hi. *waves and giggles nervously* umm... that link doesn't work... could you elaborate? Thaaaaaaaanks.

I don't know where I am.

You know where you're going.

The thought doesn't do much to comfort me. The mansion I'm standing in front of looms dark and mysterious.

A light clicks on in one of the upper windows. I pull my cloak tighter around myself. This dress doesn't do much for warmth.

NO TRESSPASSING, a sign reads.

Well, I'm tresspassing, so there, sign. I take a deep breath and knock on the door.

Risking being yelled at is a risk I'm willing to take to get out of the rain.

~~

My name is Ophelia. You may know me. I am looking for my brother, but unless your name is Leah, you don't know that yet. I am a little older than before, around 12 now. My dark brown hair has lightened from the sun and it's cut to just above my shoulders. I'm taller than before and have scrapped both the yellow and red dresses for a blue tunic, a grey cloak and black leggings. I've acquired a new pair of boots, slightly too big, and I have not lost my silver locket yet. Here is the thread I am originally from, the second castle, and I can't find the third castle. If someone else would like that it would be much appreciated.

http://www.cricketmagkids.com/chatterbox/inkwell/node/443232  

Uhhhhhhh... this is my first castle, so tell me if I'm doing anything wrong please.

*

I flap my wings frantically, moving closer to the mansion's front window. Cold rain drizzles on my back and face, and I shiver. I can't see much, just the warm-looking orange-yellow light from the windows of the tall, foreboding mansion. 

Darkness creeps over the light.

I shake my head, shooing the blackness away as quickly as it came. I can't let it overtake me.

I look up. The rain swirls in mini tornadoes, and the wind howls in anguish and pain. Gray and gray and gray, cut only by the light of the house. 

Then black, again.

No, no. I have to keep going. The fate of the world rests on my feathered shoulders. If I stop-I don't want to think of what might happen. 

The door of the mansion opens. I flutter in. The lady of the house gasps, her hand over her mouth. 

Before I can say anything, the darkness pushes the light away, and I am falling, twisting, falling-out of the air.

*

I-i dunno if I should do what A child did, so... I guess I will? I am really confused. Anyway-

*

I am a small bird of unknown species. Most of my feathers are black, but some are blue and white, giving me the look of a piece of the sky. My eyes are white and faintly glowing. A scrap of parchment is tied to my leg with a white ribbon. I am quite small. From head to tail I am only about 3 inches long.

I smile at the head servant, whose face is crinkled with worry.

"Your mistress will recover quickly.  Have no fear, it is a illness that is worse in appearance than in bodily harm."

She nods, her face easing somewhat, and presses a handful of coins into my hand.  "For your service to my mistress", she says.

I pour the coins back into her hand.  "My sevices are free", I say and close her fingers around the coins with my hand.  Smiling at her at the same time, so she knows I mean no offense.  I know these coins are her own hard earned money.  The lady of this house would not pay me a penny, considering me a lowly healer.

"A body must eat", the servant says in her deep, warm voice.  She presses a few coins into my hand.  After a moment I place them into the pouch at my waist.  What she said is true, I know that too well; and I sense she would refuse if I tried to give them back.  I thank her for her kindness.

"You must stay the night.  It will be raining till 'morrow's morning and what would a healer do if she caught a flu?", she says.

"Heal herself", I respond.  "I am used to walking in the rain, though I do appreciate your kind offer."

She insists persistantly and eventually I except.  It will be nice to have a roof over my head and a warm meal for one day.

The servant introduces herself as she leads me through the lushly carpeted rooms of the mansion to the back rooms where the sevants stay.

"I am Mrs. Brockwhen."

She does not seem to notice when I do not introduce myself in return.

Mrs. Brockwhen brings me into the kitchen and bades me sit.  I do, the old wood chair creaking.  My cloak is hung on the back of the kitchen door and my wicker basket goes beneath my chair.

The servant bustles around the flagstone floored kitchen, brewing a pot of tea.   I study my surroundings.

A large stove and oven occupy one side of the long room.  Above hang countless pots and pans, bundles of herbs and onions.  Water pours from a copper pipe and falls into a stone washbasin, what water is not used runs out again through a hole in the basin's bottom.  A large wooden table takes up the middle of the room; the top scoured until the grains in the wood stands up in ridges.  Baskets and boxes are stacked around the room.

