Living Doll [1x1]

[Ella]

Table of Contents
RP Details
Characters
Victoria
Edward (Elias)


Living Doll
This is a one on one roleplay between Ella and Throndir. Please do not post here without our permission.

Setting: Victorian Era England
Day, Month, Year: November 1880
Time of Day: Mid-Morning
Weather: Cool

Story so far: The living doll, Victoria, and her carriage driver are stuck in a small town while replacement wheels for her carriage are being made and installed. To keep herself occupied, she explores the town and its surroundings during the day and exploring the inn and reading books in the inn's library/study at night. Elias, a lone traveling magician, shows up in the town and chooses to stay at the same inn in which Victoria is staying. Victoria sees Elias using his doll as part of his performance that night and it piques the girl's interest. While leaving the main room to retire to his sleeping quarters, Elias notices the doll-like girl sitting in the corner. However, the two do not meet until early the next morning when Elias happens across Victoria reading in the library/study.

[Ella]

Characters

Name: Victoria Edevane
Race: Doll with Human Soul
Age: Doll Body Appears 17, Soul is 20, Born: 1860
Hair: Blond
Eyes: Green
Height: 5'0"
Status: Lady
Possessions: Her father's book on alchemy, chest of clothes, chest of assorted items & necessities, purse, and other items (to be decided).
Personality: Because of everything she has gone through, and because of the emotions she had while going through the soul transfer, her face often shows a look of a mixture of sadness and pain, but also that of love when she is not trying to show other emotions. Even if some other emotion is affecting her, that emotion will only show through if she tries or forces her face to form that expression.

Victoria is a bookworm. She learned to love books, as they had been her only source of getting to know the world outside before the transfer. When she started traveling, she continued to read here and there, but usually at night or on cold rainy days. She spent more time watching scenery pass by while in her carriage or exploring when not riding.
Past/About Victoria:Victoria was named after Queen Victoria and was born during her reign in 1860. Her mother was Irish, and she was born in Ireland, but since her father was an English lord, she grew up in Great Britain.

Victoria was once a human, but a very sickly human. She had a weak heart, making it so that she could not handle excitement in her life or else her heart would beat faster and she would get very sick. This meant that she was kept in the house and away from things that would excite her. Her father, who loved his daughter very much, wanted to do everything he could to make it so that his daughter could one day live a normal life. From her 4th birthday, he had been studying magic and alchemy so that he could give her a better body.

When she was 17 years and 3 months old, Victoria became fatally ill after the death of her mother. Although he knew that he couldn't make a true flesh and blood body, her father had decided that the only way to save her life would be to transfer her soul into that of the body she had been working on. This body was a life-size doll body that looked exactly like her. He had been hoping to make it into a true human-like body, but the doll form had to work or else his daughter would die. Unfortunately, the soul transfer from her body to the doll body required more energy and life force than she could give with her true body. Realizing this, her father gave up his own life so that she could live.

Although she inherited her family's entire fortune, she was not satisfied with just staying put. Her father had given his life for her, and she would not put that in vain. Now, she travels around the world, learning new things and trying to find a place of her own in the world that she never truly belonged to.

As long as her soul never escapes the doll, she will live forever inside of it. Though her skin looks like porcelain, it is a lot tougher, but not unbreakable. Should it crack, her soul would escape.

Name: Edward (Elias) Ames
Quote: "Well met good lady."
Occupation: Travelling performer (music, ventriloquism, magic tricks)
Other Skills: Puppet-crafting, juggling
Age: 24
Hair: Dark
Eyes: Light brown
Height: Tall
Possessions: Liza (doll), locked chest of items, wagon, two black Shire horses, mandolin, magic tricks bag, other items (to be decided).
Background Story: Orphaned by a master doll maker at an early age, Edward had always been interested in his father?s trade, that and the magic tricks he had seen street performers showcase from time to time. Years under his master's tutelage have taught him many things, and though his master taught him the ways of doll-crafting, in his spare time Edward practiced simple magic tricks; It was a hobby of his as he learned to carve wood or shape clay to make the dolls. Edward was always bright, smiling as he went about his task, happy to help his master or even enjoy the tricks he had seen he himself or others perform.

