Julian Devorak x Helena Bellerose

The Apprentice

The door opens and Asra enters, hoping to find Helena behind the desk, but she's not there. Instead, when Asra approaches he finds a note waiting for him. Asra picks up the note and reads in a clear and concise voice...

'Dear Asra, as I'm sure you've noticed when you entered the shop, I'm nowhere in sight. That's because I met someone, Doctor Julian Devorak. I'm sure you know of him, he did mention you when we first met. He even went on to mention how you two weren't on the best of terms. Don't worry, I'll make sure he doesn't try any weird hijinks. Best regards, Helena.'

"Oh, great. Now she's gone and run off with that troublemaker!" Asra groaned, balling his hand in a fist as he slammed it on the desk. "Calm down, Asra, Helena will be perfectly fine! Just like she promised in her letter." Asra told himself, trying to stay calm about this whole thing. Asra tapped his fingers on the desk as he tried to relax, he knew he had nothing to worry about. Right?

"I swear to god, Ilya! If you got in trouble with the countess again, I'm going to-" a woman's voice groaned from inside the cottage. When she opened the door, she gave Julian a menacing glare, which quickly faded away as she noticed Helena standing beside him, "Oh, hello." she spoke.

She only appeared to be a few inches shorter than Helena. Her curly, red hair was tied back in a bun, her soft blue-grey eyes looked directly into Helena's...could this girl really be Julian's sister? She just seems so much...calmer.

"Pasha! How wonderful it is to see you again! This lovely vision is Helena Belleflower." Julian spoke in a joyous tone as he wrapped an arm around Helena's waist. "Pleased to meet you!" Helena smiled, feeling slightly nervous, "Portia. I'm Ilya's sister, if you hadn't noticed yet." Portia chuckled, "Trust me, I noticed." Helena said with a giggle as she glanced at the siblings.

"Ilya! You better get your butt in here!" A much older sounding woman yelled out to him, Julian gulped "Am I in trouble again?" he asked, Portia crossed her arms and leaned against the doorway, "What happened to Mr. trouble is my middle name?" she asked, making quotation marks for that last part. "Uh..." Julian looked over Portia's shoulder before looking down at Helena, "Would you like to come in?" he asked. "What kind of question -- of course she'd like to come in!" Portia groaned, a hand on her hip, "Oh, right." Julian chuckled nervously as the three of them walked in.

"Ilya! There you are! Where have you been? We've been -- Oh, I see you've brought a guest." Mazelinka stopped before she could finish yelling at Julian when she noticed Helena standing next to him. "What a pretty young lady. Julian, did you kidnap her?" Mazelinka teasingly asked, "What? Of course not!" Julian defended himself, "Uh-huh." Portia mumbled, rolling her eyes, "At least introduce us, Ilya!" Mazelinka impatiently huffed.

"This is Helena Belleflower. Who I did not kidnap!" Julian said, making it clear that he had not kidnapped her prior. Mazelinka chuckled, "We know, we just like to tease! Don't we, Portia?" she looked over at Portia who was currently still staring at Helena, "Blink twice if you need help." Portia spoke in a soft tone of voice. "Pasha!" Julian huffed, "Sorry, sorry." Portia said, putting her hands up in defense.

"Good thing I made so much soup! Now Helena, make sure Julian eats. The skinny thing." Mazelinka instructed, Helena nodded. "I'm not that sk-" but before Julian could finish complaining, Mazelinka cut him off, "Come to the table, you three! I'll get your bowls." she said as she ushered them all into the kitchen.

"Helena, come sit by me!" Portia said as she pulled a chair out for her, patting the seat, "Sure, thanks." Helena said with a smile as she sat next to Portia. Mazelinka set their bowls in front of them, "Eat up, kids!" Mazelinka spoke, "Aren't you going to join us, Mazelinka?" Portia asked, Mazelinka shook her head, "Nope. Sorry, kids, but I have something else to do. But I'll be back soon!" Mazelinka smiled, leaving the room.

"Huh, weird...Asra never told me where he was going either." Helena said as she took a spoonful of soup to her mouth, swallowing the liquid. "Speaking of Asra, what all was in that note you wrote him?" Julian asked, looking directly at Helena, "Oh, well, I just told him we were leaving." Helena shrugged, swallowing another spoonful of soup. "Wait, didn't you write that note...before we left?" Julian asked, "Yup!" Helena nodded, "Then how'd you-" Julian began but Helena cut him off, "I guess you could say it was magic intuition." she explained with a chuckle.

"Oh, that makes sense." Julian said, swallowing a spoonful of soup. "Magic intuition? Ilya! Did you bring home Asra's apprentice?" Portia asked, Julian nodded, "I knew she looked familiar!" Portia said as she smiled at Helena, "Oh, have you met Asra?" Helena asked Portia, "Met him? I've seen him with the countess countless times now!" Portia spoke with a perky tone.

"Countess?" Helena asked, "Oh, you'd love her, Helena! She's so sweet, and kind, and pretty, and-" Portia rambled on before Julian cut her off, "Pasha's got a little crush on the countess.", "Ilya!" Portia scoffed, Julian laughed as Portia swore at him some more before finishing their meal.

Portia looked out the window, then back at Helena, "Well, it's getting pretty dark out, Helena. Would you like to stay the night?" she asked, "I'd love that, Portia! But, uh..." Helena began before Portia grabbed her hands, "Mazelinka's alright with that, and I'm sure Ilya is too." she smiled. "But of course! And if you'd like, Helena, you can join me in bed tonight." Julian said with a smirk, "Like hell she would! Or...would you, Helena?" Portia asked, "Thank you, Julian. But if you don't mind I'd like to spend the night with your sister." Helena said, "Suit yourself, dear." Julian spoke, heading to his room.

"Yay! Come on then, Helena! I'm sure you'll -- oh my gosh, you gotta meet my cat!" Portia spoke with glee, practically dragging Helena to her room, "Cat?" Helena asked, "You do like cats, right? Well, this one's name is Pepi. She's a sweet cat, that one." Portia said as she opened the door and Pepi jumped off her bed and walked over to Helena, sniffing her boot before walking back to Portia's bed. "That means she likes you!" Portia giggles.