"Here you go, miss".  She places a teacup of tea in front of me and promptly bustles off again to light candles against the gloom of the cloudy morning.

~ ~ ~

I am also from previous Castles.  The links of which are listed below:

http://www.cricketmagkids.com/chatterbox/inkwell/node/443232

http://www.cricketmagkids.com/chatterbox/inkwell/node/456184

I am Leah, the Unusual Maiden, the Healer.  Though you do not know this, nor my history unless your name is Ophelia or the Warrior Woman.

Now I wander, providing my healing services to anyone and everyone who needs it.  Charging no fees.  Only accepting what is given, and even then sometimes not.

My dark blonde hair is worn in low bun.  I still wear a long, dark red tunic with pants.  My cloak is thick and dark green, travel worn.  At my waist I carry a small pouch, and a dagger.  The large wicker basket I carry is shaped like a backpack and is worn with shoulder straps.

You're doing fine!  Really, a castle is like an RP but with no character sheets and no leader.  Though some rules are still good to apply.  Such as no OP-ness and no taking over other's characters.  Just make things up as you go along and have fun interacting with other characters!

I walk into the mansion, out of the rain, and sense something, or rather someONE is here that I know. Could it be?

No.

I stare again at the crumpled paper, asking for my presence. It said “From an old friend”.

I still wonder what that could mean, is t a trap?

But something feels right.

- - -

My name is Ryaa. I was in a previous Castle with Ophelia and Leah. My hair is dyed deep purple with plants. I wear dark colored, tight, fashionable clothing. I have a set of daggers on my hip. No one knows my backstory but Ophelia and Leah. It’s so great to see you two again!! I really want to know who you are ;P I feel we have a special connection somehow.

Shivering, I approach the door to the mansion. A strand of my shimmering indigo hair falls in front of my face. I tighten my cloak around my shoulders as I take in my surroundings. In front of me is the grand mansion looming over me sternly. To the side I see a small brook, happily bubbling and playing. It's about the only thing around here that seems cheerful. The weeping willows live quite up to their name here, especially with all the rain. The groomed rosebushes stand in neat, no-nonsense rows. My stomach gives a little lurch at those. 

My name is Rose Thorne. My parents named me that becasuse of the markings that spiral about my body. They did not know that those markings were symbols of a dark curse. 

This is my first castle. I hope I'm doing this right

I open the soft velvet curtains, allowing meager light from the dreary day into the room. I then bustle around, lighting various candles, and the room grows brighter.

I hear a knock at the doorway, and turn to see Mrs. Brockwhen. She smiles warmly. "The mistress is feeling better already."

I smile in return and bob my head. "That's lovely to hear."

"Are you nearly finished with the guest suite?"

"Yes ma'am. I need only to dust and arrange the sheets. It'll be ready for the visitor by noon."

