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[center][sub]Dates: September 21st - October 7th[/sub][/center]

[hider=September 21st: Ben and Eris]
[center]Another First Impression[/center]
The Academy grounds were lovingly well kept. The attention to detail was exquisite and made for a welcome distraction as Ben roamed the area. Nithrexal, Algeria. Both terms that he had yet to properly understand. The latter was what he currently had Geoffrey looking into but finding the former was squarely on his own shoulders. He couldn’t say whether or not he knew what he was looking for, but unfortunately, the break meant that he would have very little to report. Perhaps it had been too optimistic to believe he could have garnered something in the matter of a few days, and maybe his father would be reasonable for once, but that may have been too much to ask for.

The Revel had been a good time to map out the area—at the very least having an accurate representation of what the grounds were like now would help to compare it to the plans his father had given him. That said, he did like watching the other students have fun. While he wasn’t used to seeing mages freely roam, he did find it endearing whenever friends were clearly having fun with one another. He truly had been born into the wrong position, wanting nothing more than to join them, but he wouldn’t want to disturb or make things uncomfortable.

He strolled past a crowd of gossiping vampires, pausing as he thought he heard a familiar name. Once the crowd dispersed, only a blond vampire remained. Ah, yes, he had heard a rumor that the actor had decided to grace the school with his presence. He had actually seen [i]The Blood War[/i] more than a few times; it was Eleanore’s favorite film. That said, he knew very little of the entertainment industry and even less about the actual actor, except for the name and face.

The blond walked his way, staring at him. It took longer than it should have for Ben to notice he was actually walking right up to him. [color=C0C0C0]“Hello,”[/color] He greeted him.

Eris approached the unrecognized vampire. After everything that had happened the night before, he was a little more paranoid than usual, especially since he was just staring at him. At least he had a pretty face, but he looked a little young to be here. Barely a century old was his guess.

[color=ccff99]“Hello indeed!”[/color] Eris replied, putting a hand on his hip. [color=ccff99]“I don’t believe we’ve met.”[/color]

Ben paused, apparently waiting for an introduction that never came. That was rude, but he supposed that he should have probably introduced himself first. He reached out for a handshake. [color=C0C0C0]“Count Benjamin Pierce Eve, a pleasure,”[/color] He said.

Eve? What? He thought he had already schmoozed with the lower leveled nobles. Pierce, too, why did that sound familiar? Eris slowly took his hand, trying to rack his brain until it hit him: no way, [i]another[/i] Eve?! No! What the hell happened? His jaw was hanging a little bit as he tried not to laugh, but he did put a little more energy into the handshake.

[color=ccff99]“A pleasure indeed, who knew the Eves had such a cute little vampire in their ranks?”[/color] He couldn’t resist the comment, chuckling as he gave the count a quick up and down look. 

Ben took back what he said before; the lack of introduction wasn’t rude, [i]this[/i] was rude. He didn’t miss the condescending tone, the look, or the comment. Yes, he was likely younger than most of his peers, but age meant little in lieu of accomplishments, and he was certain he had done more than make movies and pose for magazines. Why had he been expecting more from this actor?

[color=C0C0C0]“That is correct, I am the new representative of the house,”[/color] He said. [color=C0C0C0]“Judging from your tone, I assume you had some business with the previous representative?”[/color]

[color=ccff99]“No, no...I’m just surprised that the noble house has chosen to swap out vampires so quick in succession,”[/color] Eris admitted. [color=ccff99]“Lucky you, getting to join in on the fun, right?”[/color]

He wasn’t sure if that was a compliment or more condescension, but he wasn’t sure he wanted to stick around to find out. Normally, he believed in taking the high ground and being the bigger person, but he would like nothing more than to knock the man down a peg. At the very least it would let him know he was not someone to be trifled with so nilly-willy. 

[color=C0C0C0]“Lucky me indeed. It isn’t every day that I get the opportunity to meet the esteemed Eric Samael,”[/color] He said quite plainly with a smile. 

Eris laughed, crossing his arms as he wondered how sheltered the guy had to be to get his name wrong. At least, that was his first assumption, until he realized he was smiling. Okay, he wanted to see if he could get under his skin. Fortunately, Eris had heard Eric as a mistake so many times that he already had the name patented, so it didn’t bother him. 

[color=ccff99]“Eris. It’s Eris,”[/color] He corrected him. [color=ccff99]“And yes, you are lucky, I’m so glad you realize it.”[/color]

Ben wondered how a misnaming could possibly upset the actor. He couldn’t possibly be the first person to misname him. Maybe he had a fragile ego, or perhaps he didn’t appreciate the retaliation. Whatever the case, it was a small victory that he would take. [color=C0C0C0]“My sincerest apologies, Eris,”[/color] Ben said. [color=C0C0C0]“You must understand, I am still getting to know the student body and have many people to meet.”[/color]

This was some really bad passive aggressive insulting right now. At least, Eris thought that was what it was. That, or he was that dumb. But if it was an insult, he couldn’t exactly let him get away with that.

[color=ccff99]“Oh? Think you’ll last longer than the countess?”[/color] Eris asked, grimacing. [color=ccff99]“Well, you’re better to look at, so I really hope you do.”[/color]

Now Ben felt that Eris was trying to get in his pants. If so, he was doing a terrible job at it. Seduction should leave the target feeling wanted, not belittled. He would have to be on the lookout for any future interactions with this one for certain, but if he was this bad at seduction, then he shouldn’t need to worry about him getting too close. 