It was like this for many years until one day tragedy struck. His master, the person who had adopted him, died suddenly, quick and mysteriously as he was found dead one morning. Edward was still young when it had happened, and all he had left to fall back on were the small magic tricks he had started years ago. He stopped venturing into his master's shop, or even touch any of his old carpentry, wood tools, clay, and moldings to create dolls.

For a year after the event, Edward lived sullenly until a travelling band of performers, seeing his display of magic tricks, took him under their wing; he was given the stage name Elias. As Edward matured and grew with his newly found family, thoughts his old mentor, who had taught many things and still considered to be his father, continued to haunt him. Nevertheless he kept an open spirit and mind, never losing the sly smile he had always carried with him. But for the ones that really do know him, they'll see the almost sad whisper behind his eyes.

[Throndir]

Elias

Elias frowned as he made his way to the inn he saw at a distance. He had just arrived at the town; it was already late evening and the sun had already begun to set, already the cold winds had started to blow. He had wanted to arrive earlier, to be able to practice some of his puppeteering, play his mandolin, and perhaps show some magic tricks that would earn him some coin, but his late arrival was a result of him enjoying the sights and sounds as he made his way to the town.

The last time he had been to this town was when he was still in the company of the travelling band of performers that had took him in and taught him years ago. The sights had made him remember what it was like travelling with the group which resulted in a slight smile that quickly disappeared again as the cold wind blew against his features. He pulled his coat around him closer and nodded to an elegant doll that he held on his right hand.

"Well Liza, it looks like we enter town again on a cold night." Elias said in an almost sing-song voice. "But at the very least warm lodging awaits us." Before them was the inn; it was two stories high, and looking at the lack of carriages and horses around he assumed there would be a free room in the inn.

The traveler hopped off his wagon as he drifted his hand across one of the two black shire horses that pulled his wagon.

He was greeted by a stable-hand who gladly helped take his horses to a stable. When that was done and after he had chained the wagon to a nearby post, he made his way to the door of the inn, taking nothing except the doll. When he opened the door he was greeted by the light of a fire burning in the fireplace.

[Ella]

Victoria

It was a good thing this inn had a library, as small as it was. Who knew how much longer her carriage would be at the blacksmith's for repair. Not that Victoria minded it too much, as she entertained herself with exploring the town during the day. At night, however, the living doll was still too afraid to explore. she could easily miss something and end up tripping and falling in the dark, and she was still not sure how much her new body could handle. She had only been in it for what was it... three years now? Her carriage driver would know, as he kept a calendar and reminded her when a holiday was being observed.

It was so difficult keeping track of time, and it only got more difficult the more it passed. Was it a side effect of being free from an aging and dying body or from traveling so much? The only way Victoria really recognized the passing of time anymore was by the long, lonely nights when she was stuck in an inn that she had already explored three times. Or on rainy days, when she feared she might slip in mud or on the wet rocks. Ah... the young noble did not handle boredom very well anymore. It was different when she lived at home; she had all kinds of things to keep her busy.

Feeling restless from sitting and reading for the last two hours, Victoria wondered if any new travelers had arrived. The regular visitors of the inn were far too boisterous for the living doll's comfort, but travelers were usually much calmer. It was rather difficult for a person weary from travel to get too energetic. Not that every traveler followed that observation, but it was always worth it to see. Setting her book down, Victoria rose from her chair and, after fixing her skirts, left the room. With any luck, she would find a well-traveled newcomer to share stories with. Or rather, for her to get stories from, since she had only been traveling for a year.

There were a few regulars in the main room, enjoying a meal and some mead, something Victoria would never get to do again unless someone knew how to make her body more human. She spotted a man wearing a colorful suit in the crowd and immediately knew he was not from the town. Only traveling performers wore clothes like that. The fact that he carried a doll in his arms only helped support her theory of his occupation. It would be weird if she just walked up to him, introduced herself, and started asking him questions. He might think she was a maid or the owner of the inn if none of them had greeted him yet. So, Victoria moved to sit in a more secluded area of the room. She could have joined her carriage driver, but he seemed to be enjoying himself chatting away with the local men and her presence might put a damper on their male bonding time. For now, she would just observe the scene before her.[/size]

[Throndir]

Elias

The coin flipped high in the air as the onlookers stared at what Elias had done. Eyeing the coin closely as it flew in the air and landed back down in Elias? opened palm, the onlookers watched dumfounded and amazed. The copper penny coin that Elias had flipped into the air landed back and somehow transformed into a silver shilling. One large man sitting with Elias laughed warmly and heartily as he commented on the display.