"Excellent." The head servant leaves, and I return to my work. I've no idea who might be visiting the mistress, especially with her recent illness, but I suppose I will find out soon enough. 

~~~

My name is Aria, I have worked as a maid at the mansion for years. I am a young woman, with fair skin and long ringlets of dark hair. I wear a pale blue dress and a white apron.

No one answers the door, and I'm beginning to feel slightly unsettled. I knock again, deciding if no one comes this time, I'm going to just going to wait out the rain right here on the porch.

If someone does answer, well-

My thoughts are cut off as the door swings open and woman with dark hair and a blue dress steps back in shock. "The mistress said you weren't coming until noon! And I didn't think you'd be so-" She claps a hand over her mouth. "I'm sorry, that was rude and out of order, ma'am."

I laugh. "I'm not the visitor you were expecting, and I am definitely not high enough of status to be called 'ma'am.'"

She frowns. "Hm. You can't be more than ten. What are you doing in the rain?" "Twelve, actually, and I'm looking for a place to wait out the rain." I'm looking for more than that but this woman does not need to know that.

"Excuse me, let me speak with Mrs. Brockwhen. We're expecting a visitor... the mistress won't be happy if there's dripped water on the carpets. I'm sorry, I know you're cold and wet." She looks apologetically at me and I can tell she definitely doesn't feel comfortable with her decision.

"It's fine. I can't possibly get wetter than I already am, and I understand. About the carpet. My mother was very particular about that too."

I can tell she notices the "was". She closes the door softly and tells me she'll be back in a minute.

Almost exactly a minute later, she is, with a woman, presumably Mrs. Brockwhen.

"Come in, come in!" probably-Mrs.-Brockwhen says, shooing me inside, towards a door. I try as hard as I can not to drip, but a few droplets land on the expensive looking carpet anyways. Oh dear.

"Sorry about the wetness," I say. "It's fine, it's fine," probably-Mrs.-Brockwhen says, opening the door. It's the kitchen, and surprisingly, a very familiar face is in it.

"Wait, what? Leah?" I say, shocked. This is the third time I've run into her, with no planning involved. And while kindred spirits do turn up in the most unexpected places, this seems too good to be true.

But it is her. "Ophelia?" she asks, and I can see she's surprised too.

~~

Everyone's doing this right, don't worry about it. (there isn't really a wrong way... hence the whole disturbingly complex thing XD) Also, if you want you can guess who people are, but it's kind of fun when no one knows who the other is. 

Also, my already hyperactive CAPTCHA has officially gone berserk. (They say "btzrk").

My AEs will be thrilled. 

I search for someone... anyone who who know where I’m supposed to go. Suddenly I see a maid and attempt to stop her. 

“Did someone here send this letter to me?”

The maid looks confused and then a look of knowingness comes over her face.

”I believe so. Follow me.”

- - -

Im so happy Leah and Ophelia are still here <3 I was secretly hoping 

I slink back into the shadows, as the door to the mansion opens to a young girl. When I see the door close I come back into the light. Deep breath in, I remind myself, No need to get stressed, you're only stopping here on your way to The Clinic. I slide down the tree under which I am perched. I take a little bag from cloak. I withdraw a picture of my parents. In the picture they were smiling, as though nothing could possibly go wrong. That was before I was born, of course.

I look up at the sky. Though its drizzling demeanor may seem convincing, I can tell that a storm is coming. Looks like I'll staying here for a while. 

I step forward and squeeze Ophelia.  I've never done this before. But Ophelia doesn't seem to mind, she squeezes me back just as tightly.

I almost don't believe it is really her.  Meeting three times seems too good to be true.  I catch a glimps of silver around her neck.  Her locket.  Of course it is Ophelia.

We step apart, still smiling.

"You know one another?", asks Mrs. Brockwhen.  "You could have told me someone else was coming", she says to me.  Almost as if she was scolding me. 

Ophelia laughs a little and shakes her head.  "We have met before.  But this meeting was not planned."

Mrs. Brockwhen's answer is interupted when the blue frocked maid brings in another visitor.  The maid looks slightly bewildered and Mrs. Brockwhen's expression takes on the same look.  This many people have never come to this mansion for many years I am guessing.

At first I think the tall woman is only another traveler, taking shelter from the storm.  But then, I look closer.

"Ryaa!"  Both Ophelia and I exclaim.  And I begin to wonder about this house.  It seems too odd to be coincidence that three kindred spirits should meet in one place. 

Ryaa grins at us and sweeps her dark purple hair from her face.  "Who sent the note?"

"Note?", Ophelia asks.

Ryaa looks at me.  "I sent no note", I say.  "What does it say?"

She brings out a slip of worn paper and unfolds it to show us.  But yet again the maid interupts us.

"Aria, what is is now?"  Mrs. Brockwhen sounds exasperated.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Brockwhen."  The maid looks slightly cowed by her tone of voice but she continues. "When I went to check that the front door was properly closed a bird flew in and fell to the gound.  It is sick."  The maid, Aria, turns to me; holding out a small limp form in her hands  "Can you heal it?"

"Let me try", I say.

~ ~ ~

Yes, it is nice to see both of you back, Ryaa and Ophelia.  I want to know who you are and don't want to at the same time.  There's something about not knowing who you are that is appealing.

To everyone, don't be afraid to interact with us just because we know each other.  Come in!  We love meeting new people, and animals too.