal garden. In the end, he never got to ask Edward anything. On top of that, the confrontation they had left him even more frustrated. He shouldn't have went after all. He vented by grabbing a handful of pebbles from the gravel path and pitched them off the cliff. One by one, where they disappeared into the foamy waters below. He could see the Chateau de Thebe from where he stood and below it, the beach shack that he agreed to help paint.
Robert pulled out a pair of compact binoculars. He located Elia and Adriel and saw that they had not made much progress since he left.
Elia was on the ground painting what she could reach pewter. She was doing exactly as he told her to: one siding panel at a time with three even strokes. Meanwhile Adriel was working on the higher part of the walls. He was on a step ladder doing the exact same technique. He seemed more efficient than her too, as he had already covered three panels. Robert would have been proud except Adriel used a bright pink color instead of the grey they agreed on.
How did Adriel manage to end up with a different color? Robert thought as he broke into a sprint. Did he have trouble with mixing the paint? Or could he be color blind?
He decided to take a shortcut. If he ran fast enough through the cove, he could make it to the shack in over a minute instead of the five it would take through the woods.
He began scaling down the steep hill. But his butler uniform's coattails caught onto a bramble. It ripped off him as he tried to free himself and he fell and slid a few feet down the hill on the grass. When he reached the coast, he used all his strength to run.
"STOP!"
Robert bellowed as he finally made it to Adriel's tiny home. Adriel jumped in reflex. In his surprise, he dropped his tools and lost his footing. He struggled to maintain balance and flailed around atop the ladder before falling.
The ladder toppled in Elia's direction. Robert flinched. And as he opened his eyes, he saw Adriel had landed on top of her, but caught himself from crashing into her. Paint splattered all over their clothes and bled into the ground.
With one sweeping motion, he pushed Adriel off her and he landed face down in the dirt.
"My lady, are you alright? Does it hurt anywhere?" Robert asked Elia urgently. She didn't respond. She was frowning, still deep in thought. Robert imagined she didn't take the fall too well. He had to nurse her and he declared, "We're going home!"
"WOW! Thanks Robert for asking how I am!" Adriel said sarcastically as he chased after them. "What did you even do that for?!"
"You." Robert hissed. He was convinced he judged the teenage boy wrong. He can't believe he thought he was dependable. "What color is that shirt you're wearing?"
"What's that got to do with anything?" Adriel protested.
"Just answer!"
"Fine. It's white! Pure and plain like this house! Sheesh!"
ROFL ahh.. Robert is so unapologetically biased towards Elia it's funny! Poor Adriel lol. He didn't even do anything.
I'm loving this new socialite snob Edward. He sounds like a pain already and they only brushed shoulders with each other.
That moment between Elia and Adriel is going to be the source of Robert's nightmares for the next few days now. #justiceforAdriel
Well done Kev amusing chapter and props for getting it up at last even though you been busy as well. I lol'd quite a bit too Robert is quite amusing so far. the #justiceforAdriel @mercuryfoam that poor boy going to need all the help he can get dealing with Robert breathing down his neck where Elia's concerned! I loved the funny pics of during and after Adriel falling too Elia's expression was priceless and i could almost imagine the smoke coming out Rob's nose and ears! Edward really is your typical ungrateful snotty brat too and in need of a knuckle sandwich! Though i do admire how Robert still managed to keep his cool regardless of job/training or not. I feel bad for Robert that he didn't get any answers that he went for in first place and got treated like that by Edward poor guy can't seem to catch a break sometimes. Very enjoyable chapter lovely job my friend
The update is great! Edward isn’t very nice! Robert is very kind to and protective of Elia.
It was very nice reading more of your story. You are creative in your screenshots and being to capture the look on the sims faces
Thanks for your continued support @mercuryfoam@shaymantha@rosemow and the lurkers out there despite the irregular updates. What Shay said is true; the past week had been especially busy for me so the update came out later than planned (though now that I think about it more, Q4 really is usually my busiest time of the year).
I wanted to share with you a picture I snapped of Bob Robert and Elia having a BBQ on my off-camera game. Think of it as a centerfold poster.
Edward's my favorite in terms of character design though.
Aww your welcome my friend. Lol @ the bob reference what's Elia's nickname? Wendy? Rofl she has the blonde hair at least! Thanks for the "centrefold" it's a lovely pic.
Hey guys! There isn't actually an update today. Sorry. I just couldn't find it in me to write a full episode. Truth be told, I am struggling to keep up with maintaining a healthy work-life balance. The little time I have left for myself had not made it possible to play the game for long. Which I really need when "shooting" my scenes. But I did want to post something so I'm giving you mini episodes—minisodes, if you will. These are tweeners to the main storyline. They are stuff that do not make it to the final cut. These write-ups are relatively short. But they are canon and vital for me in exploring characters. I will posts minisodes separately but will hide them in the spoiler tag since they are just the same scenes from past Episodes (just from another perspective). Oh and just so we're clear, they are all canon.
