South

The southern part of the city has a chic family-oriented sort of charm to it. Here, small locally owned shops run rampant, neighbors often know each other by name, and the monthly socials are an event not to be missed. In the South, children can often be seen safely playing in the park or on sidewalks and in the weekends, families often take to the beach to enjoy the warm waters surrounding the city.

What You'll Find Here

Ascension Center of Equitation
Hyde Park
Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium
The Outskirts
The University of Sacrosanct

Ascension Center of Equitation

The Ascension Center of Equitation is the epicenter of the Dark Hunter Cavalry Unit. Originally a high-class facility for show-jumping, Ascension now caters entirely to the Cavalry Unit. Here the Dark Hunters learn how to ride and fight upon the backs of horses - many of which are Were's themselves.
Home of: The Cavalry

Hyde Park

Hyde Place takes up a large part of the Southern side of the city and includes a large playground, several fountains, and a small garden. The park is open from five in the morning till midnight though many shady characters may visit this place while it's technically "closed". The park has also been a venue for several concerts and hosts many holiday-related events. Under a full moon, witches are often seen here for the sacred ground beneath the iconic Weeping Beech.

Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium

The Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium (PDZA) is an award-winning combined zoo and aquarium located within the Southern Part of Sacrosanct. Situated on 92 acres in Sacrosanct's Hyde Park, the zoo and aquarium are home to over 9,000 specimens representing 367 animal species. Point Defiance is also widely known for its conversation efforts regarding the breed and release program of Red Wolves.

The Outskirts

Beyond the city limits and over the bridge lies the deep, dark, and almost impenetrable forest. Often seen as a way to guard this magical city against the world that surrounds it, many are entirely ignorant of the evil that may creep between those tree trunks. Many were-creatures use the forest for the transformations of their newest members and some even take to hunting here. It isn't particularly peculiar for people to go missing within this forest but once you get through, the rest of the world awaits.

The University of Sacrosanct

The University of Sacrosanct offers some of the top programs in the nation with its outstanding campus and specialized faculty. The University places a high focus both upon educating future generations but also on research to help revolutionize the world. The University welcomes the talent of students across the world to enroll and unlock their unlimited potential. With applications from across the nation, classes fill up quickly.

PhD in Plant Biology Abigail Hughes

Taylor Dixon

You Are The Best Thing That's Ever Been Mine


Posted on March 08, 2020 by Adelaide Claire LaBelle
South

Why was it that there were twenty-four hours in a day, and yet it somehow managed to feel like every hour would come to pass with only a single blink of dark lashes over glittering sage eyes? While she understands completely that the thriving of her beloved bistro often meant rush hours where she was needed to help out the other waitresses by doing whatever was needed at the time, just that in and of itself seemed to very nearly rob her of any time to contemplate more than which table would need cleaning or counting any vacant tables to estimate how long the wait times would be for those patiently waiting at the front of the quaint restaurant to be seated. She knew that those hours spent tending to her business were the most fleeting, but what bothered her most was that it took away so much time that she and Taylor could be sharing together. Each moment they could steal away from the rest of the world only seemed to become more and more precious, and just as difficult to obtain. Now, that's not to say for even a moment that the dark-haired woman was growing disdainful of how much the Beachside Bar and Bistro asked of her. After all, it was because of this wonderful place that always seemed filled to the brims with hungry patrons - some of them even becoming regulars she knew by name - which was allowing for her to survive on her own. It didn't matter how hard she needed to work or how tired she felt at the end of the day. In the end, she knew that she was making a living for herself without her parents. For all the sweat and tears spilled, her dream was finally a reality and so much more. They'd doubted her then, this much she knew the moment she stepped off that plane and into the foreign world of Sacrosanct, thousands of miles and an entire ocean away from Paris.

Her tyrant of a father had been more than willing to voice his thoughts on the matter, having been determined to refuse her any sense of freedom at all on that large estate. He'd told her that she would be begging to come back home, that she would miss having maids and butlers to wait on her hand and foot every moment of every day, that she wouldn't last three months away from France. He'd laughed when she told him, with fire in her gaze, that she wanted to live on her own, that she deserved at least two years' time away from home to be herself before he made yet another futile attempt to marry his only child off to some arrogant, shallow, pompous son of a nobleman. Of course, he'd still argued that such a venture was pointless, that there was no need for her to leave the estate when she had everything she required there within those iron gates. And yet, Adelaide being the fierce woman she was, the noblewoman had managed to convince the ever-infuriating man to allow her the freedom she'd sought. Oh, if only he'd known just what he'd done the day he'd agreed to her terms. One would think he would have known his daughter well enough after all those years that she was as defiant as she was beautiful. She would never beg him for anything and she certainly had no intentions of returning to Paris, either. That was the part that her father didn't know. If it meant she needed to live in the streets of Sacrosanct just to keep herself as far away from her parents, more specifically her father, then so be it. But, the bistro was bringing in more than enough revenue that she hasn't even needed to touch the accounts in her family's name for almost a year and a half. She wasn't just surviving. No, she was thriving.

