[quote=@Stitches] "How come you're blessed in particular?" Abigail inquired. "Is there some sort of un-blessed guard? What did they do to deserve that?" She peered down at the bloodied gauntlet held out towards her, tentatively pinched one of the fingers and wiggled it a bit before quickly wiping her hands on her tunic. In fact, taking in Abigail's appearance...she looked altogether grimy and unwashed herself, even though there was a distinct lack of blood and fish guys on her person. Abigail giggled when Anastasia mentioned her mentor, but whilst laughing she shot the huntress a dark look and firmly said "he's [b]not[/b] my master. And uh, I'm...not sure I'm allowed to go along with strangers. Then again, I'm hungry. You're not gonna bless me if I go in, right?" She looked nervous again. "Goes against my religion. Beliefs. Or, no, wait - is it only the guard that's blessed? Is that some sort of requirement?" Abigail kept going like this all the way to the compound. Upon entering, her topic of conversation switched to pointing out all the things she thought were pretty and going on about how she had never been somewhere so fancy before. She gave a cheery thanks once Anastasia dropped her off in the quarters and, upon spying a quill, immediately set to work on her diary. [/quote] Anastasia blinked at her strange inquiries and burst into a chortle of laughter, walking with her back to the compound, wiping her gauntlets with a cloth, "No, no, of course not, it's a title dignifing our piety. Hm, I'm guessing you havn't heard of us then? We are a group of specialists hired by the Ballanger Family to protect their estates from creatures of the night, primarily vampires, and to aid in enforcement of law and order. We are called Blessed for the faith with which we carry ourselves, which distinguish us from the commmon mercenaries that ply the hunter trade. I personally hope to change that and make good piety and discipline a necessary cultural item of being a hunter. As you witnessed back there, we're currently... over-stocked on less savory types. He's not your master? Well, you did claim to be an apprentice, so I presume he would be your mentor then, no? In anycase, my name carries weight in this city and I can advertise for his whereabouts if you tell me more of him. Ah, no, no, we do not force our faith except by example. You'll be unharressed. Come, we're all in need of rest." They passed through the gates of the compound without difficulty, the regular guards merely nodding to her and clearing the path immediately. She welcomed her to her dwellings in the humble, but decorated guest room above the servant quarters, a pale young blonde maid greeting them with a startle, bowing to Anastasia and following Abigail to her room, getting her acustomed. [hr] She went into her own barracks beside, a large mess hall equipped like a tavern with rooms, a kitchen, and a dinning table in the center, accommadating all her group's needs. She had paid for half of it herself. Upon entering a black haired boy in fine clothing greeted her awkwardly, rushing over to help her undo her cloak and carry her hat. He followed after her, trying desperately to tell her of the recent events with the novices assigned for training, cut off as they entered the degenerate pandamonium that was the mess hall. Three of her gang sat somberly at the table, a bowl of seasoned animal blood in front of them: Feodore quietly reading a prayer book, Fanya staring intensely at the table as she sipped, lost in her fantasies, and Irina furiously writing with ink and quill, crossing out versions of the story of their hunt that she and Daniel planned to distirbute throughout the city, pausing briefly to take a large gulp from her bowel then returning to work. They were the only quiet ones. Alosha and Alina were fighting over a pretty blood servant, a red headed farm girl they had seduced on their first week in the city, luring her in with wealth and beauty and the promise of adventure, now being tugged and gropped like their personal doll. Alina nibbled on her ear and promised a romantic evening with theatre and pretty dresses, Alosha promised a rowdy evening of song and drink and horse riding, and a hunt just for them, no more animal blood. The servant girl seemed sheepish, hesitant to upset either one, several bloody feeding marks already on her neck. The only other shared servant was being snuggled by Clara and Ivanchka on a furnished couch, an older man reading a story to them as they peppered him with kisses and