Unloved Minisode 1
Elia somehow found herself lying on the ground under Adriel. He caught himself just in time from crashing into her—he just barely managed to prop himself up with his arms. But still he ended up close to her. Too close.
Her eyes met his which widened both from the fear of falling and the embarrassment of landing on top of her. He cheeks have gone red. Elia imagined it must be from the awkwardness. If so, then she must have sported the same exact look.
"S-sorry" she heard him mutter. And then he froze. She instinctively and shyly looked away. She did not exactly have a choice where else to look. But anywhere except the eyes would have been good. She caught glimpse of his jaw and shoulders. Have they always been this wide? Have his chest muscles been thickening? And since when did Adriel develop an Adam's apple?
Suddenly, Adriel's body was lifted off hers and her sight was no longer limited to just his skin. She was relieved to see the sky and Robert. He sat her down, helped her get on her feet, and asked a lot of questions. He usually showed very little emotion—except anger. But now, Elia could hear a slight and unfamiliar panic in his voice.
Now that Elia came to think about it, everything was different about Robert. His hair which he usually styled into a tall pompadour was messy and worn down. His butler uniform was tattered. His pants and footwear, soaked with seawater. And the coat was missing entirely. Sweat trickled down his face and neck onto the top of his firm pecs which were now visible as several top buttons of his shirt had gone loose. She watched closely as his chest steadily rose up and expand as he breathed.
Oh no.
What was she doing? Elia wondered. Was she just ogling Robert? She couldn't have! She just found it interesting that he looked so disparate from his usual collected and reserved self is all. But she did think he looked better with his hair down—
Oh come on!
She tried to snap herself out of it. She distracted herself by listening to their conversation. The two young men were arguing about the color of Adriel's clothes.
"Fine. It's white! Pure and plain like this house! Sheesh!" Adriel snapped.
Huh? His tank top was indeed white but it also had baby blue and yellow stripes.
"And there you have it! Unbelievable! Come now, my lady. We're leaving!" Elia heard Robert say to her. He put a hand around Elia's arm and led her away from the teenage boy. He glanced back at Adriel. With a scoff and a nasty glare, he scolded him, "Don't you dare pick up that paintbrush! I'll handle the repainting from now on."
Great idea my friend 👍 these minisodes are a great addition to have as its nice to have the story from more than one perspective without you over stressing and doubling your workload! 😀
Poor Elia the joys of going through the stage of teenage life and all it throws at us in the most awkward and embarrassing ways! 😳 😂 Lol at ogling Robert oh dear the poor girl and same with Adriel too, it's just suddenly hit her right out the blue and thinking things she never thought she would especially of someone she's grown up with. Hang in there dear it happens to all of us in some way shape or form.
It's fun to explore the same scene from a different perspective. I really like this idea because I did wonder what Ella was thinking in the last chapter.
Also, yay to Ella ogling! Now that her physiological and safety needs are satisfied, she can devote full time to exploring her needs on love and belonging... *cough cough*
It was very nice reading how Elia felt after her fall,, and the thoughts that were going through her mind. It adds to the rest of the story as we understand more about how she is feeling from her perspective.
Thankyou for the great mini episode update
Robert had drawn a bath for Elia in the private spa. It was a room she had not been in before as she, up until then, only ever had to use her en-suite bathroom and the powder room by the dining room. Robert kept most of the chateau’s chambers unused and locked; opening them only for an occasional light housekeeping. But he insisted to use the spa as he said the bath soaks he had prepared would clog up the drains of all the other tubs in the house.
Elia stood beside Robert, clutching her change of clothes, as he unlocked the doors of the northwesternmost room of the first floor. It opened to reveal a spacious chamber with periwinkle paneling. Sheer white curtains framed the large casement windows that overlooked the formal gardens. A dainty crystal chandelier hung in the middle of the room above a clawed porcelain bathtub. A bottle of juice is submerged in an ice bucket on a chair beside it. The toilet and showers were screened off by antique wooden dividers. And on the mantle, an array of expensive looking perfumes and bath essences lined up.
A sweet smell wafted through the air as he prepared her bath of milk, honey, and oatmeal. She found it extremely wasteful to soak in what she thought was food. But he had told her it also contained soap, oils, and baking soda—not edible at all. He said the bath would calm her senses, relax her muscles, and clean the paint off her all at once. Elia was convinced she would never understand the rich and their ways but she would not turn down an offer to relax.
