The Arrival of Señorita Estrella

[Estrella]

“Dios te salve, María, llena eres de gracia; el Señor es contigo…”* The young girl muttered the mantra under her breath, clutching her well-used rosary beads in shaking hands. The words came out rushed and hoarse; her throat was dry from nerves and sore from holding back sobbing. She tried not to think about anything; not the ever-turning wheels moving the carriage towards God-knows-what; not the man sitting next to her, holding a leash that led to a too-tight collar around her neck; not her mother’s face, crying and screaming, moving farther and farther away as the other servants dragged her back into the house. Only the beads and the prayers were real now; they were the only things keeping her from thinking.

All of a sudden, the carriage lurched to a halt. Estrella’s prayers ceased as well as her throat closed up. She opened her eyes and tentatively looked at the man next to her. He averted his gaze and gave the leash a quick tug. “Come on,” he said, standing up and opening the door of the carriage. Estrella, ignoring the prickling behind her eyes that meant tears were on the way, followed him obediently, clutching her beads harder than ever.

As the man led her forward, Estrella ventured a glance up. A tall building loomed above her head, dark and imposing. The wind whipped at Estrella’s face as she continued to look at the structure; what did its walls have in store for her? She didn’t know what to expect at all; the only thing her father had told her was that he was sending her away for a bit so that she could get better, so that she could get help for her “problems”. Estrella knew that she was different, and yes, she did want help, but to take her away from her home? Her mother? Her friends? How could that help her get better? Estrella’s anxiety was already worsening as she and her guard approached the large door of the building. She grit her teeth and shut her eyes closed when the guard hit the doorknocker several times, the sound booming out into the winter air. A single tear escaped from Estrella’s closed lids as she brought her beads close to her lips.

“Padre nuestro, que estás en el cielo. Santificado sea tu nombre…”**

//OOG: * The beginning of the Hail Mary prayer in Spanish.
** The beginning of the Our Father prayer in Spanish.//

[Madam Mournington]

Madam Mournington lurked around in the hallways of the Asylum, when she heard the knocking, deep down. There had been many admission these last few months, and she was delighted. Every time a girl was admitted, Madam Mourningtons fortune rose a little. She had even bought a new dress this week - which she never did.
She calmly walked down the stairs to the main hall and put on her smile, when she opened the gates.
Outside stood a rather young girl, freezing in the snow. Mournington folded her hands behind her back and walked towards the girl. "Hello there. You are .. Victoria, am I correct?" she asked and leaned over, so she was the same height as the girl before her.

[Estrella]

Estrella looked up at the woman in front of her. She was tall and dressed in dark clothing, and she evoked a sense of superiority. Estrella cast her eyes downward.
“Yes, ma’am, my name is Victoria, but I prefer to be called Estrella.”
The woman raised an eyebrow. “Estrella?” she asked, forgetting to roll the “r”. “Why on Earth would you want to be called that?”
Estrella licked her dry lips and clutched her beads tighter. “My mother... wanted to give me a Spanish name.”
The woman straightened up and gave a cold smile. “Well, as this is an English establishment, we are going to address you by your proper English name, Victoria.”
Estrella looked up. “But…”
The woman tipped the chaser and beckoned Estrella to follow her inside. Having nowhere else to go, Estrella obeyed.
The woman led Estrella down a series of dizzying hallways. In order to lessen the impending sense of doom that was creeping down Estrella’s spine, she decided to concentrate on the direction of her movement. Left, right, left, left, go through a door, right…
“As you may or may not know,” said the woman, “this is the Asylum for Wayward Victorian Girls, and I am the resident Headmistress, Madam Mournington.” She looked behind her slightly and gave Estrella a cold smile. “I look forward to your stay with us.”
Estrella gave an involuntary shiver under the icy stare.
Madam Mournington stopped in front of a heavy door. “My office,” she said, pulling a ring of keys out of her pocket. She unlocked the door and made a mocking gesture for Estrella to enter. “After you, Victoria.”
Estrella made the sign of the cross and stepped over the threshold.

//OOG: We should continue this in Mournington’s office, yes?//

[Madam Mournington]

//OOG: Oh well, seems like I forgot an important rule ... I could slap myself
Not allowed to control other peoples characters. My fault. Sorry.. but you know that for now ^^ Let's just leave the thread this way, and move along.//

[Estrella]

//OOG: Okee dokee. I'll start the next thread in Madam Mournington's office with all the rules in mind. //