wilted

White Velvet + Questions

Hello everybody!

So I know it's been a while since I last updated. This isn't because I lost interest in the story, but because I don't know where to go with it. I had an original plan when I first wrote it, but now I have more ideas that I want to implement.  But I feel like I dug myself into a hole with the previous chapters. 

What I really want to do is rewrite the entire story with three major changes: 

1) Change into a third person's POV (with Vivre still as the main character)

2) More time alone with Raphael and Vivre in the beginning

3) Quicker and more consistent updates

I feel like this would really be helpful for the story and me. However, I am a little bit hesitant to start over because of you guys, my amazing readers! You've already given me so much support and I don't want to take the story away from you without any warning. 

So before I do anything drastic, I want to ask permission. Is it okay for me to start over? 

Comment yes or no, please! (With maybe an explanation if you want.) 

Thank you so much! I appreciate with all of you guys sticking with me so far. And here's an excerpt for the next chapter that I've written up so far: 

White Velvet

|| X ||

Going up all the stairs is hard work. I don't how Raphael manages to stay upright without breathing heavily. By the time we reach dining hall, everybody else is there. Their heads turn as we enter the room. Nikita has an expression of mild annoyance on her face whereas everybody else looks relieved. The door slams shut behind us with an echoing bang. 

"Took you long enough," Nikita says. "Some of us were afraid that something happened to you." 

"No harm done, I am pleased to say," Raphael nudges me forward. We take seats at the end of the table. "And we even got Vivre a new outfit." 

"A pressing troubling, I'm sure," Drawls Paris. 

"Don't be rude," Avery tells him. "You saw what she wore before. It couldn't have been very warm." 

"I liked it better." 

"You're disgusting." 

I take another look at all the faces in the room, trying to figure out what I know about each one. I know that Nikita's intelligent, but impatient. Avery's kind, Paris is rude and Rigel doesn't say much of anything for the last couple of years that I've known him. Blair is Blair, except she's behaving oddly ever since we got to this castle - but I don't blame her. 

And then there's Raphael. 

I still haven't come up with a decision on how to feel about him. He's handsome and he's smart and he's kind. He's done me favors, yet seems to have some other side to him. And then, there's the text - which I stupidly left behind - 

"Vivre!" 

I blink. "Sorry, what?" 

Nikita raises an unimpressed brow. "I was questioning you on what you've found. You took nearly twice the time we agreed upon so I assume you found something." 

"Kind of," I glance at Raphael. He examines his fingernails, disinterested in the conversation. "I, well, we saw plenty rooms. They go in a color order - from green to blue to purple. And then, we reached the bottom of the castle -" 

Everybody perks up. 

" - but there were no exits," I swallow. "The end of the staircase just leads to this... meadow, but there aren't doors or windows around it." 

"Avery and I broke one of the windows," She says and for the first time, I notice that both of them are completely soaked. "Useless. Even if we managed to get past the debris of rain and wind - you'd think that there was a hurricane - it's too dark to see how far up we are. For all we know, we could be in a tower."

I think of what Raphael said earlier, about the sun never rising. And he's right. I haven't seen one ray of light since I woke up in the castle. 

"Why do you think it's like that?" I want to shrink when everybody's eyes turn towards me, but I manage to keep my back straight. "Why do you think there's always a storm outside, I mean? The weather hasn't eased up at all since we got here." 

Nikita narrows her eyes. "What are you suggesting?" 

"Well, earlier, when Raphael and I were walking the castle - we saw some evidence that might have hinted at - uh - paranormal types of activities." 

"I knew it," Avery mutters and places her hands over her face. Blair shares a glance with Rigel and Paris. Raphael leans in closer, finally engaging in the conversation, while Nikita glares at each one of us in turn. 

"There's no such thing as the paranormal." 

"I don't know," Blair says. "When we talked to Chef Almas -" 

"You actually found him?" I interrupt and she shoots me a glare. "Sorry." 

"Yeah, he was lurking in the kitchens again. He said some pretty weird stuff when we asked about where we were," Blair shares an uneasy glance with her teammates. "Like we were in some other type of dimension or something. And he just laughed when we talked about getting out." 

"Like we were mice running in a maze with glass walls," Rigel mutters under his breath. 

"Yeah, like that." 

Nikita is frowning. "They're trying to get into our heads, psych us out or something. They must have planned all this." 

"This is a really big castle for them to plan all of this," I say quietly. "Remember the chandeliers?" 

"They could have been done with a simple contraception," Her earrings swing back and forth in agitation, an arc of angry emerald green. "You're making this situation worse than it has to be - all of you. Let's go back downstairs, see if there's anything you missed the first time. The storm will lighten some day and we'll be ready when it does." 

"I - " 

A shrill scream interrupts whatever Blair was going to say next.

Yours Truly,
OutsideMyWindow