Almost every single morning, or at least on those mornings where she had one of her earlier classes, those glacier blue eyes of hers would be able to indulge in watching as the sun would rise to the east. Being the early bird that she was on such days where education and the pursuit of her future career would beckon her awake in those wee hours of the morning, it was one of the best ways that she has found to prepare for the day that was to come. There was a beauty in such a moment, and yet there were so many that simply took it for granted. She was almost entirely certain that her brother was one of those individuals that could care less how the heavens looked when the burning star would usher in a new day so full of promise and the chance to do something great or perhaps even adventurous. He was very much the opposite of the honey-blonde woman, in almost every sense of such sentiments. Where she was ever-bright and eager to embrace the world and those in it, the man with messy caramel-colored locks would rather push the entirety of the universe away, locking himself away in the confines of his dark room to drink away the hours. She tries not to let it break her heart more than it does, wishing almost desperately that there would come a time in his life where he could be happy. She couldn't truly remember the last time that she had seen a smile upon his chiseled and often stubbled features. No, she wasn't talking about one of those wolfish grins that he so often wore when he took some sort of devilish delight in teasing the young woman and having her get about as flustered as she could with the man she'd known her entire life, and she certainly wasn't talking about the way that he'd looked at Vhal whenever she would come over, the two always seeming to have sharpened words to exchange. Even if Ellie was beginning to wonder if it was just their unusual way of showing affection â€" which really made little to no sense to her, affection was supposed to be warm and gentle and happy, or so she thought â€" or if they truly did just enjoy infuriating the other, that was hardly what she yearned to see upon his face. However, she certainly knew better than to try and rouse him to watch the sunrise with her. The dark hunter was already ill-tempered enough, he didn't need any help from his little sister that wanted something so trivial as to enjoy a moment that would only last perhaps several minutes.

Just as much as she loved the sunrise, the young woman also loved the sunset. It wasn't too often that she found herself able to enjoy these often breathtaking ending notes to her day, but when she could, there wasn't any one particular evening there a delighted smile would not curl the honey-blonde's plush lips as eyes of early winter frost would drink in the natural beauty that was bestowed upon the world for all to just, for a single moment, pause in their busy schedules to enjoy that small fraction of bliss or peace that those vibrant and gorgeous colors could bring. If anyone were to ask Ellie which it was that she preferred most, there would be no answer that she could give that would be honest. There was so much that she loved about the life that she had, even in light of the darkness that shrouded her past. Despite the loss, the mourning that would still find her heart and attempt to weigh it down when she thought of just how much she missed her mother and father, the estate that she'd grown up on helping her gentle mother tend to the gardens there or coloring those pages within her coloring books on the floor of her father's study as he would be dealing with the family business, talking among her uncles or other relatives. She missed those days, when things had been simpler, easier... warmer. In all honesty, the huntress did her best not to think about those moments in her childhood, worried for the sadness that would be creeping just around the darkened corners of her heart. She didn't like it when she felt that heaviness, and even when Lazarus would happen to see his little sister in one of those down moments, he of all beings would be the one that tried to comfort her. How rare it was, to see the gentler side to the man that was truly the last piece she had of their mother and father. Yet, even he, the one who suffered so much more for reasons that even Ellie did not fully understand, would take her into the rarest yet most amazing of tight embraces. And there he would hold her until she could no longer feel the sorrow that had been there only moments ago. How could she still feel sad, when she felt the undying love of her big brother as he would wrap those strong arms around her? The answer was simple, as simple as then young woman's bright â€" and admittedly naïve â€" love for the world. She just couldn't.

Today though, there is no sadness that touches the warm and open heart of the young woman as she walks through the streets of the city that she's called home for quite some time now. No, there is only worry. Well, worry that was quickly reassured as best as she could manage on her own... before shifting wildly into embarrassment and bashfulness when she feels her slender frame colliding with someone much broader and stronger than herself. She only just barely registers the sound that is coerced from the man as she bumps into him and immediately she cannot help but brace herself for what she'd come to expect from others that wandered the streets of Sacrosanct. Even one the occasion where it was so much as a small nudge, it seemed more than enough to earn the honey-blonde a dirty look or nasty remark, though she was the last that would ever feel hurt or even bothered by such things. Nine times out of ten, it truly was her fault for not paying attention, so often distracted by someone's colorful blouse or a dog walking faithfully beside their owner â€" she was an absolute softie for animals, after all. She would always be the one apologizing, even if it wasn't really her fault and they'd been the one to bump her, only for them to act as if it had been Ellie that was in the wrong. Still, somehow, she would usher a bashful "sorry" or "my fault" or even the ever truthful "I didn't mean to", and still it would not soften the sharp glares she would be given or gentle the irritation so easily seen upon the face of the absolute stranger who'd bumped against her. Half the time, the huntress wasn't sure why it was that she felt so compelled to take the blame even when it wasn't hers to own, but it wasn't something that she ever bothered to fuss over. The only thing that she would find herself feeling in that moment would be hope that their day went better, that they found a reason to smile even for just a second before she was so sure that they would be so much happier afterwards. Laughter was almost always the best remedy for sorrow or anger, or so that was what she believed. She knew there were others out there that did not think this way, beings who did not take a moment to revel in the little things like how the sun would shine through the clouds in the most divine of ways as its golden light would touch down upon the world through a gentle morning mist, or how cleansed the world smelled after a summer rain, and that was okay. But, what if, for just a moment, even the coldest hearts would dare to take a moment and see something beautiful, something so terribly small and find wonder in it? Would the world not be a better place for it? Oh, the things that she wondered sometimes.

Fully expecting something to happen, for the man to scowl or snarl, she blinks those long lashes over her icy blue gaze, the warmth in her cheeks surely coloring the fair and ever so slightly freckled skin there. However, neither of these things follow their very much abrupt meeting. Instead, he shakes his head, and his southern voice offer her something that she has not heard in what felt like eons: kindness. For once, she was not being blamed or looked down upon. She cannot help the subtle widening of her eyes as she takes a moment to register this moment, wanting to be sure he wasn't just going to turn on her suddenly, but he only gives a tender smile she almost immediately, her worries melt away like winter frost beneath a spring sunrise. She almost doesn't know what to say back, standing there like a doe in headlights as she merely blinks in surprise, holding her perfectly intact coffee. Maybe she was still taken aback by his kindness, or perhaps she was stricken into silence by just how handsome the stranger was, or how different and nice his voice sounded, but if Vhal and Lazarus could see her now... The young woman, who always had something to say, was in fact speechless. Only then does she realize that she was staring up at up, taking a hesitant step back when she notices how close they were only to nearly bump into someone else and the current of people trickles around them like water. No, she certainly wasn't the most graceful. He studies her for a moment, and she is quick to do ensure that the bags in his hands were sound as well. He speaks again and she cracks a small and almost shy smile then."Oh, it's perfectly fine. I'm just glad your groceries are alright. I would have felt awful. Especially since Whole Foods has some of the best stuff, though I prefer the local market not far from here myself", she says, finally finding her sugary sweet voice as she comes to from the surprise that was hard to hide from her gaze. And then, just as quickly as she'd been flustered, she finds herself ever-curious about the man before her, almost unable to stop herself from continuing to gaze at him."I love your accent, by the way. Are you new around here?", she asks softly, brightly before again her eyes widen when she realizes how rude she was being."Oh gosh, I'm sorry, I haven't even introduced myself. I'm Elain Daray. But you can call me Ellie. All my friends do", she says warmly as she extends her hand out to him as she seems to shed the remaining fragments of her embarrassment that her been lingering there in those eyes or glacier blue.