With a flourish of a blazing pinecone, Robert lit a fire. He turned to her and said, "The bath is prepared.
"My lady, it is very important to remember that you do not soak for more than half an hour. You might find the bath comfortable—and I'm sure you will! But you must resist staying in too long or it will make you feel lightheaded.
"I will be waiting outside. Should you need my assistance please ring the butler bell," he pointed at her smartphone, "Now, please excuse me."
Robert closed the door. And Elia was alone.
Taking a bath in the spa was—Elia could think no other word for it—humbling. Although she was certain that nobody else would be around in the next one-third mile, although she was on a room that was 20 feet off the ground, and although she knew the house overlooked a jagged rock cliff, she felt vulnerable undressing in such a large open space. So she tried to cover herself with her arms, crouched low, and got in the bath as quickly as she could.
Robert was right, the bath was comfortable. She had expected it to be sticky, but instead it felt silken against her skin. It was perfectly warm.
And it smelled really tasty, like a nougat bar. Robert said it wasn’t edible but could something so sweet-smelling really be inedible? She cupped a handful and brought it up to her face. She took a sip.
Elia bolted out of the bath and spit into the sink. It tasted just exactly like what it was—soap. She rinsed her mouth of the liquid and caught sight of her naked reflection in the mirror. She instinctively cowered but laughed at herself immediately after. Hasn’t she thought of this before? It was impossible for anyone else to see her. And yet she couldn’t help protecting herself. Really, feeling uncomfortable over literally nothing was a stupid thing to do. As Elia climbed back into the bath, she wondered. Could that be the same discomfort everyone else felt when she was around?
She had been told that her purple eyes were unnatural, piercing, humbling. It made people uncomfortable even when all she did was just lay her eyes on them. They avoided her gaze. And then avoided her entirely. And when they did have to talk to her, they did not even so much look at her. They always assumed the worst of her over a simple eye discoloration.
And speaking of color, could Adriel be actually visually challenged? If he did not see his paint was pink instead of grey, then surely he could not have seen the purple in her eyes, too? He had always been telling her she could do better in art class back at the orphanage, too. That she could use a little more color in her work. But she had always been using lots of colors. She thought he was just being childish, wanting to paint everything in rainbows. But now it all made perfect sense. Adriel was color blind.
Could it be that the only reason he could could look her in the eye and not flinch, is because he didn't see well? Would he have treated her differently if he could? And what if he suddenly saw? Elia knew about glasses that made colorblind people see color from the internet. What if he suddenly had those? Would things still be the same between them? Would he still want to be around her?
Elia looked at the door. There was one other person that wasn't bothered by her eyes. And he was right behind it. Robert. Elia found herself growing more and more fond of him. She was grateful for him and everything he had provided. She really lucked out on that adoption. But if she hadn't been a Thebe, would he be caring for her this way too?
She submerged herself shoulder-deep in the milky waters. She closed her eyes and rested her head by the bathtub’s edge. She didn’t want to think anymore. She came here for relaxation but here she was hung up in her thoughts. She let herself slide beneath the water. Maybe if she stayed that way, her troubles too would dissolve in the fragrant warm water.
"ELIA!"
He heard Robert calling for her. She opened her eyes and saw his face. He was on the verge of tears. For some reason, she was lying on the floor with her head in his arms.
"Thank Watcher! I told you not to stay in there for too long!"
"Oh yeah," she thought. She was taking a bath. She must have dozed off while deep in thought. "Thanks for waking me."
Elia sat up. She heard Robert stutter. She suddenly felt the heat rise to her head. She screeched at her realization.
It was a great update that you posted Your words are very descriptive and allow us to understand both how the characters are feeling as well as what is happening. The picture of Elia with a blue skin tone when she is thinking about her purple eyes and Adriel’s colour blindness is a great touch!
Ooh this is lovely, I'm liking the fairy tale vibes. Your screenshots are so lovely as well! Quite a trajectory for Elia, from the unwanted child to a lady in power surrounded by all these dudes - all of whom my likely try to win her affections in some way in the future, though each for different reasons. Let's see what she makes of it (I mean, she doesn't even know about snooty-face wannabe heir yet).
I'm curious about Robert. We can gather why Elia and Adriel are a bit sheltered from the world and struggle with grasping the real world, they've been so isolated at the orphanage (and it sure looks like some nefarious stuff went on behind the scenes there), but I'm curious why Robert is the way he is, so loyal and not questioning anything. Definitely looking forward to finding out more about what might lie under the surface
Hey @SilentKitty! You found my secret stash. It’s a story that’s set in the chateau I had trouble finishing lol. It’s nice to see a familiar face!
And new ones too! Welcome @ThePlumbob and thanks for picking up my first written work! I hope you’ll stick around til when my writing style stabilizes. We’ll find out more about Robert down the road.
