Unloved: A Sims Story by orenjiAi

Unloved 4

“You should’ve just waited for me at the chateau, my lady.” Robert reprimanded Elia. It was cool and foggy and the sun had not completely risen yet. He believed that Elia should be in bed but she snuck out to go after him on his early morning grocery run. He immediately caught her though as he turned to lock the gates. Against better judgment, he let her tag along.
https://i.imgur.com/YkLdkyO.png
“No way are you leaving me to stay alone in that place! Not after you showed me Lady Adelaida’s tomb!” she protested.
“It’s a good five-minute walk away from the house! In the woods!”
“That house is haunted I tell you! Besides, I don’t have anything else to do there. The rooms are locked, the TV reception’s bad, and I’m still figuring out how to use this thing you gave me.” she said as she brandished her phone.

Elia tried to keep up with Robert’s pace. He wasn’t walking very fast but he, unlike her, didn’t want to waste time looking around. Instead, he walked to the community garden, then straight to the spice shop, to the butcher next, and then the fish vendor last. She also noticed that he spoke very differently to the villagers than when he was talking to her. He sounded curt, less friendly, and he used a deeper voice. She assumed he must be speaking a different Simlish dialect too. She wondered how many sides there were to Robert she had yet to meet.
https://i.imgur.com/f9OSI3o.png

Elia had never visited the town before as her first few days had been drenched in rain. But today had been a good day. And as the sun rose, she found the quaint village, with its roofs and treetops painted golden by the light, breathtaking.
https://i.imgur.com/iJs0Zqw.png

“Now that shopping’s done, what would my lady say to a village tour by yours truly?” Robert asked with a wink about an hour later.

Robert asked a help take his groceries directly to the chateau. Meanwhile, he and Elia walked the cobblestone streets of Capeside for a second time. Unlike the first, however, he was pacing his footsteps with Elia's. He was actually showing off the town to her; stopping by to explain landmarks and taking the picturesque route instead of the shortcuts they walked in earlier. Elia learned much about Capeside during their stroll. She found out it was an authentic medieval settlement built about a quarter of a mile away from the chateau. It’s proximity to the Princess’ summer home, along with its well preserved structures, earned itself a Heritage Site status (and funding) from the National Historic Commission. It has two village squares, Upper and Lower Capeside and it had been the old town center before it relocated to Sable Square in Brindleton Bay.

Robert stopped by an old well at the edge of Upper Capeside. "This is the Whispering Wishing Well," he started to explain.
https://i.imgur.com/8F2RalS.png

Elia squealed at how romantic it was. She got excited at the concept of a wish getting granted over some petty change. She turned to Robert and asked him to spare a coin to drop into the well. At first, he scared her with Capeside folklore of people being cursed and getting exactly the opposite of what they wanted. He made it very clear to her later that he was pinching pennies and that he found it to be a waste of money. Eventually, he gave in and gave her a single Simoleon coin. She threw it high in the air, glinting in the daylight before it fell down into the waters below with a funny bloop.
https://i.imgur.com/pATAnCo.png

Elia half expected some reaction from the well. But nothing happened. So she quietly wished for sunnier days ahead. She knew from Robert earlier that it almost always rains in Capeside. She didn't hate the rain but she definitely preferred when it was sunny as it had been today. She liked how different a little precipitation changed the scenery. Without it, Capeside was livelier, happier, almost like a fairy tale. But most of all, she could walk in town with Robert and she would love to go again next time.

On their way back to the chateau, Robert insisted they take a different route. He wanted to show her the cove, which he knew was impossible to be seen from her room. They walked along the creek and headed downstream on creaky wooden walk-ups. The sound of clear cascading waters grew fainter as Elia heard the growing sound of the ocean waves crashing on the shore. Soon enough they were stepping on sand and Elia was greeted by a large fine beach with picnic tables, grills, and benches. In the far left, she can see a pier at the foot of a steep hill. On her right, Robert pointed their chateau to her atop a jagged rock cliff. She could barely make out its white stone face hidden behind a grove.
https://i.imgur.com/dNw1He0.png

After some time playing in the water, Robert led the way home. They were having a playful conversation. Robert was bragging about the Thebe's private beach being better and how they should have a picnic on it when the weather was good as it had been today. Suddenly, he became silent and stopped in his tracks.

Robert was glaring. But he was so excited a while ago. How can anybody switch their moods so fast? Elia was confused. She looked in his eyes' direction and saw a small shack. It was, there was no other word for it, ordinary. A tiny, normal, weathered rest home for some fisherman. Several lobster traps were neatly stacked out front. A TV satellite dish nestled on its roof shingles. And fishing equipment were hung to dry on its walls. There wasn't anything special about it. Yet it drove Robert to unrest.
https://i.imgur.com/SN0VNtU.png

"Just what do they think they're doing!?" Robert said irritably. He stomped towards the front door, fists clenched.
https://i.imgur.com/FGAok09.png

Elia suddenly realized what was so wrong about the house. Compared to everywhere she's been the past few days, it looked the most normal. And it looked that way to her because it was the most modern. It didn't have the grandiose of the Chateau de Thebe. Or the medieval quaintness of Capeside. It was just so unremarkable it stood out in Robert's perfectly preserved slice of history. And he was offended by it. For some unknown reason to her, he assertively maintained the Historic Commission's rules. He had never seen him so mad and discomposed. He looked like he was about to punch someone.

Elia threw herself in front of his path. She sloppily tried to reason with him. Said she was tired from all their walking. And that she wanted to go home. Now.
https://i.imgur.com/Ijn6d1I.png

"You just rest out here, my lady. I'm just going to take a look." Robert said through a forced smile. To Elia's disappointment, he banged on the door so hard it swung open, slamming loudly against the wall. He stepped inside and took a quick look. There was nobody.
https://i.imgur.com/QxTyT60.png

Robert stormed out of the shack leaving Elia on the porch. He was still visibly upset but she was only relieved it had been empty. She can only imagine what confrontation would have happened if he had found somebody inside. She turned to follow him, unaware that the front door opened again.
https://i.imgur.com/pDmLm2a.png

It all happened in a flash. All Elia remembers is hearing somebody scream. But Robert managed to quickly pull her out of the porch and out of the attacker's reach. She could only watch as both men threw and avoided each other's punches.
https://i.imgur.com/Dj3jqxq.png

Robert emerged from the fight victorious. He landed a square punch on the assailant's jaw, knocking him dizzy. He groaned and fell near Elia's feet. Before he lost consciousness, he lied on his back and had his face up towards the sky. Elia looked down and instantly recognized him.
https://i.imgur.com/ELrkjNr.png

"Adriel?!"