What a Week!

This has been the craziest and best week! *grins wide*

It started when I got to Volterra. I was here last month and fell in love with the little town and the countryside. It was awe inspiring, not to mention art inspiring. *chuckles* Ever since, I've been working on some landscaping pieces. It's been interesting, but I'm not sure yet if I like it. Hmm...

Anyway, moving along...

I was in at Piazza dei Priori the other day. I really love that lil square. So anyway, I was sketching by the fountain when this woman with weird dark eyes that look red comes up to me and starts talking. Doesn't introduce herself or anything, just being chatty. I reckon she was just wantin to talk to someone. But then after a few minutes talkin, she started telling about how all the people in the castle are vampires. Now, me, I'm thinking she's motier foux, right? (half crazy) She kinda started to freak me out, so I left quickly.

Now imagine my surprise when the next day, I'm sitting in the same place waiting for the sun to hit the spire just so for a photo I wanted, I met another woman, this time from the castle. Long story short, I kinda charmed my way into a job. Apparently their usual girl at reception went walkabout or something and they needed someone to fill in for a few weeks. I'd already been worrying about affording to stay in Italy much longer, so it ended up being a win/win situation. *grins*

Now, we introduce ourselves and do all the niceties. Her name is Pia. She's a sweet lady, even if she does have some freaky red eyes. But hey, who am I to judge. I don't exactly pander to tradition myself. *chuckles*

Anyway, so I find out that this gig comes with a room too. Ca c'est bon, non? I didn't realize just what she meant by 'room'. I thought oh a small bedroom in the servants quarters or something. I was floored when she showed me the room. It wasn't a room, it was an apartment! There was this coquain living area with stairs leading up to a loft bedroom and a bathroom with a tub to die for! I didn't know where my good luck was coming from, but I went with it.

She left me for a while in the room, saying to stay there until she came back. I checked out the place a bit, but after a few hours, I was starving. I had skipped breakfast and was regretting it.

So I wandered out of the room to find Pia. Hearing voices from down by the reception area, I followed them to a door near the desk. I opened it and looked inside, seeing Pia and two others inside. One, a young man on who's lap Pia was sitting, got all tense and glared at me. But the other, a girl with blonde hair, grabbed me and dragged me out of the room. I was surprised, bien sur! She tried explaining something about a strict religion or something, but it's all very odd.

After getting something to eat and chatting for a bit with the girl, Stasha, I returned to my room for the evening.

The next day, I was trying to make my way around when I got hopelessly lost, eventually ending up outside in a beautiful garden. I came across Pia there near a large fountain and she explained to me that I could go pretty much anywhere but the throne room (where I'd walked into the night before), personal rooms, and on the lower levels.

Since then, I've been meeting many interesting people, all who seem to have the strangest coloured eyes. I guess Stasha wasn't kidding about their freaky religious cult. I wondered about that a minute. *shrug* Whatever. Everyone is a little strange. It's what makes us interesting, non?

Granted, these people were more so than most and I had a feeling something was going on I didn't know about. Certain comments make me wonder, but it's not my place to question what people believe or how they live their lives. *chuckles* If I hadn't seen them during the daytime, I'd wonder if that Lydia girl wasn't joking about the vampires...