"So you are able to do some tricks. Show us another!" The large man said. The little boy that had clung to the large man perked up.

"That was amazing." The boy exclaimed as his eyes widened examining the silver coin. And with that the other spectators nodded in agreement. Some of the other visitors turned their attention towards Elias, though most tried to hide the fact they did so, busying them selves with reading a paper, or sipping tea as they chatted with their seat mates - though it was easy to tell that part of their attention was on the performer.

"Yes, do show us something interesting oh great traveler." Elias said, lightening his already sing-song voice, making it sound feminine, as he moved his doll in a gesture that only made the others chuckle lightly.

"I most certainly will for these fine gentlemen. Not for you." Elias eyed his doll almost menacingly.

"Hmph." Liza replied. The little boy chuckled. Elias then took a coin and told the boy to look closely. Placing his hand over the item Elias told him he?d be able to push the coin through the table as he placed his other hand beneath the table as if to "catch" it. Rubbing the coin in a circular motion for a few seconds, Elias eventually and slowly removed his hand. The coin was gone. Within moments he pulled out his other hand from beneath the table and showed the boy the coin.

The magician entertained his crowd for awhile, showing them small tricks he could perform without the need for any elaborate setup. To the delight of the young boy he practiced his ventriloquism, moving Liza as if she was real and making her respond and react when people least expected it. It was through this that Elias decided that the day was done. He previously rented a room for himself, being handed a key, he made his way towards the stairs that would lead to the rooms.

As he walked, he noticed what looked to be a young girl, no more than 16 or perhaps 17. But there was something about her that caught his eye. Elias only had a cursory glance, but she looked to be too pristine. Her hair, her eyes, and her skin, clothed in an elegant dress gave pause to the traveler who had always been observant. There was something particular about her. Somehow, the girl looked familiar, though what it was Elias could only have guessed.

[Ella]

Victoria

Magic tricks had always intrigued Victoria. She had witnessed her first show after she started traveling, but she had heard about magicians and their tricks before then. This man was performing tricks she had seen before, but they were still interesting and fun to watch. 'How do they do it?' She wondered. The part she enjoyed the most was when he made the doll "talk". When she had played with dolls as a child, she had always pretended they could actually talk to her, even though she was only speaking for them. She never learned how to make it appear like she was not talking and her dolls were, though. Was it ironic that she was now a life-size doll that spoke?

It was all too soon before the colorful man retired to his room for the night. While his show had been entertaining, Victoria had hoped to be able to talk with him. She wanted to ask about his tricks and how he made his doll speak. She also wanted to ask about his travels and what kinds of places he might suggest she visit. Perhaps she was just too bored for her own good. Boredom always seemed to make her impatient for something to do.

With the magician gone and the now late hour of the evening, people began to file out the door to return to their homes or to their rooms if they were staying at the inn. A few newcomers had shown up while Victoria was distracted with the magician's show, it seemed. They, too, left for their rooms after the colorful man left.

Sighing softly, the living doll wondered what she should do now. Those who remained in the room were either maids cleaning up or people who looked like it would be safer to leave alone. She could always go back up to the study and read more of the book she had been reading before. Or, she could explore the building once again. That might disturb the other guests, though. If she had brought any of her childhood dolls with her, she could try to see if she could make it look like the doll was talking... Was there a name for that kind of trick?

While sleeping was an option for humans, it was not an option for the living doll.Her body was not really alive, so it did not need to rest to heal itself. Just like how it did not need the nourishment of mortal food, although she could pretend to eat or drink if necessary, she generally disliked it as she had to clean it out later. The only part of her that needed rest was her soul, as her body drained her of her spirit energy. It only needed a rest every other day or so, depending on how active she is, and she could not force herself to rest. She could only control when it happened when she was trying to stay awake long enough to find a place to rest. It would not do to have her body just crumple to the ground as a lifeless doll in front of strangers because her spirit energy had been withdrawn.

