Sometime Before -
Netherhold Manor sat on an empty hill that overlooked a great stretch of pine forest. A narrow dirt road winded up the hill towards it's old, Gothic structure. It was a house that looked as though it belonged further north in Stormwraith than in the country outside of Vel Corte. Even the name, Netherhold was taken from a province of Stormwraith. It was a dark, mysterious old house with the look of something haunted by vengeful spirits. It had been some long since Thomas Waite had seen it, he had forgotten its I'll effect on a person's mood. He had come home by carriage, and was anxious to see his father.
Javier answered the door, the longtime and faithful servant of the Waite family. Javier took the luggage to Thomas' room while Thomas wandered downstairs through the house. He eventually found himself in the library which was another Stormwraith characteristic that the house had. Houses in Vel Corte typically didn't have libraries. It was certainly nice to be back in this one. Sebastian and his father didn't share his literary hunger. "Too much of a Stormwraith trait," his father often told him. "This is Vel Corte."
Thomas didn't get to see his father until dinner that evening. The dining hall was brightly with candles. Tall arched windows looked out at the darkening garden. His father sat at one end of the table, the older and favored brother, Sebastian, sat next to their father with Thomas next to him. Abigail sat across from Sebastian and their sister Thea sat across from Thomas. They were having cutlets.
"Father," Thomas said. "I wanted to ask you something."
"Go ahead."
"I was hoping to come home after I finish university," Thomas said. "I'd rather not stay in Mistport for long. I was hoping to help with some of our interests in Vel Corte."
"Our interests in Vel Corte are for Sebastian's care," his father replied.
"But perhaps I could be of help..."
"We decided that Mistport is best for you," Abigail interjected. "We would like you out of the way."
"Out of the way?"
"It's our decision, Thomas," his father said. "You'll remain in Mistport."
Sebastian smirked but kept quietly eating. Thomas did all he could do, which was to nod his head and finish dinner. That night, unable to sleep, he went back into the library and lit some candles. He walked through the library looking for something to read to pass the night. He planned to leave for Mistport in the morning. At the end of a shelf that was quietly tucked away in the corner of the room, a book caught Thomas' eye. He took it over to a desk near a tall, arched window that looked out at the full moon hanging in the clear, starry sky. With two candles burning, Thomas started to leaf through the text. It was an account of Dark Hollows, one of his family's forgotten holdings. He read through the night and as the sun dawned, Thomas became determined to follow a different path for himself.
~ o ~
"Still here?" Sebastian asked as he met Thomas at the top of the stairs. Sebastian was a about to go down and Thomas was going up. "I thought you were leaving this morning."
"I decided to stay another day or so. You and Abigail don't need to worry about me being in your way. I'm going to discuss something with father so that I won't need to bother you again."
"I don't know why you are so against Mistport," Sebastian said. "It can't be that bad."
"It is rather pleasant in the autumn," Thomas admitted, "but there isn't much there if you have the slightest ambition."
"Ambition doesn't suit you, Thomas. You're too traditional in your ways. You need to learn to accept things as they are. I'm the one for ambitious things. Father likes me best as does Abigail. Just accept your position in Mistport. It's for the best."
"Not for me," Thomas said as he walked by his brother.
Sebastian shook his head and replied, "you always had to be so damned difficult. Just leave so that proper arrangements can be made for you and Thea."
"Abigail picked out a suitable match for her? That's supposed to be father's duty as head of the house."
"Do you see what I mean by too traditional, Thomas? Abigail is doing a fine job running the house. That's why you're being sent off to Mistport, you make things too difficult for us."
Thomas scoffed. "You mean too difficult for Abigail," he said walking away. "I'll be gone after I talk with father."