[M] Kindling Love {Karma & NotWhoIWas}

[Notty]

This roleplay is rated [M] for Mature, and may or may not contain adult themes including but not limited to violence, blood, coarse language, sensual situations and drug use. It is intended for Mature audiences. Read on at your own discretion.

[Notty]

The gray clouds outside mirrored the emotions stirring within Jackson Behr. His brow was furrowed as he stared out the window, the clouds swirling as the wind whipped at the trees outside his window. Too long he had been cooped up here, yet he knew there was no escape. The large, wrought-iron fence around the estate made sure of that. And even if he did leave, where would he go? There was nowhere that he would be free of the pain that plagued him. There was no way to escape that, except for....

It was a curious thing, the old house that sat up on Manor Hill. A beautiful, stately home, but lately had seemed to fallen into a romantic sort of disrepair. Not quite derelict, but also not at the prime of it's life. It looked a bit overgrown and forlorn, but it could be easily remedied, if someone had the heart to do so.

Jackson started down the stairs of the house, tugging on a black jacket as he stepped outside. The wind blew his dark brown hair, and he closed his pale green eyes, taking in a sharp breath. This was one of the only places he felt comfort- one of the only times he felt comfort- outside. The wind whipped cruelly across his face, but allowed him a brief moment of relief from the pain that had engulfed him.

When you can control the fire of anger inside you, then the pain will end. Until then, as the fire of anger rises, so shall the pain you feel. Control the anger, and the pain will end. Find someone who can heal the anger, and it will be gone forever.

Jackson sighed and closed his eyes. "Yeah, not gonna happen. Hasn't happened in 10 years, won't happen in the next 100..." His fists clenched as he let out a soft groan, the sensation of being burnt dancing over his skin. A strange curse, it was. That the anger that burned inside him should be physically sensed as well. The angrier he got, the worse it hurt. And what was more- the ones that lived with him, his faithful friends and servants- the angrier he got, the worse it hurt them as well. It wasn't fair, not to them, but....they didn't seem to be able to leave either. So all that Jackson seemed to be able to do was to try and keep a level head, for their sake.

[.Karma.]

Her sketch pencil flew across the paper. For some reason Elena was always drawn back to this place, the house almost seemed like it had been frozen in time. She remembered seeing this place when she was young, hidden back in the woods, and she had always been curious. Then when she started to grow older, she would come out here to draw. Some of her first sketches were of this old beautiful house. The trees almost looming over it, and the iron fence, had given it almost a frightening look. It had never struck fear into her though, just curiosity. Inspiration.

Lately though, her sketches included more then just the houses and the trees. Just as Elena started to wonder if she was going to see him today, he stepped out of the house. She positioned herself better on the tree branch she was sitting on, the wind was making her art more difficult to achieve today, and blowing her long auburn hair into her face. This branch was one of her favorite places to sit though, it hung over the fence and it gave her a closer view of the surroundings. It ensured that she didn't miss any of the details, but still provided some camouflage.

When he came closer into view, the focus of her bright blue eyes couldn't help but change to him. There was always something about this man. Something that she couldn't put her finger on that always changed her focus to him. Her pencil almost moving of it's own accord to start outlining his features. She could never quite capture the look in his eyes though. Never fully encompass what secrets were hidden within. Her pencil moved down to his jawline with quick even strokes when a large gust of wind rushed through the tree again, but this time, she hadn't been quick enough to grab on. Her hands were scrambling, her sketchbook dropping to the ground, shortly followed by Elena herself, landing into a bush below on the inside of the gates.

"Oh shit..." She whispered. There were clear no trespassing signs the whole way up to this remote location, that she had ignored. It was next to impossible that no one had heard or seen her ungraceful fall from the branch.

[Notty]

While the fall went unnoticed by Jackson, it didn't go unnoticed by all in the home. A pair of brown eyes widened and then let out a cry, feet pattering down the hall and skidding into the kitchen. "Mama! A girl just fell out of a tree, into the garden!" The middle aged woman turned and furrowed her brow a little, a hand moving to her hip. "Come on now, dear, don't go making stories!" she chided. The little boy shook his head and moved closer, grabbing her arm and trying to pull her out of the kitchen. "No, I promise, please! Come look!"

Sighing softly, Mrs. Emerson followed Reg down and out of the kitchen, towards the large hallway window, where the young boy could often be found. "See, there's absolutely nothi-" Mrs. Emerson began, then her eyes widened and she cupped a hand to her mouth. "Oh dear!" she cried out, hurriedly turning and heading down the stairs and to the front door.

