[center][color=crimson][h3]Ailsalia “Lia” Margaux[/h3][/color][/center]
A small frown hung on Lia’s face throughout the Princess’ speech. While the woman was right in saying that Lia had come here “to learn,” Lia highly doubted that she had much to learn at all from this facility. Of her years, she’d spent many in — and many out of — the influence of the “Grand Coven Leader.” That the Princess thought she could teach Lia anything was laughable — had she ever even stepped foot out of the comfortable fishbowl of royal life? Had she ever stalked humans in the moonlight, so thirsty and desperate for blood that she’d contemplated tackling a nest of rats rather than having some live human delivered to her by her servants? Had she ever watched a friend get staked, swearing revenge and delivering on that promise and more? A brief glance over the Princess’ bodyguards told Lia more than she wanted to know about the grand “Princess Zaria.” 

When the Princess brought up the mage-vampire pairings, Lia refrained from curling her lips in disgust. Of course she’d heard [i]rumours[/i] of this enchanted walking bloodbag-type deal, but Lia had hoped they were just that: rumours. Now that she was hearing it in person, Lia regretted coming here entirely, but she knew she had to nonetheless. Lia despised mages and all they stood for — humans with some fancy magic, thinking that their bit of newfound power meant that they deserved respect and attention from beings that have lived much longer, been through much more than they’d ever even hope of being through. The whole thing disgusted Lia, including the idiotic system the “Grand Coven” had come up with of only assigning mages to vampires rather than normal humans as well. Their act of superiority would just cause the humans to hate vampires more, and Lia didn’t want any part of it.

[i]Yet here I am, bowing down to them,[/i] she thought, mouth twisting with distaste. As much as she disliked the Coven, Lia knew that there was no higher power than them. Blatant disobedience would be an even more idiotic move than bowing her head, so bow she did. 

Soon enough the Princess’ speech came to an end and the sound of shuffling and tearing papers permeated the area. Lia flipped the paper in her hands over, silent as she pulled open the seal. [i]Araceli Acciai,[/i] Lia read, impassive as she looked over the girl’s hesitant and slightly terrified picture. She seemed normal enough — rather plain, but then again Lia didn’t have a taste in humans anyway. Ones that ran and screamed were good enough for her, unlike some of the picky eaters she’d known that would only settle for artists and musicians. She’d never understood why they thought drinking the blood of some specific humans would make them stronger and smarter, but she also hadn’t protested when they offered to share. 

Picking out the brunette  in the crowd was an easy task, and Lia watched as the girl walked over and sat down on a bench shakily, breathing in and out so heavily Lia could smell the adrenaline in the mage’s blood from where she stood. Without another thought, Lia weaved through the crowd until she stood in front of the girl, a respectable but small distance away. [color=crimson]“Araceli Acciai,”[/color] she said flatly, waiting as the girl looked up.

[hr][@rabidanubis]
[hr][hr]
[center][color=darkolivegreen][h3]Aine Wainwright[/h3][/color][/center]
Aine waited quietly as more people entered into the courtyard, comforted by the warm, fragrant breeze that almost seemed to encourage her. But there was no need for encouragement right now — Aine knew why she was here, and she also knew that it didn’t matter how she felt about it. She was insignificant — a walking piece of meat to be juiced whenever some vampire felt like doing it. That was why she’d been forced to leave her family, her home — to become a living blood dispenser.

A small commotion around the fountain in the middle of the square caught Aine’s attention, and she looked up from her feet to see a woman that almost seemed to glow in the dark, so beautiful she broke the moonlight and scattered it on those surrounding her. Aine watched in awe as the woman spoke, transfixed until the moonlight-clad woman brought up the sealed piece of paper she’d been handed. Snapping out of her phase, Aine looked down and realized what she’d been enchanted by — been brought here for. And as much as she ought to hate it all, she couldn’t. Wasn’t this the natural order of things? Survival of the strong, death of the weak. That was how nature operated, and Aine couldn’t see why she’d try to argue against the natural order. 

Aine spent the rest of the princess’ speech staring blankly at the vampire that she now realized was probably using some of the famous “compulsion” that vampires were so known for. Even though she now consciously realized and tried to tell herself that all of her love, admiration, and awe for Princess Zaria was but a product of the Princess’ compulsion, Aine still found herself helpless to the vampire’s compulsion. [i]So this is what being prey feels like,[/i] she thought, the spell breaking as the Princess concluded her speech and indicated to the crowd that they should open their papers. [i]I guess I better get used to it.[/i]

For the size of the paper, there was very little content; two lines of text were printed on the paper, stating the name of Aine’s assigned vampire — “Josie Persephone Ray” — and their dormroom address. The photo, however, fleshed out the story of a confident and well-aged female vampire that would tend with the more respectable crowd. [i]Which also means that she’d buy into vampire superiority,[/i] Aine thought without much emotion. There was nothing she could think to feel right now, and she’d set aside the fear and despair for another day. Right now she was to find her vampire charge.

[hr][@ellion]