But, nonetheless, Adelaide missed him. So much so that she could practically feel the ache in her heart and soul. Perhaps it seemed silly to miss someone that much, especially when she'd see him just this morning as he'd slipped in through the back of the bistro to surprise her with a swift kiss as he ordered his usual bagel and coffee to go. Now, every time the brunette heard the sliding glass door, she couldn't help but turn her head, long hair swirling gently around her slender shoulders, sage eyes searching for that ever-familiar hunter green gaze and dark chocolate hair which could only belong to the man who managed so long ago to capture the very thing her father had tried bartering with to extend his own wealth. It was far from enough to see him for a matter of minutes, before he was gone to either tend to the landscaping she'd hired him nearly a year ago for, much at the dislike of the Englishman so much like a brother to her. And, while she also missed Townsend who was still away in England tending to his family matters, there were no words enough to express just how much she yearned to feel his strong arms around her waist again. Just the mere thought of his embrace, the smell of his cologne, and the taste of his lips was enough to have a long sigh usher from blush-colored lips. What she wouldn't give to simply slip out onto the back porch of the bistro stretching over sandy shoreline and hope to find him waiting there for her... Maybe they'd take off the shoes and walk along the shoreline then, her hand in his, their fingers intertwined as the world to where it was just Adelaide and Taylor... How perfect that would be.

"Looks like you've got something on your mind, Ms. LaBelle", a familiar voice says then, and just like that, her fanciful daydreaming shatters and she is returned to where she'd been, wiping down one of the last tables which needed to be cleaned. An elderly man is standing beside her now, a warm smile upon his wrinkled face."My apologies, Monsieur Hallsburrow. It seems I may have been daydreaming again", she replies almost sheepishly to one of her regular customers. The kind man chuckles, placing a work-worn hand over her shoulder in a reassuring gesture."No need to apologize dear. You've probably had a long day today. It seemed a little busier than usual. But hey, it's almost closing time, I think", he remarks easily, far from worried that she hadn't noticed him approach earlier, her sage gaze having wandered from the table she was cleaning to the windows of the bistro facing the ocean sunset. Almost immediately after his words fell from his lips, Adelaide turns to look at the clock above the main entrance. 7:58pm! It was that time already?! Still, it felt as though she'd only opened the doors a couple hours ago! And yet, she looks over to the other tables to find only a couple of them still harboring customers who were close to finishing their meals."Time sure flies by, doesn't it?", the old man says almost wistfully then and Adelaide offers him a kind smile."That it does. Did you enjoy your meal?", she asks politely then a she finishes cleaning the table."I sure did. Your chefs make the best roasted chicken thighs in the world, I swear by it", he almost exclaims then, his grey-blue eyes gleaming.

Laughter trickles softly from her lips for a moment as the man's enthusiasm, and yet, she is touched."I will be sure to pass on your compliments, Monsieur Hallsburrow", she replies graciously, offering the man another sweet smile. He nods before gently patting her shoulder once more."You have a good evening, sweetheart. I'll seeing you next Sunday, as always", he says warmly before moving away and walking out the front door. There is a warmth that washes over the dark-haired woman as she watches the old man leave, dark lashes blinking over her sage gaze. It was customers like him that made all her hard work and long hours entirely worth it. And, then, a jolt races through her as she remembers what she'd almost entirely forgotten. She'd asked Taylor to pick her up at eight o'clock because of the surprise she was finally able to show him. Taking the damp cloth within her hand, she slips into the kitchen where the cooks are cleaning up their day's work, nodding respectfully to her as she makes her way to the far back of the bistro where her office was. After discarding the washcloth into the hamper a few steps away from the doorway to her office, she steps into the small yet neatly put together room with intent on finding the pieces she needed for his surprise. Finding them resting on the keyboard to her computer where she'd left them, she stuffs them into the pocket of her black leather jacket hanging on the coat rack, a bright smile dancing upon her lips now. Moving now to close the door to her office, she then reaches for the backpack sitting there in her office chair with the change of clothes she'd brought with her.

It hardly takes her long to slip into a white tank top and faded blue jeans, changing her work shoes for the pair of black leather boots Taylor seemed to enjoy seeing her in. Looking into the mirror hanging on eggshell-white walls to run slender fingers through thick, dark hair so that they cascaded over her shoulders, she is pleased with her appearance and reaches for the worn black leather jacket that was a little too big for her. Well, that was to be expected, considering it wasn't actually hers. She can't help the impish smirk as she slips into Taylor's jacket that still smells so much like him, entirely proud of herself for "stealing" it from him a few weeks ago on one of those so very rare days they were able to spend together without having to be worried about going to work. Slinging the backpack over her right shoulder, she opens the door and steps out of her office, making her way once again through the kitchen."Another job well, done, James. Monsieur Hallsborrow loved your chicken yet again", she calls out to a blonde cook grabbing his own things. The man laughs, though he doesn't look up from gathering his belongings."Good ol' Mr. Hallsborrow", he says, clearly familiar with the man's name."Have a good night, Adelaide", he adds while slipping his own strong arms into his jacket."I shall. Drive home safely", the French woman replies over her shoulder before departing from the kitchen, saying a small farewell to the waitresses cleaning up what little there was that remained. Stepping outside, a soft breeze bellowing through her dark chocolate hair, she stands just outside the entrance of the bistro, sage eyes searching eagerly for him.

She doesn't even silently pray that he likes what she has in store for him.
A part of her just, well, knows.

Adelaide Claire LaBelle
i'm the hero of my own story; i don't need a knight in shining armor
html by dante

Replies