Pushing it open, she quickly made her way around the house and stopped several feet from where the girl had landed. Her eyes were wide as she looked at her, as if she hadn't seen someone new in many years. "Are you alright?" She called out, now closing the distance between them, reaching out to try and help the girl out. "What happened? How did you come to be on this side of the gate?" Mrs. Emerson continued to question, then chuckled slightly, "forgive me, so many questions and you're all jostled up. "Here, come inside and we will get you cleaned up.."

[.Karma.]

Elena struggled a bit to get out of the bush, when she heard a voice. Her cheeks were red from embarrassment as she was helped out, wincing a little as she stepped down on her ankle. It was extreme pain, but she had definitely twisted it. "I um.. well I was in the tree.." She looked a bit sheepish as she turned around to grab her sketchpad, but she had lost her favorite pencil. Things just kept getting better didn't they?

Pushing her dark hair back away from her face and picking some leaves and dirt out of it a bit, she tried to give the kind lady a smile. "I would appreciate that, thank you.." Limping a bit toward the woman, biting her lip in nervousness. "I'm Elena Brooks... I'm really sorry." She walked along following the sweet lady into the house. She was quickly ushered into a chair and handed a cup of tea.

The woman looked a bit nervous, but pleased to have someone there. "Well, dear, it's been quite some time since we've had company." She smiled a bit before looking the girl over. "Is your ankle going to be alright, dear?"

"I think it will be, I'll just put some ice on it when I get home." Elena gave a small smile, her cheeks still slightly red from embarrassment. She knew she should apologize for intruding and try to head home, but she was actually inside this glorious home that she had sketched oh so many times. It was exciting, and by what she had seen it was just as beautiful inside as it was outside. Maybe, just maybe, if she stayed long enough... She would get to at least meet the man with the beautiful sad eyes.

[Notty]

Mrs. Emerson pursed her lips a bit as Elena mentioned putting some ice on it when she got home, but she said nothing, instead, she gave the girl a warm smile. "Well, for now dear, you just rest, okay?" She had a very motherly attitude about her, and she had no plans of leaving her alone anytime soon. "Can I get you anything else?" Mrs. Emerson asked with a smile, "a little snack like a sandwich? Are you cold, I can get a blanket if you are...are you quite sure that you are alright? You did take a pretty big fall there...."

As Mrs. Emerson fawned over Elena, Reg was curiously watching from around the corner. At 8 years old and with curly brown hair, the blue-eyed boy had never seen anyone outside of those that lived in the manor. To see a stranger- a girl stranger, at that, was quite exciting. He shifted and scooted a little closer, an unmistakable look of wonder in his eyes. A real life girl, here....wow.

Hearing the door and the scrambling of footsteps, Jackson furrowed his brow, looking up from the book he was reading. "Mark?" he called out, standing and crossing the large library. "Mark, is that you?" he barked, tossing the book on a nearby chair and curling his hands into fists. "MARK!" He screamed out, his eyes lighting up with anger as the middle-aged man came scrambling around the corner. Mark was tall and thin, dressed in a plain pair of gray pants and a white shirt with a pair of suspenders.

"Yes, yes, here I am!" Mark called out breathlessly as he moved towards Jackson, giving him a smile. "I'm sorry, I was preparing your lunch, was there something the matter?" His eyes moved to Jackson's and he could feel a twinge of pain. The curse, as most curses go, did not only affect Jackson. Every person that stepped foot in that house was tainted by his anger, and by way of that- the curse. The longer you were in Jackson's presence, and the angrier he got, the more pain you felt.

Reaching up to rub his forehead, as nonchalantly as he could, Mark forced a pained smile. "I heard noises downstairs! What is going on!?" Jackson barked out, causing Mark to hold his head again. The pain always seemed to be the worst when Jackson was yelling at him. "I...I'm not sure, I'll go check. I'm sorry, I'm sure whoever it was didn't mean to disturb you while you were reading...." He continued, giving a slight bow before turning and hurrying down the hall, towards the front door.

[.Karma.]

A smile spread across her face at this woman's motherly nature. It felt nice since her parents had been gone for some time now. "I would love a sandwich, thank you." She said politely, a sweet smile still across her lips. Her blue eyes turned to scan the room, when she saw a little boy. Elena had always loved children.