giggled like school girls, their chins bloody, drunk on fresh blood. The remaining vampires were either audibly with their personal servants in their rooms or having drinks and conversation around the table. Anastasia sighed heavily and pressed her nose. She wasn't going to be a hypocrite and say she was above the perverted degeneracy on display, but at least she kept private about it. She always hated that about the old gang. "ALOSHA. ALINA. What the hell happened to the recruits?! Why are twelve of them resigning?" Alina giggled like a harpy, hugging the servant close as she won her over, nuzzling her, shouting over her shoulder, "Ten! Two collapsed!" "WHY!?" "Tei dal nas cyki (You gave us bitches)." Alosha nodded in agreement, giving Alina a venomous look. Normally this would be the part where she beat the shit out of them for the hundreth time, but she was tired. Not physically. Although she was no God fearing woman, she did want to leave her old life behind, a life of criminal childishness and barbarism that amounted to nothing. She wanted to get away from him. Seems many of them didn't. Oh, they followed her well enough, despite their petulence, and put on the piety act in public, but still most of them carried that reckless abandon. Alosha spat at Alina and their blood servant that she cuddled in her arms, kicking over a chair, "Poshal von! I'll go for my own bloody hunt." "Like hell you are." Anastasia grabbed his arm as he passed, pulling him back. He hissed and twisted it out of her grasp. "I am not a fucking child! I know well enough to hide my tracks, quit dotting on me, on us!" "Oh really, then explain-" "ONE TIME! IT WAS ONE TIME! I GOT BETTER! For god's sake mom!" He stormed out the door, and she sighed again, giving the silent group a weary, vile look that dared them to push her further. No one spoke and soon returned to their own. She walked up to her room with her servant and sat on the bed, undressing her armor. The boy rushed over and started to help her. She looked at him a moment, then swept him into her arms and hugged him tight, breathing in the scent of his hair. He froze and went rigid, closing his eyes as she cooed to him and then pressed into his small neck, draining him. She let go of him once she finished feeding, giving the quiet boy a soft kiss and taking off the rest of her outfit, sending him off with the a dirty pile to give to the other servants to clean tonight. He left with his eyes downcast. She looked over the reports on her desk, running a hand through her hair. She fell asleep on top of it some time after. [hr] [@LordLinguinie] [quote] In the the early morning hours of the day, the upper class shopping district is often only peppered with foot traffic, as most who can afford to shop in the district, can afford to sleep in. At the intersection in front of the tailor, across from the bakery and bank, there lies a small fountain often filled with coins and wishes. As the elderly woman who worked as a teller walked at the Rothenburg bank walked past the fountain, she unleashed an unholy wail that woke everyone in the near vicinity. The water in the fountain was a deep crimson with three floating bodies in their own viscera. The large bearded man lay floating in the fountain, with two very distinguishable holes in his neck. [/quote] She was awoken to the news by her boy servant only an hour after the incident. As if dropped in cold water, fueled by rage, she got dressed in her newly cleaned armour and outfit within minutes, stomping down the staircase. Almost all of them gathered around the table, already dressed, Alosha trying to hide behind Boris or Daniel, eyes darting around frantically. "ALOSHA. GET THE FUCK OVER HERE!" She pushed past them, nobody stopping her, and grabbed the young man by his neck. He tried to grip her arm and scramble off, but she was stronger. "I didn't do it I swear to God! Mom, stop!" "NO OTHER VAMPIRE HAS THE NERVE TO MAKE A PUBLIC KILLING RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF MY CITY!" Just as she was about to smash his face into the table, Alina burst through the door, her evening outfit rough and well worn. "Wait! He didn't do it! I saw them!" "Who!?" She dropped him, letting him stumble into the table face first. [hr] She paced the long, empty dining hall of the Ballanger house, having requested Lord Dromeus' presence immediately, declaring emergency, clenching her teeth as she waited. Sometimes the man was understanding, other times... Finances and politics, they were always stressful.