Victoria had "slept" the night before, so she guessed another long night of reading was the best option. She was still in there early the next morning, reading away.[/size]

[Throndir]

Elias

The magician woke up early the next morning. He had always made it a habit to do so for as long as he could remember. Elias liked the early day when most people were still asleep. It was usually always peaceful and quiet, and it was during this time that he felt the most comfortable. If he were outside the city travelling between towns, as what was usually the case, he would always breathe in the fresh morning air and practice his mandolin, listening to the light musical sounds that it made. He loved being able to greet the day and the new sun; it became a habit for him to usually always continue his journeys again at the beginning of the day, of course, after spending sometime on his mandolin.

However, this time around Elias was in a town rather than travelling in between them so instead he chose the next best thing to do; explore. It wasn?t something necessary for his profession, but he liked to be able to walk around and see sights. He was always the curious one; exploring the inn as well as the town afterwards was something that he wanted to do. It was one of the things that he liked about being a travelling performer. He had meant to explore his lodging the day before, but the long journey and the chance to be in front of a crowd had made the man change his mind, and instead keep the company of the others and then turn himself in for the night after his performance; he felt he had needed the rest.

It didn?t take Elias too long to explore the inn. He had met some of the older innkeepers and maids which Elias greeted and once in awhile would have a small pleasant conversation with talking about nothing in particular. Though, oftentimes, they would comment about the doll that Elias carried along with him. Smiling always, and usually nodding his head or giving a slight bow, Elias had always done the same routine. He would say that it was part of the performance, leaving it to just that. Usually people would drop that part of the conversation then, but for those times that they didn?t, Elias would always showcase the doll again; making Liza move, or talk, or both at the same time.

He had eventually made his way to the kitchen where he met the old maid who helped prepare the food. After a few words and some prompting, the old maid let Elias help her. It wasn?t much, and even though the magician claimed that he was indeed a rather good chef, the maid, for the most part, only let him do the small tasks. When they had finally parted, Elias managed to get a new recipe, as well as a couple of English muffins he had helped prepare.

The rest of his explorations had nothing else of particular import, until however, he made his way to the study. Though it wasn?t something Elias had always done, he would always venture into the local library, or look through books to see if there were any that helped in his trade. Many of the tricks, skills, and knowledge he knew came from books, save of course for his time with his mentor long ago and the travelling band of performers he had once accompanied. It was there that Elias saw the young lady from last night. Yet again, the performer felt that the person seemed a bit different, and like yesterday evening he could not tell what it was.

That, of course, did not stop him greeting the lady. He bowed formally, smiling, and letting his puppet Liza bow along with him.

"Hail and well met good lady." He said.

"Good morning!" Liza quipped.

[Ella]

Victoria

Something was wrong. The book just did not feel right. It was too light for its size. Opening it up, the man saw why. Someone had cut a hole through the pages and placed an envelope in the empty space. What was this? He reached his hand in to pull it ou-

A voice sounded from above Victoria, causing her to jump in her seat and nearly drop the book in her hands. She snapped her attention to the bowing man before her. It was that magician! But had he not retired to his rooms? What time was it? "Good morning!" The doll in his hands greeted before Victoria could respond to the man's greeting. Morning? Already?

After setting her books aside, the living doll rose and gave a small curtsy. "Good morning, ..." She could not think of what else to say. She could not just barge into conversation without introductions, but since he had been the one to greet first, she felt that he should introduce himself first.[/size]

[Throndir]

Elias

Travelling many towns and cities throughout the country, Elias had always enjoyed meeting new people. In fact, one could even argue that his whole profession rotated around that very idea. He had learned very early in his career when he was still among the travelling band that making connections were one of the most important things; perhaps even more so than the tricks and shows that a performer could accomplish. Though his reasoning was sound, and it was true that he would have still greeted anyone he would have met early in that Inn, he still couldn?t shrug of the fact that this person in front of him seemed a bit different, though, like the night before, he could not tell what it was.

"Elias." The man replied smiling finishing her sentence. "I am simply called Elias. And what, may I ask, is your-" But his question was stopped short as Elias? doll moved and started to lightly ?hit? the man?s face. In an almost irritated sounding voice the doll spoke.