"Hey, buddy." She gave him a bright, comforting smile. "I'm Elena, but you can call me Elly if you want. What's your name?" She pushed her tangled hair out of her face as she continued to look at the young boy. Just as it seemed like he was going to answer, a pained look crossed his face. Like something was hurting him.

"Are you okay?" Her eyes went from comforting to concerned, but again before her questions could be answered, they were interrupted again. This time by a man who looked pained as well as a bit flustered.

"Ms. Emerson, Mr. Hartston would like to know what is going on that distur-" He cut himself short as he saw a new face, his eyes widened in a slightly horrified, surprised state.

[Notty]

Mark straightened up a little and brushed the front of his shirt, as if he wasn't expecting to see a new face. Well...he wasn't. It had been years since someone new had come into the house. And well...he wasn't. His brow furrowed slightly, and he reached up, rubbing his forehead as though he had a headache. "I...I apologize...but, who are you?" Mark asked, looking to Elena.

By now, Reg had retreated to the kitchen, tears streaming down his cheeks as he cried. "Mommy....my head hurts again.." he cried, tugging on the apron around Mrs. Emerson's waist, but she too, was dealing with the pain, her brow furrowed in an attempt to fight it. "It...it's....I know it does, sweetheart..." she said, turning and giving her son a weak smile. "Here..." she said, handing the young boy a glass full of chocolate milk. "You take this and drink it, okay? It'll help your head feel better...." Reg nodded, sniffling before taking the cup with both hands and eagerly drinking it, already on his way out of the kitchen and back towards the living room where the girl was.

Mrs. Emerson sighed and carried the sandwich on a plate, rubbing her forehead with a soft sigh. It isn't fair that he should suffer. It isn't fair that any of us should suffer. If he could just learn to manage and kill his anger... But the moment she stepped through the door and saw Mark, she shifted, stopping in her tracks briefly. Mark looked up from Elena and nodded before stepping over to Mrs. Emerson. "He wants to know what the noise is all about..." Mark whispered through clenched teeth. His eyes darted over towards Elena, "and who is that?"

[.Karma.]

"I'm..E.." Ms. Emerson walked in just then and this new man went over to whisper to her. She couldn't get anything answered, or answer a question around here. She did hear the whispers through his teeth though. She was right here! "I'm Elena! I fell out of the tree!" She said rather loudly, the politeness all but gone in her voice. He wasn't really being all that polite either, so why should she be? She was starting to feel strange in this house. Something making her incredibly uncomfortable.

Maybe she should just go? But she was still so curious. It was a hard decision, she picked up the sandwich and took a bite. Maybe after the sandwich. Maybe, just maybe she would at least get another glance of the man in her sketch book.

She was stuck now, with her awkward outburst and a bite of sandwich in her mouth. She decided while they whispered about God knows what, she would look at the drawing she had done today. Pulling her book out from under her arm she began to look through slowly. Nope, she still wasn't quite able to catch that look in his eyes. She let out an audible sigh as she continued to flip through the pages, taking bites of the sandwich until they weren't so preoccupied.

[Notty]

Reg was peering at the girl as he sipped his chocolate milk, a mustache forming above his upper lip where he had drank deeply. When she cried out, he couldn't help but smile and dart over towards her. "I'm Reg," he smiled, his nose still a little red from crying, but the chocolate milk seemed to have helped the pain. He sniffled a little more and took another drink of his chocolate milk before leaning on the arm of the chair Elena sat in.

"You are pretty..." he said, giving her a lopsided grin, his brown eyes scanning her face. "Are you here to stay?" Reg asked, full of curiosity. Mrs. Emerson glanced back and saw Reg talking to Elena, and she shuffled over, Mark in tow behind her. "Oh, forgive me, I'm sorry dear," she said, moving back over to Reg and placing her hands on his shoulders. "This is my son, Reg, and this is Mark."

Mark nodded slightly, but still looked a little suspiciously at Elena. "It is good to meet you, ma'am," he said with a slight bow, then looked to Mrs. Emerson. "I should be returning to my duties, I trust that you will take care of everything?" Mark asked, then opened his mouth to speak again. Immediately he was interrupted by the slamming of several doors, and what sounded like something shattering. His face paled a bit before he reached up and rubbed his head, Reg crying out softly as he turned into his mother and cried against her apron. "My head hurts..." he sobbed, Mrs. Emerson trying her best to soothe the boy as she dealt with the pain as well. "Forgive me, I must go..." Mark said with a pained voice, and quickly turned, exiting the room in an attempt to calm Jackson down.