Thanks @rosemow for taking time to read and bringing up Elia’s false color picture! I’m really glad that my intentions on taking that screenshot came across to the readers.
Ahh.. I just want to say how lovely and relaxing your story is. (Okay I’m echoing the first ever comment I made on this thread but this was much needed so thank you! )
This chapter makes me feel for Ella. She’s so insecure about the relationships she makes, questioning their validity and connecting it with a ‘desirable’ or ‘undesirable’ part of her.
I’m in awe of how you infuse your knowledge in architecture into the story through Robert. It’s reflected in your narrative but that much more precious when expressed through him and conveys how deep his love for preservation of history and culture is.
I’m curious about Adriel’s visual challenge. Feel free not to answer if its a spoiler.
Is the color distorted image a sneak peak of how Adriel sees color? At first I thought Adriel might have complete or Red-green color blindness since those are common. But if he’s mixing up her skin color, maybe he has blue-yellow color-blindness. But man I love how colorful the world looks through his eyes. So I’m wondering if Robert has tetrachromacy. And since this is fiction maybe you’ve combined Adriel to have both tetrachromacy and color-blindness! I’m getting ahead of myself. Bottom line is, I’m curious as to how much it impacts Adriel’s vision of the world, but if you rather show than tell by all means. I’m just impatient and putting my questions down
EDITED to add: I also noticed that Adriel sees Elia's eye color as purple still. D'aaaw see Elia. People can love you for who you are whatever your eye color is. I just hope Adriel manages to convey this to her. Or someone.
No worries, no spoilers here! What I've attached is a false-color imagination of what Elia thinks Adriel's vision is. (She doesn't know how color blindness works.) I was originally gonna do this whole montage/GIF where the colors are right, but then the "viewer" aka Adriel blinks and it would reveal how he really sees color but I got lazy it turned out so samey that I went with this more drastic route. The tetrachromacy, I'll admit, would have been fun! And if I had known about it earlier, I'd have given it to him. But you were right, Adriel is most likely have protanopia or red-green color blindness.
Oooh..! Thanks for clarifying. So that was Elia's pov on colorblindness. Gotcha. Dang. Now I have to wait patiently for the story reveal. Okay... *fidgets*
That would be awesome if you did a gif on it too but I agree, it can be time-consuming to make.
May I know what software do you use to make your gifs? Currently I use blender or gimp but the process is painfully slow and glitchy so am on a lookout for more reliable ways to make them. I really admire your earlier gifs and how seamless they are.
Oh... right the next update.
*hides unfinished build just waiting for the platform update*
I use Photoshop. But then run it through some online compressor to optimize. Photoshop wasn't made for these things, so the file size can end up a little too large.
Sorry for the late comment 😅 but just wanted to say i loved the new episode. Poor girl she must be feeling much more self conscious than ever before after her descovery of Adriel's colour blindness and thinking that's why he was always able to look her in the eyes all this time! Not to mention how much more 'alien' she probably feels right now too. Loved the pic of her vision of what Adriel may see her as with her blue skin and actually looking alien! Great update my friend will look forward to the next one 👍 😀
Thanks Sammy for reading! I'm glad that you loved it. Fun fact the false color image was done through Photoshop. I purposefully put them in that colorful kids room so those familiar with the game's assets would find the change drastic but now that I look at it, I am certain those switched colors are actual swatches in-game too.
Your welcome 😀 I must say you must be doing something right since i don't really read much with having a short attention span when it comes to reading yet here i am coming back for more and excited for reading the next episode after each 1 i read!!! 😉
Fun fact the false color image was done through Photoshop. I purposefully put them in that colorful kids room so those familiar with the game's assets would find the change drastic but now that I look at it, I am certain those switched colors are actual swatches in-game too.
*Looks at her own alien sims* I'd say yes they are! 😉🤣
Comments
My Simself Family Tree is full of them.
In a way, yes. It's a unity thing.
“Remember what I taught you!” Robert called after his young mistress as she gleefully went up the front porch stairs of Adriel's tiny white-washed fisherman’s shack. It had been another hot, summer day; and today he, Elia, and that little rascal Adriel planned on finishing painting the hut. Robert, however, had a quick errand to run so he was dropping her off first so they could start ahead. He made a promise to be back immediately after to help. He watched her knock excitedly on the front door but turned around to wave him goodbye.
