[center][h2]Varis[/h2][/center]

Varis watched the crowd, passingly thankful it afforded him a few minutes to think, as he considered his partner. Aaron Starag. Any vampire with a few hours of education knew of the Starags. The lineage of Landar Starag, both the man who signed away mortal kind’s freedom five centuries past and its fiercest protestor, bent its knee to the Noilas since the signing and the royal family kept it to themselves, circulating it from branch family to branch family to keep the gene pool fresh. He tapped his fingers against the glass and ran his fingers through his hair again. Passing a Starag to another family under the guise of an Academy student. Either his Lady somehow won the Queen’s affections, which his Lady viciously rallied against, or the Queen finally tired of the family’s attitude and was attempting to reign in their independence. An expensive chain indeed.

The blond gave it away first. He watched as the Starag made his way and kept his distance before bowing. His movements shone with well practiced elegance. The Noilas certainly taught him well. He sipped at the drink in his hand and a fun thought slipped through his head. The mage had been sent away from the royal family to serve a lesser house, a noble one yes but not the royal family, so it was only fitting to test his loyalty in this situation. He glanced to his right, sipping at his drink as he took in the mages who attended the Princess during her speech that had been left behind at the edge of the courtyard. He smiled briefly, wicked and sharp, before turning an appraising look to the young Starag. If the Princess wanted the Starag in his possession, so be it.

[color=f7976a]“You have been trained well.”[/color] Varis spoke, his words slow and measured. Language held as much power as mages welded when applied properly and Varis was loathe to misuse it. He snapped his fingers once and pointed to the spot in front of him. [color=f7976a]“Kneel.”[/color]

The mage's face fell just a tick; most wouldn't have noticed the change, but one with an eye for it could tell something troubling passed behind his eyes, however briefly. He hesitated for a beat or two, visibly swallowed, but then took a deep breath and stepped forward, face now somewhat more serious. He then fluidly sank to one knee, resting his elbow on the other, head lowered, eyes downcast. The scabbard on his hip came to rest on the stone behind him. He didn't say a word.

Varis watched silently as it played out. The mage knelt, still precise and fluid but more hesitantly than his earlier bow, and Varis reached out, brushing his fingers gently down the mage’s cheek then lightly but firmly gripped the boy's jaw. The vampire tilted his face up until their eyes met and Varis carefully held back his compulsion as he took a moment to just look. The Noilas truly outdid themselves in preserving Landar’s line and this boy practically glowed. All golds and blues, from his hair to his eyes to his clothes. He turned the mage’s face one way and another, making a show of examining him. When he tilted them towards the Princess’s mages, he held the Starag in that position and took a long sip from his nearly empty glass, watching Aaron’s reaction to seeing members of the Noila household watching him. 

[color=f7976a]“I find it interesting, a Noila giving up a most precious resource. I wonder how you failed.”[/color] He wondered aloud and held Aaron’s position a moment more before releasing him. [color=f7976a]“How long would it take to have a new sword forged? I'm not sure I'm fond of my servant wearing Noila gifts.”[/color]