Andraya woke in her bed, fully clothed, and having no memory of waking up. She thought back and honestly just remembered laying down to listen to one of Niklaus's stories. She glanced over at the side table and the clock, too early, barely sunrise, but she could faintly hear Abby moving around in her closet, probably picking out her clothing for the day because you know, Ladies don't pick their own clothing out, or run their own baths. She was still trying to break Abby of the habit of doing everything. She hadn't met any other paranormal ladies, and she thought maybe she didn't want to if they all had to have everything done for them. They seemed like they'd be a rather useless group of people.
Sitting up, she wiggled her way until her foot hit the top stair of the small set of steps that made it so she didn't have to roll onto her stomach every morning and wiggle her way down the side of the bed so she could get out without having an uncertain jump. One of the items on the agenda for today was talking to someone about how to go about redecorating and changing a few things. She didn't mind the overly large width of the bed; it just wasn't designed height-wise for short people.
Breakfast had been awkward, but she could tell that Niklaus had enjoyed having someone to share the meal with, and they'd decided to make it a daily thing, meeting in her morning room. She'd been unaware of the room until breakfast as the door had been neatly tucked into the wall next to the fireplace. Exploring the house was on the agenda for the day, she opened each door she came to in the family wing, which currently only housed her and Niklaus as residents, but there were several additional large bedroom suites like hers. In the middle of the wing, she found a music room containing everything from a piano to lutes and harps along with enough space for a small audience or room for dancing.
It had been forever since Andraya had played, sitting down; she lifted the cover and let her fingers dance gently over the keys; the piano had a gloriously rich sound perfectly in tune. Slowly music flowed as she pieced together little bits of everything she remembered. She had no idea how long she sat there just playing whatever her fingers let her into. She didn't notice that she'd drawn an audience until she heard clapping coming from the doorway. Stopping, she looked over to find Niklaus and several other staff members crowded into the doorway.
"You play beautifully," Niklaus said
Andraya blushed, flustered. "Not as well as I used to, it's been a while, but I'm glad you think so.
"Would you be willing to learn a few pieces if I provide you with the music? It is very old music, long forgotten by most but the emotion, the feel you have when you play; I think you will do the pieces justice." Niklaus asked.
Andraya nodded, "Of course, I'd be more than willing to try to play them."
"Thank you." Niklaus cleared his throat and then left, most of the staff clearing out with him except for Mr. Williams.
"Abigail informed me you wished to speak with someone to discuss renovations on your rooms, my Lady."
"Yes, Mr. Williams. I'd like to break my bedroom into perhaps two spaces or three, a small guest room or two for if I ever have company over. Niklaus said he'd assist with me wanting to go to college, and if I invite friends over, well, I'd be intimidated having to walk through the house and stuff to go to bed, and all the rooms up here are just huge. If my suite was more like a little apartment." Andraya paused and sighed.
"I'm not a rich girl Mr. Williams. My family, my parents, they were more you know, servant level or cashier. I don't think they ever had more than what might be needed to rent a house together at any given time, and I'm pretty sure most paranormals they're not this wealthy."
"I understand completely, My Lady." Mr. Williams replied, "I'll contact the contractor."
"Oh, I'd like a little kitchen put in, nothing fancy, just something for snacks. I might want to cook breakfast or dinner, you know, and it's nothing against cook or anything but umm, Niklaus is so formal and stiff and we're trying to figure out, you know, family and being one and formal dinners are great, but they're very cold and…" Andraya trailed off.
"Of course, my lady. I'm sure there will be no issues adding that to your rooms. Is there anything else?"
Andraya looked uncomfortable, "Who do I talk to about the arrangements outside my room?"
"That would be Mrs. Paul. Mr. Paul handles the outside gardens, and Mrs. Paul handles the arrangements for the indoor save for the arboretum, which is also Mr. Paul's domain."
"Thank you, Mr. Williams. Will you let Abby know when the contractor can fit me in? I also wanted to fit in some shopping after lunch?"
"I will let his Lordship and Abigail know."
Two months later, the construction on her suite was finally completed, and she'd made progress in some of the pieces of music Niklaus had asked her to learn. She'd not yet played any of it for him because she wanted to be able to play it through as flawlessly as possible, and they were not easy pieces for anyone, but she'd taught herself how to play; there were some things she'd had to look up because she hadn't known how to do them.
She was currently playing a darker piece, one that fit with her mood. She'd failed the entrance exam for the college. It wasn't surprising really; there was a whole world of history and information she'd not be privy to, and the tests had consisted of a lot of this information. She'd passed the human portions with flying colors, but that hadn't been enough to get her in.
Niklaus had been livid when the results had been delivered, in person, by someone who didn't have a high opinion of humans and had smirked as he'd delivered the news. She'd been chastising herself for getting her hopes up when she'd never seen college as an option anyway due to her being so completely dirt poor.
A knock at the outer doors of her suite had her hands still on the piano's keyboard. Abigail answered it and bowed.
"Andraya?" Niklaus questioned as a quick sweep of the room didn't show his ward.
"I'm here," Andraya called as she came into the room. "I was just practicing."
"Come with me. We're going out."
"Where?" Andraya asked as Abigail handed her a light jacket as she passed by her, heading with Niklaus out the door.
"you'll see."