He responded with a short bow just as Adriel opened the door to let her in. He greeted her with a big, loving, bear hug but broke it off almost immediately when he noticed him. The young butler looked him straight in his eyes with a threatening glare. Adriel seemed to have immediately caught on to what he wanted to say (Don't even think of laying a finger on her!) as he nervously averted his gaze and quickly closed the door behind them. Robert snickered victoriously. He observed that Adriel seemed to scare very easily. But Adriel, although wimpy enough to be thrown off by a stare and knocked over by a single punch, seemed like a nice, dependable guy. Someone who genuinely cared for Elia. Someone who was simple enough to not put on pretenses. Someone very much unlike the person he had to visit.
After a brief walk, Robert stood outside the tall iron gates of one of the cove’s other statelier chateaux. He breathed a deep sigh. In truth, he did not want to be there. Nor did he want to talk to the person living inside. But Adriel’s interrogation led to more questions than answers. He mentioned he was house sitting for a pale man in red. The pale person had found him by the road after he got kicked off the fruit delivery truck he snuck onto that night he escaped from the orphanage. He said he owned a hut that he barely used for himself and that Adriel was welcome use it on the single condition that it would be repainted. Robert could not think of anybody else more fitting of Adriel’s description better than this person. If he wanted answers, it was probably best to get them straight from the horse's mouth. No matter how unpleasant that horse would have been.
He composed himself and produced a vintage black iron key from his uniform’s inner pocket. To his surprise, however, the gates automatically opened with a loud creaking noise; without him having to use the key. He slid through the opening and climbed up the manor's sloping driveways. The grounds below looked unkempt was his initial reaction. The reflecting pond too was thoroughly covered by a dense growth of lilies. And the flowers by the twin stairs base have already overgrown their beds. He made a mental note to call the landscape contractor. To his relief, though, the chateau was intact and pristine. It was smaller and quainter than the Chateau de Thebe but still it was equally imposing. He knocked on the piano nobile doors.
A preppy, lanky, blond teenager answered the door. He wore a silken white button up shirt under a pale brown suit jacket which he paired with equally pale khaki pants. With his fair appearance, he looked like an angel glowing ever so lightly in the gentle morning sun's rays. But as he stepped out, he revealed a red cardigan so bright Robert wondered if he were looking into a portal to the fiery netherworld.
“Well, if it isn’t Bob?" the teen teased.
Robert gritted his teeth. He hated that nickname. When he was younger, children his age used to chant and ask him if he can "fix it". But he never fully understood why. He never got the reference. He was not a builder but a butler. He thought it best to suppress this memory along with his seething displeasure. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, young master, but—" he began.
"Oh I already know about Adelaida Thebe's passing,” the teen cut him off dramatically. “You really thought I would miss out on news like that? You of all people should know that Capeside is a small, tight knit town. And when rumors start, they—" a soft ding broke off the teen's train of thought. He looked earnestly at his smartphone. Then chuckled as he typed away on its screen.
This brat in front of Robert was Edward Whittaker. A socialite snob in his late teenage years. Edward tragically lost both his parents while they were on a treasure-hunting expedition in Selvadaroda. As the lone son of House Whittaker, he was bequeathed more money than he could ever spend in three lifetimes, including this chateau and its grounds. But his ambitions were by no means satisfied with any of these. Indeed, Edward aimed for the big fish. He knew well his worth as the new Whittaker family head. He wore it with pride and showed off the coat of arms and red house colors whenever he could. But more than that, he knew that he was next in line to power as the head of the Royal Thebe's cadet branch. A position that entitles him to the entire royal fortune should anything happen to the main family—to Mistress Adelaida and her only son, Antoine.
With the mistress gone and Antoine missing, Edward would have been guaranteed the inheritance—at least he was until Robert found Elia. What anyone would to do with such a huge sum of money, Robert did not want to know. All he knew was this young man's appetite was never fulfilled. Ironically, he would have been the perfect Thebe. Cut-throat and ambitious. But when he chuckled at his smartphone like this, Robert thought in many ways, he was not any different from the real young Thebe, mistress Elia. Both had blonde hair. Both had the family's signature vividly colored eyes. And both just happened to be orphans. But most importantly, both were still just kids.
"If you’re done with bad news, maybe you’d like to hear some good news instead?" Edward said. “I just received an email from my lawyer."
Edward flashed his phone to show Robert the conversation. "We’ll be visiting you to talk about Adelaida’s will. I scheduled it on the same day that the National Historic Commission comes. Next week. You know, the agreed date from before she passed?"
"With so many people around, we could make it a party!" Edward's eyes suddenly rounded with excitement. "You know what, let’s do that! I'll invite everyone in town!"
Robert just stared blankly at Edward. He already hated this conversation. He had his own thoughts. But he dared not voice them. Whether he liked it or not, whether he was actually related to the bloodline or not. He cannot talk back. He was free to think. But Edward was a Whittaker—and he was still part of the Thebe clan.
