Chapter 5: Sketches, and Eloping (Caitlyn)

Caitlyn awoke in the morning and rolled out of bed. She dressed in her uniform style cloths. (Like what Edward Elric wears under his cloak on it with long sleeves and the Imperial symbol in on the shoulder.) Caitlyn slid down the hall and walked to Victor's room. Victor was finishing a drawing at his desk, he stood up and released a butterfly and watched it fly around the room in amazement. Then it flew out his window and he stuck out his head to watch it fly down the street before he shut the window. He sat back down at his desk, turned the page in his note book to work on an already started drawing. Caitlyn walked up behind him and gazed at the picture, he still hadn't noticed that she had walked in. He watched over his shoulder, it was a picture of her. In the picture, she stood alone gazing into space in deep thought. In her hand, was a strange keylike weapon shaped in a very intricate design. It was black and shined like a dull stone, but it was brilliant. Victor turned slightly and noticed her standing there, he jumped and slammed the notebook shut.

"I apologize, I didn't relies you were, excuse me….." He ran down the hall after mixing his notebook amongst a shelf of other books. Caitlyn opened them and looked at the pictures, some were from when he was little, the pictures seemed to progress over time. The details became more intense with every book, but some of the pictures caught her attention, at least once in every book was a picture he drew of himself standing alongside a girl. Getting married it seemed, it was strange, so far she couldn't make out the face but she was always dressed the same with the same hair and same stance. Same cloths too, she still couldn't make out the face, but the body was becoming clear. She must have gotten to his teens, for there were intense pictures of him and this person kissing. She was about to open the last journal when Victor ran in and snatched it.

"Why can't I see it?" Caitlyn asked, hurtfully.

"I…….." He looked down at the ground. "I'm not ready for anyone to see it, I'm sorry." Caitlyn stood up and brushed off her pants,

"It's ok; may I see them when you are ready?"

"Yes, but not now…….I made breakfast if you'd like some."

"I'd love some." Victor led her too the kitchen, where there were two plates of eggs and toast. They both began eating as they heard the door begin to open…..

"VICTOR! WE ARE HOME!" Victor jumped up with a huge gasp. His parents walked into the kitchen, their faces filled with joy, until they saw Caitlyn sitting there dumbfounded.

"Victor! Who is she?" Victor jumped up and ran to his mother.

"She didn't have a place to stay, so I let her stay in the guest bedroom……"

"NOTHING HAPPENED RIGHT VICTOR!" His mother yelled angrily.

"No! No! No! She just needed a place to stay, everything is all good." Caitlyn stood up. "We, well, I uh……hardly know her mother. There is no reason for you to be upset…"

"I'll just be going now, thank you for the room Victor." Caitlyn then dashed out the door, grabbing her coat. Victor gazed at where she once stood regretfully, but then his Mom ruined his deep thought.

"Now that she is gone, we can start preparing for your wedding!"

"Wedding? To whom?" Victor yelled in shock.

"Come on Victor! The pastor is waiting at the Everglots for the rehearsal!" Victor walked with his parents silently to the buggy, where Mayhew was waitng. For as long as he could remember, he had the biggest crush on Victoria. But it was all gone now. Now he was just confused, he knew he'd seen Caitlyn from somewhere before, but where? He opened his notebook and looked at the pictures. And then it hit him, like a runaway train.

He looked out the window and saw Caitlyn sitting on the bridge looking out into the frozen water, her face was shielded from him because her coat collar covered her face. But he could see her eyes, which were filled with tears.

The buggy stopped across the street, where the Everglots lived, they exited the vehicle and his parents dragged him up the stairs and into the house. They went through all the proper introductions, and then Maudeline, Victoria's mother, led them to the drawing room. Victor was distracted by the piano and began to play his part of his and Caitlyn's duet. Without Caitlyn's part it seemed hallow, and weak, just like he was he thought to himself grimly. He heard someone behind him so he jumped in shock at the sigt of Victoria Everglot gazing over his shoulder.

"I…..I do apologize Ms. Everglot, how rude of me…..to….well…..excuse me….." Victor lifted the knocked over piano chair.

"You play beautifully," Victor started to get up from lifting the chair. "Mother won't let me near the piano, too passionate she says." Victor's face lit up with shock as he adjusted his cravat.

"If you don't mind me asking……Ms……Everglot……where…where is your….sssshaperone….?" Victor asked nervously.

"I think, that under the circumstances, you could call me Victoria." She said calmly. Victor then remembered why he had liked her so much, she was beautiful and understanding. She was also tolerant.

"Of….. He was barely able to gasp out her name. "Tomorrow we are to be m…..mmmmm……mmmmmm……"

"Married?" Victoria filled in for him.

"Yes…..mmmm…..married!" He finnaly gasped out, he didn't want to get married which made this confrontation all the more nerve raking….

"I'm glad you brought this up Victor, there is something you should know."

"Yes, Victoria?"

"I like you in all Victor, but, I will be eloping with the man I've been seeing tonight. Lord Barkis, he has been caring for me and I love him very much. I hope you understand." Victor looked a little shattered, but he understood completely.

"It's alright Victoria, I hope you will be happy with your suitor…..and I was hoping we could still be friends?" Victor added hopefully.

"Yes, of course Victor, you are a good enough person." Victor smiled.

"Would you like me to run away first so they will pay little attention to you?"

"No, I'll just leave now. I was going to wait till later, but I was able to talk to you sooner then I expected. It was nice meeting you Victor, oh, could you say when they ask you that you've never seen me?"

"Of course Victoria, that's what friends are for." Victor escorted her out the door where Lord Barkis was waiting.

"Ready, Victoria darling?" He said as sweetly as he could muster.

"I grabbed all the money we had, I'm sorry it isn't as much as you have." Lord Barkis's face twisted into disappointment, but quickly washed away. Victoria looked up at Victor and saw the uncertainty in his eyes.

"I'll be fine Victor, don't worry." Lord Barkis then led Victoria to his stage coat and they drove away. Victor went back inside and sat quietly at the piano, then began to play again. Maudeline came out in rage.

"Don't touch things that don't belong to you! I will fetch Victoria out of her room, Pastor Calswells is waiting!" Then Lady Everglot raced up the stairs. Victor walked into the drawing room where the pastor stood by a makeshift alter, and his parents sat on two seats across from him. In between his parents and Victoria's was a small walkway. Victor thought about Lord Barkis, Victor didn't trust him. Before Victor could center in on his reasons, Maudeline ran in looking shocked and surprised.

"VICTORIA IS GONE!" Maudeline yelled, Victor pretended to look surprised, then depressed. The parents then went into a yelling spree with each other.

"How could you loose your daughter, we'd never let Victor run off like that……"

"We always have tight watch on Victoria……"

"Were could she have gone?"

Victor slumped down hopelessly in the corner. The pastor walked over,

"I am sorry, young master Van Dort. I'm sure you will marry soon, maybe with a far better prospect." Victor looked up at him sadly.

"I'll just be going now….." Victor left, neither set of parents noticed through their quarreling. It was now dark outside, he could barely see, but he made out Caitlyn's shadow as she still sat their on the bridge, staring out into space. He took out the journal sadly, and walked over to her. This was going to hard, and he didn't know what to say.

(A/N: Next Chapter, Sila and Sora fight heartless and the notorious Captain Hook? Will Sila do well in her first fight? Or will she drag the others down?)