"Do not forget to introduce me as well. You would do well to remember that Mr. Elias." The doll seemed to have said, stressing the man?s name Elias as if it sounded foreign. The magician simply stared at the doll for a moment until he shrugged and sighed. Elias was about to say something again when, like before, he was cut off short. "No sighing either, it?s not everyday you get to introduce me."

"And this here..." Elias said as he raised an eyebrow to the doll that he held. "Is Liza." With that the two bowed again.

[Ella]

Victoria

The man introduced himself and his doll. Victoria found the little act amusing, although rather childish. He was probably used to entertaining for a younger crowd. It did not help that she looked younger than she really was... and would forever remain that away. The difference between her body's appearing age and her actual age would only grow and grow. The living doll was not sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing yet.

"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintances, Mr. Elias, Miss Liza." Victoria decided to play along and acknowledge the doll as a living being and gave a small curtsy to each of them this time. Who knew, maybe Liza was actually alive, like herself, rather than Elias being very good at giving inanimate objects voice. It was hard to tell, and, if Liza really were alive, Victoria did not want to be rude and stare. She could ask Elias when the time was right.

"I am Lady Victoria Edevane." Her title and last name flew out of her mouth before she realized it. She was so used to introducing herself as the young Lady Edevane that her lips moved of their own accord. But Elias had not given his full name, and he had not given his own title. He was obviously some sort of traveling entertainer. Victoria hoped it would not make him feel nervous around her. Or worse, cause him to treat her like a moneybag or like she were some spoiled, snooty girl. Some people she had met in her travels did that, and since Victoria had only been traveling for a year, she had not spent enough time practicing to introduce herself in other ways yet. Someday, she would have to change her name completely, for fear someone would notice her lack of aging.

Moving her thoughts back to the situation at hand, Victoria recalled the previous night. That would be a decent topic to switch to. "Your tricks last evening were delightful. Are you a magician?" Of course, he was most likely a magician. What other type of entertainer would he be?

[Throndir]

Elias

Light brown eyes glistened as Victoria greeted him. Complements were always welcome and Elias couldn't help but smile sincerely at the positive reaction to his small tricks he had done the previous night. Pulling himself from his formal bow just moments before, he nodded once and proceeded to take out three of the English muffins he had stored neatly wrapped in cloth.

In a single motion he had put away the cloth, and a moment after that the pieces of bread flew in the air one after the other. Liza, Elias' doll, was still placed on his right hand, but it was something Elias expected and planned. For as the first of the muffins came spiraling downwards, Liza's hands deftly caught it, and threw it back into the air, only to catch another muffin moments later. Repeating this process, Elias kept his eyes trained on the flying muffins, using his freehand and Liza to juggle the items continuously.

"A performer I'd like to say."

"Which is the same thing as a magician I'd like to say." Liza remarked. Elias scoffed at her response, raising an eyebrow again to the doll he carried.

After a few complete circuits of juggling, Elias had eventually stopped. The last muffin fell into Liza's outstretched hands. Taking a step forward, Elias pushed Liza closer to Victoria.

"Breakfast?" Liza said, offering the muffin to Victoria, a playful tone of voice that seemed to echo from the doll.

[Ella]

Victoria

Clapping her hands together, Victoria forced her porcelain-like lips to smile. Juggling itself was difficult to learn, especially for someone lacking in a decent eye-hand coordination, but juggling using a doll must be much harder. She had never seen the like before. Of course, the little nagging thought that the man was getting bread crumbs all over the floor entered her consciousness. The cleaning staff would probably be a bit annoyed by this, considering crumbs attracted rodents. Victoria would mention it to the staff later.

"I see." She replied as she was the little show. "You are very talented."

When Liza presented her with one of the muffins, Victoria could only shake her head. "No, thank you. It may sound weird, but I cannot eat breakfast." Nor could she eat lunch or dinner or any other meal. Her body would not handle that well, as the food would most likely get stuck and then irritate her until she could finally flush it out. Even if she could eat it without that issue, there was no use. Her body could not digest it, nor could her tongue taste it. The only thing she could gain from it is to feel the texture of it. While eating the food anyways would make her seem more like a normal human, Victoria hated to waste food.