And yet, he did not show even a trace of remorse for Mistress Adelaida.
“Hey! What’s that look for? You’re always so gloomy! Don’t worry! When I get the chateau, I’ll let you keep your job. You can still continue your 'historically-accurate' stewardship...or something. Watcher knows I could use a hand managing the property and you already know how to do that.”
Wait... Does he somehow not know about Elia?
“I mean, it’s a lot different from your plan but so long as you get to keep the chateau right?”
(What plan?)
“C’mon, don’t think I couldn’t tell. ” Edward laughed boisterously but then suddenly lowered his voice, as though weary that anyone might overhear. He leaned in close to Robert.
“It’s just the two of us—you can be honest with me. You were trying to seduce the mistress weren’t you? Strutting around in your tight unnecessary uniform? Trying to win some favors with a little eye candy? It kinda worked didn't it? But what would've you done if she’d actually asked you to sleep with—“
Robert grabbed Edward’s bony shoulder and shoved him inside the vestibule. His face burned bright red with embarrassment and anger, matching well with the flags that decorated the walls of the Whittaker manor. He had heard enough. He wanted to talk back. He wanted Edward to shut up. He wanted him to take back his words. Heck, he even wanted to land his fist on Edward’s face. But he didn’t do anything. He wouldn’t. He knew his place. He could never.
“Good choice, Bob.” Edward gloated. “I'll forgive you, since you made the right decision.” Robert loosened his clench and Edward brushed the hand off his own shoulder. It fell limply to the butler's side.
“Man, you should really work on your temper, Bob! You almost had me fooled that you would dare!"
“Almost." Edward said with a wide grin before turning his back on Robert. "If you don't have anything more to say, you are excused now.”
Robert walked dejectedly out to the manor’s formal garden. In the end, he never got to ask Edward anything. On top of that, the confrontation they had left him even more frustrated. He shouldn't have went after all. He vented by grabbing a handful of pebbles from the gravel path and pitched them off the cliff. One by one, where they disappeared into the foamy waters below. He could see the Chateau de Thebe from where he stood and below it, the beach shack that he agreed to help paint.
Robert pulled out a pair of compact binoculars. He located Elia and Adriel and saw that they had not made much progress since he left.
Elia was on the ground painting what she could reach pewter. She was doing exactly as he told her to: one siding panel at a time with three even strokes. Meanwhile Adriel was working on the higher part of the walls. He was on a step ladder doing the exact same technique. He seemed more efficient than her too, as he had already covered three panels. Robert would have been proud except Adriel used a bright pink color instead of the grey they agreed on.
How did Adriel manage to end up with a different color? Robert thought as he broke into a sprint. Did he have trouble with mixing the paint? Or could he be color blind?
He decided to take a shortcut. If he ran fast enough through the cove, he could make it to the shack in over a minute instead of the five it would take through the woods.
He began scaling down the steep hill. But his butler uniform's coattails caught onto a bramble. It ripped off him as he tried to free himself and he fell and slid a few feet down the hill on the grass. When he reached the coast, he used all his strength to run.
"STOP!"
Robert bellowed as he finally made it to Adriel's tiny home. Adriel jumped in reflex. In his surprise, he dropped his tools and lost his footing. He struggled to maintain balance and flailed around atop the ladder before falling.
The ladder toppled in Elia's direction. Robert flinched. And as he opened his eyes, he saw Adriel had landed on top of her, but caught himself from crashing into her. Paint splattered all over their clothes and bled into the ground.
With one sweeping motion, he pushed Adriel off her and he landed face down in the dirt.
"My lady, are you alright? Does it hurt anywhere?" Robert asked Elia urgently. She didn't respond. She was frowning, still deep in thought. Robert imagined she didn't take the fall too well. He had to nurse her and he declared, "We're going home!"
"WOW! Thanks Robert for asking how I am!" Adriel said sarcastically as he chased after them. "What did you even do that for?!"
"You." Robert hissed. He was convinced he judged the teenage boy wrong. He can't believe he thought he was dependable. "What color is that shirt you're wearing?"
"What's that got to do with anything?" Adriel protested.
"Just answer!"
"Fine. It's white! Pure and plain like this house! Sheesh!"
I'm loving this new socialite snob Edward. He sounds like a pain already and they only brushed shoulders with each other.
That moment between Elia and Adriel is going to be the source of Robert's nightmares for the next few days now.
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It was very nice reading more of your story. You are creative in your screenshots and being to capture the look on the sims faces
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I wanted to share with you a picture I snapped of Bob Robert and Elia having a BBQ on my off-camera game. Think of it as a centerfold poster.
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Elia somehow found herself lying on the ground under Adriel. He caught himself just in time from crashing into her—he just barely managed to prop himself up with his arms. But still he ended up close to her. Too close.
