Meet the lord.

The foyer of the manor is stunning. Black and white tiled floors lead up to curving staircases to a second floor, and directly in the center is a gorgeous orange tree growing right there inside the building from a circular spot of soil enclosed by bricks. A single man is standing in front of it, and fancy hardly begins to describe his visage. You're left with him rather quickly, as the guard has other matters to attend to, and despite him being unarmed, you can't help but feel uneasy.

His long, dark blue hair curls at the tips. Atop his head is a pair of cat ears, which isn't exactly what you expected, but it isn't the first you've seen. His suit appears black at first, but upon closer inspection, it has a beautiful sheen of the deepest shade of blue only visible when the light hits just right, and beneath it is a white shirt that frills out around his wrists. Several rings adorn his fingers, and he looks to you with piercing emerald eyes. As you approach he brings his hands behind his back, and you then see a fluffy tail drift to his side.

"So you're the one." His voice is incredibly deep. "I admit, you made an incredibly convincing argument to my men. I hate to admit it, but I have been completely captivated by interest."

After a pause, you swallow awkwardly, not exactly certain what to do or say in a position like this. You put a hand on you chest and bow slightly as you speak. "My name is Todd Hayes, m'lord. I'm new to this city, but I'm what you'd call a photographer."

His eyebrow stretches upwards. "Well, as you know, I am Lord Dixo Rosenborne."

I didn't know that. Wait, Dixo? Quite the name.

"You're in a unique position, Mr. Hayes," he continues. "Painting a portrait of my precious daughter is an absolute honour for any, yet you may be able to present something none other could. Imagine, my family being the only one around to have such a magical, life-like portrait. I never gave it thought in the past. Perhaps such a thing was possible, but upon seeing an example, I can say that I do desire you to do the same for my lovely Bianca."

"Well, I--"

He cuts you off and steps closer. Suddenly, his calm demeanour sinks into a threatening scowl, almost like a shadow is starting to loom overhead. "But if you so much as do anything against my daughter's wishes, you will not leave this estate, Mr. Hayes. I've seen the sort of pictures you produce. Impressive, yes, but some are quite a bit more lewd than makes me comfortable. My daughter is stunning, and you must capture that, but you best not go too far. Do I make myself clear?"

"Y-Yes of course." You clear your throat. "I'll only do exactly what she asks of course."

"Perfect." He looks to the side and claps his hands twice. "Then you may see her now."

A critter comes scurrying from around the corner. She's dressed as a maid, though she's hardly half your height. She has a large set of mouse-like ears poking up from her fluffy brown hair, and as she makes her way over, she greets you with a curtsy. "Please come with me," she instructs.

"Oh uh. Yeah of course," you say, taken aback by this new-looking creature.

As she leads you away, you can feel the chilling gaze of Lord Rosenborne on your back.

So she's like a mouse girl I guess. That's pretty cute.

A seeming maze of hallways eventually leads you to the grand doors of supposedly Bianca's chambers. Before she can knock, a voice reverberates out from the room on the other side.

"Come in," she says. It sounds familiar.

The poor mouse can barely reach the knob, but she stretches up on her tippy toes to turn it and allow you entry.

After stepping inside, the closes behind you, and you're left alone with a familiar sight.