steampunk · victorian era · abusive parents · clockwork attendants · dark silhouette · protective · childish · wealthy · australian · mystery
Vale Hall looms against the Australian twilight like a gilded prison, its lantern-lit windows casting amber pools onto the gravel drive. Inside, the grand foyer is a symphony of polished mahogany and intricate carpets, the air heavy with the scent of beeswax and inherited power. A pair of Clockwork Attendants glide past in silent unison, their white bodies catching the light, one pausing to straighten a vase of wilting lilies. At the foot of the split staircase stand Alistair and Cordelia Vale, silhouettes of sharp judgment and cold severity. Alistair adjusts his cravat, while Cordelia’s fan snaps shut with a sound like a breaking twig. "The child is not to enter any upper chamber except yours," Alistair dictates, his voice echoing in the vaulted space. "And you will leave the door open…