Her eyes met his which widened both from the fear of falling and the embarrassment of landing on top of her. He cheeks have gone red. Elia imagined it must be from the awkwardness. If so, then she must have sported the same exact look.
"S-sorry" she heard him mutter. And then he froze. She instinctively and shyly looked away. She did not exactly have a choice where else to look. But anywhere except the eyes would have been good. She caught glimpse of his jaw and shoulders. Have they always been this wide? Have his chest muscles been thickening? And since when did Adriel develop an Adam's apple?
Suddenly, Adriel's body was lifted off hers and her sight was no longer limited to just his skin. She was relieved to see the sky and Robert. He sat her down, helped her get on her feet, and asked a lot of questions. He usually showed very little emotion—except anger. But now, Elia could hear a slight and unfamiliar panic in his voice.
Now that Elia came to think about it, everything was different about Robert. His hair which he usually styled into a tall pompadour was messy and worn down. His butler uniform was tattered. His pants and footwear, soaked with seawater. And the coat was missing entirely. Sweat trickled down his face and neck onto the top of his firm pecs which were now visible as several top buttons of his shirt had gone loose. She watched closely as his chest steadily rose up and expand as he breathed.
Oh no.
What was she doing? Elia wondered. Was she just ogling Robert? She couldn't have! She just found it interesting that he looked so disparate from his usual collected and reserved self is all. But she did think he looked better with his hair down—
Oh come on!
She tried to snap herself out of it. She distracted herself by listening to their conversation. The two young men were arguing about the color of Adriel's clothes.
"Fine. It's white! Pure and plain like this house! Sheesh!" Adriel snapped.
Huh? His tank top was indeed white but it also had baby blue and yellow stripes.
"And there you have it! Unbelievable! Come now, my lady. We're leaving!" Elia heard Robert say to her. He put a hand around Elia's arm and led her away from the teenage boy. He glanced back at Adriel. With a scoff and a nasty glare, he scolded him, "Don't you dare pick up that paintbrush! I'll handle the repainting from now on."
Poor Elia the joys of going through the stage of teenage life and all it throws at us in the most awkward and embarrassing ways! 😳 😂 Lol at ogling Robert oh dear the poor girl and same with Adriel too, it's just suddenly hit her right out the blue and thinking things she never thought she would especially of someone she's grown up with. Hang in there dear it happens to all of us in some way shape or form.
Lovely minisode thanks for uploading it 😀
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Also, yay to Ella ogling! Now that her physiological and safety needs are satisfied, she can devote full time to exploring her needs on love and belonging... *cough cough*
Thankyou for the great mini episode update
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Robert had drawn a bath for Elia in the private spa. It was a room she had not been in before as she, up until then, only ever had to use her en-suite bathroom and the powder room by the dining room. Robert kept most of the chateau’s chambers unused and locked; opening them only for an occasional light housekeeping. But he insisted to use the spa as he said the bath soaks he had prepared would clog up the drains of all the other tubs in the house.
Elia stood beside Robert, clutching her change of clothes, as he unlocked the doors of the northwesternmost room of the first floor. It opened to reveal a spacious chamber with periwinkle paneling. Sheer white curtains framed the large casement windows that overlooked the formal gardens. A dainty crystal chandelier hung in the middle of the room above a clawed porcelain bathtub. A bottle of juice is submerged in an ice bucket on a chair beside it. The toilet and showers were screened off by antique wooden dividers. And on the mantle, an array of expensive looking perfumes and bath essences lined up.
A sweet smell wafted through the air as he prepared her bath of milk, honey, and oatmeal. She found it extremely wasteful to soak in what she thought was food. But he had told her it also contained soap, oils, and baking soda—not edible at all. He said the bath would calm her senses, relax her muscles, and clean the paint off her all at once. Elia was convinced she would never understand the rich and their ways but she would not turn down an offer to relax.
With a flourish of a blazing pinecone, Robert lit a fire. He turned to her and said, "The bath is prepared.
"My lady, it is very important to remember that you do not soak for more than half an hour. You might find the bath comfortable—and I'm sure you will! But you must resist staying in too long or it will make you feel lightheaded.
"I will be waiting outside. Should you need my assistance please ring the butler bell," he pointed at her smartphone, "Now, please excuse me."
Robert closed the door. And Elia was alone.
Taking a bath in the spa was—Elia could think no other word for it—humbling. Although she was certain that nobody else would be around in the next one-third mile, although she was on a room that was 20 feet off the ground, and although she knew the house overlooked a jagged rock cliff, she felt vulnerable undressing in such a large open space. So she tried to cover herself with her arms, crouched low, and got in the bath as quickly as she could.