She could, and did, drink water, however, and did so often enough. The liquid helped to keep her insides clean and dust free. No one needed to know she sometimes drank soapy water to keep clean, though.

[Throndir]

Elias

Soft cloth covered a nearby table as Elias placed the muffins on them. Though they sat there unmoving getting cooled by the morning temperatures, they were still warm as they still recently came from the kitchen ovens. The man watched the old chef in the morning bake the English muffins, and since he hadn't really eaten much the night before, to Elias at least the food looked very tasty. He wondered why the young lady in front of him 'cannot eat breakfast', but he shrugged it off and figured that perhaps the lady had already eaten, or perhaps she simply just chose to skip breakfast.

"You've already eaten then good lady?" He asked more from curiosity than anything else. Though, even if she hadn't, he knew there were others who decided to skip the meal and instead eat something light such as tea and crumpets. There was a chance that the young lady before him now just chose to skip the meal. Elias on the other hand always treasured the morning rituals, including that of breakfast. With that in mind, he split a piece from the bread on the napkin and put it to his lips.

He changed his mind though a moment later as he looked towards the girl. The performer looked at the young lady curiously as he started to take a seat on the couch across from her, pointing towards the seat.

"May I sit here?" He asked disarmingly.

[Ella]

Victoria

If it were later in the morning - for surely, it was still rather early if her driver had not yet come to let her know the weather conditions outside - Victoria would have said she had already eaten. But it was much too early for that, especially if she were 'already' so engrossed in a book in the study. Surely, the cooks were still preparing breakfast for the staff and guests. Those muffins still looked warm, even. The man must have just come from the kitchen.

"You've already eaten then, good lady?" The question made Victoria paused, unsure of why he was asking the question. He must have thought that she meant she could not eat breakfast with him because she had already eaten it earlier. She could lie and say yes, but that might cause problems later. One time, she had done that only to have to come up with a new lie when she met the woman again for several mornings afterwards. She kept trying to get Victoria to eat breakfast with her until the living doll finally came up with the like that she could not eat breakfast because her doctor had given her orders to not eat breakfast because it messed up her stomach. It was a good thing Victoria did not see her too often around lunch and dinner. When she did, she used the "I already ate" excuse.

"Unfortunately, no. My doctor says eating so early messes with my digestion." Perhaps it was a little too much information to share with a stranger, if it were true. Victoria did not care, considering it was a better option than telling the truth and would prevent issues should she meet Elias again.

"Please, do." Victoria replied when Elias asked for permission to sit. She, too, sat down, placing herself back in her previous chair. Folding her hands in her lap, she tried to think of what to else to say. She needed to get him to stop thinking about her eating habits. "I am envious of you, you do so well with giving Liza voice. I used to try with my dolls when I was younger all the time, but have never been able to do so."

[Throndir]

Elias

"I give myself my own voice!" Liza replied as Elias smiled and took his seat. "Mr. Elias just simply carries me around." Liza said, again stressing the name Elias as if it was a foreign sounding name. Not a moment later, it looked like the doll was making herself comfortable on Elias' lap while the magician himself just smiled all along. He sighed after his doll's statement though. But a moment later he grinned. Instead of eating the first piece that he pulled from the English muffin, he placed it back down on the napkin, beside the rest of the larger pieces of bread. He looked at it for a moment, only to move his eyes upwards and back towards Victoria, seemingly staring at her curiously.

"It's a pity. Breakfast's one of the most important meals of the day. As said by my very first mentor." He pulled his doll, Liza, closer to him, and made it look like that the doll was sitting on his lap, looking towards the lady Victoria.

"The kind maid in the kitchen prepared it well too! They are really tasty." Elias nodded, agreeing with the statement.

"Yes, and it's a pity that Liza can't have any." Elias made the doll turn around a bit towards him. In that moment Elias took up that piece of bread he placed down earlier, picked it up, and a moment later had quickly eaten the muffin. "Because Liza, it'll all be gone quite very soon."

"It takes practice. As with all things... Speaking dolls that is." The puppeteer smiled again, his eyes strangely twinkling.