Robert was right, the bath was comfortable. She had expected it to be sticky, but instead it felt silken against her skin. It was perfectly warm.
And it smelled really tasty, like a nougat bar. Robert said it wasn’t edible but could something so sweet-smelling really be inedible? She cupped a handful and brought it up to her face. She took a sip.
Elia bolted out of the bath and spit into the sink. It tasted just exactly like what it was—soap. She rinsed her mouth of the liquid and caught sight of her naked reflection in the mirror. She instinctively cowered but laughed at herself immediately after. Hasn’t she thought of this before? It was impossible for anyone else to see her. And yet she couldn’t help protecting herself. Really, feeling uncomfortable over literally nothing was a stupid thing to do. As Elia climbed back into the bath, she wondered. Could that be the same discomfort everyone else felt when she was around?
She had been told that her purple eyes were unnatural, piercing, humbling. It made people uncomfortable even when all she did was just lay her eyes on them. They avoided her gaze. And then avoided her entirely. And when they did have to talk to her, they did not even so much look at her. They always assumed the worst of her over a simple eye discoloration.
And speaking of color, could Adriel be actually visually challenged? If he did not see his paint was pink instead of grey, then surely he could not have seen the purple in her eyes, too? He had always been telling her she could do better in art class back at the orphanage, too. That she could use a little more color in her work. But she had always been using lots of colors. She thought he was just being childish, wanting to paint everything in rainbows. But now it all made perfect sense. Adriel was color blind.
Could it be that the only reason he could could look her in the eye and not flinch, is because he didn't see well? Would he have treated her differently if he could? And what if he suddenly saw? Elia knew about glasses that made colorblind people see color from the internet. What if he suddenly had those? Would things still be the same between them? Would he still want to be around her?
Elia looked at the door. There was one other person that wasn't bothered by her eyes. And he was right behind it. Robert. Elia found herself growing more and more fond of him. She was grateful for him and everything he had provided. She really lucked out on that adoption. But if she hadn't been a Thebe, would he be caring for her this way too?
She submerged herself shoulder-deep in the milky waters. She closed her eyes and rested her head by the bathtub’s edge. She didn’t want to think anymore. She came here for relaxation but here she was hung up in her thoughts. She let herself slide beneath the water. Maybe if she stayed that way, her troubles too would dissolve in the fragrant warm water.
"ELIA!"
He heard Robert calling for her. She opened her eyes and saw his face. He was on the verge of tears. For some reason, she was lying on the floor with her head in his arms.
"Thank Watcher! I told you not to stay in there for too long!"
"Oh yeah," she thought. She was taking a bath. She must have dozed off while deep in thought. "Thanks for waking me."
Elia sat up. She heard Robert stutter. She suddenly felt the heat rise to her head. She screeched at her realization.
Oh yeah...she was taking a bath.
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I'm curious about Robert. We can gather why Elia and Adriel are a bit sheltered from the world and struggle with grasping the real world, they've been so isolated at the orphanage (and it sure looks like some nefarious stuff went on behind the scenes there), but I'm curious why Robert is the way he is, so loyal and not questioning anything. Definitely looking forward to finding out more about what might lie under the surface
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And new ones too! Welcome @ThePlumbob and thanks for picking up my first written work! I hope you’ll stick around til when my writing style stabilizes. We’ll find out more about Robert down the road.
Thanks @rosemow for taking time to read and bringing up Elia’s false color picture!
This chapter makes me feel for Ella. She’s so insecure about the relationships she makes, questioning their validity and connecting it with a ‘desirable’ or ‘undesirable’ part of her.
I’m in awe of how you infuse your knowledge in architecture into the story through Robert. It’s reflected in your narrative but that much more precious when expressed through him and conveys how deep his love for preservation of history and culture is.
I’m curious about Adriel’s visual challenge. Feel free not to answer if its a spoiler.
EDITED to add: I also noticed that Adriel sees Elia's eye color as purple still. D'aaaw see Elia. People can love you for who you are whatever your eye color is. I just hope Adriel manages to convey this to her. Or someone.
No worries, no spoilers here! What I've attached is a false-color imagination of what Elia thinks Adriel's vision is. (She doesn't know how color blindness works.) I was originally gonna do this whole montage/GIF where the colors are right, but then the "viewer" aka Adriel blinks and it would reveal how he really sees color but I got lazy it turned out so samey that I went with this more drastic route. The tetrachromacy, I'll admit, would have been fun! And if I had known about it earlier, I'd have given it to him.
That would be awesome if you did a gif on it too but I agree, it can be time-consuming to make.
*hides unfinished build just waiting for the platform update*
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*Looks at her own alien sims* I'd say yes they are! 😉🤣
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