[color=C0C0C0]“I have no plans on leaving, rest assured,”[/color] Ben said. [color=C0C0C0]“If you’ll excuse me, I’d like to continue to explore the campus.”[/color]

Eris tried not to laugh at that, stuffing his hands in his pockets. [color=ccff99]“Last longer than a month and I’ll believe that,”[/color] He said, walking past him. [color=ccff99]“Good night, Count Eve.”[/color]

Sweet honey iced tea, the stereotype that all entertainment actors were terrible is something that should not be practiced, but Eris was determined to fall in line with it. Ben was much too happy to be relieved of his presence and would continue his walk as if nothing had happened. If he was lucky, he would successfully avoid the irritable man for the next four years and would not have to interact with him very much. [/hider]

[hider=September 23rd]Attending the academy for less than a handful of days and then immediately returning home was a little jarring, but the Revel had been a treat to enjoy nonetheless. The decision to use the day of freedom to familiarize himself with the grounds was a done deal, a majority of his time spent theorizing on how to go forward. Ben didn’t get the chance to introduce himself to all the nobles just yet, making a note to do so once classes resumed. At the very least, he managed to get a summarized version from his mage with some surprising details.

For one, the Sinnenodel count was the teacher’s aide for their Treaty Law class. Lilie was on good terms with the mage, Aaron Starag, but had little to say about Varis Sinnenodel other than his intimidating presence. How the redhead managed to be so when he barely stood above her was beyond him, but he chalked it up to a complaint on his class ruining her chances at perfect grades; apparently, nothing she wrote was worthy. Ben would have been surprised if the opposite was true, but he wasn’t entirely concerned with the heir. Not yet, at least.

As for the Astorio count, he had a surprising side to him. Ben was aware he was of a minor branch, but didn’t seem to share the same distaste the rest of his family had. Lilie assured him that he was kind, and aside from an incident in the arena that she sheepishly tried to backtrack on, he was supportive of her abilities. And apparently to the point of training her alongside his own mage. Lilie sang his mage’s praises as well; Salem Spellman was a dear friend, and one she often communicated with via phone. 

The Marivaldi countess was not someone Lilie was familiar with, because apparently any attempt at interacting resulted in the mage running away. How she could insist that an Astorio meant no harm but actively avoided a Marivaldi had boggled his mind for longer than he wanted to admit. She excitedly spoke of the mage (a now common thread he noticed), who was her partner for affinity exercises. Ben supposed he would have to meet the countess in person and see if either she had unintentionally spooked his mage or if her worries were for naught.

The only other vampire of interest was the actor attending, whose name was practically screamed wherever he went. The student body had yet to tire of him, and from what Ben himself witnessed, the actor was all too happy to oblige. He vaguely remembered his name coming from Duchess Anita upon mention of his mother, another popular socialite. He seemed friendly enough, but his polar opposite came with the mage assigned to him. Or bought, according to a few rumors he heard. His name was Maxwell Alderman, but Lilie noted that she felt that he didn’t like her much. Ben sympathized with him; being stuck with such a figure must have been cumbersome.

In short, he would need to add ‘information gathering’ to his mage’s repertoire.

The night was nearly done when Benjamin decided to step into the training grounds, catching the end of Noah’s lessons. His swordsmanship left little to be desired, even in the face of a much more experienced opponent. [color=C0C0C0][i]Look at him go.[/i][/color] Ben swelled with pride as he watched, deciding to take out his phone to take a picture. At the sound of the shutter, the pair came to a stop, much to his disappointment. After a moment of deliberation, Noah was dismissed, and he came running to Ben.

[color=778899]“Hello!”[/color] He greeted him as he caught his breath. 

[color=C0C0C0]“It’s been so long since we’ve last seen each other, hasn’t it?”[/color] Ben joked as he motioned for Noah to follow.

The pair began to walk to the Luscin wing of the servants’ quarters as they quickly caught up. Ben was too used to always being around the growing young man, and while their time apart was brief, it was still nice to see everyone carry on in his absence. He was more than happy to let Noah chat his ear off, his enthusiasm infectious. In all honesty he was relieved; Noah’s immense disappointment had worried him for some time, but fortunately he put himself completely into his studies and training. He was particularly looking forward to his Awakening in January, already taking suggestions from his father to give him a headstart on his magical training.

Said father was sitting at his desk when the pair arrived, briefly looking up when Noah closed the door. The papers in his hand were put away neatly, hands folded as he leaned back in his seat. [color=2F4F4F]“Welcome back,”[/color] Geoffrey greeted the pair before looking at his son. [color=2F4F4F]“Why don’t you go get cleaned up, there’s a few things I need to discuss with our liege.”[/color]

Noah straightened up a touch as he was addressed. [color=778899]“With all due respect, Father, I humbly request to be informed as well,”[/color] He stated. [color=778899]“I believe as part of my training that I should start getting a feel for anything discussed with our count.”[/color]

[color=C0C0C0][i]He’s wising up,[/i][/color] Ben thought as he had to suppress a snicker. That said, if it was something that could be freely discussed, he was certain Geoffrey wouldn’t have made the suggestion in the first place. He turned to the younger Luscin, gesturing to the door. [color=C0C0C0]“Be quick, then you can return to the conversation,”[/color] He suggested kindly.

[color=778899]“...yes, sir,”[/color] It was reluctant but did Noah exited the room with a noticeable hurry. 

Geoffrey stood from his seat as soon as the door was closed. He placed his hands behind his back as he sighed. [color=2F4F4F]“I understand that he wants to be included, but I genuinely feel he should focus on his studies more. Once he awakens, I’m certain his schedule will be filled with lessons,”[/color] He explained. 

[color=C0C0C0]“His eagerness is admirable,”[/color] Ben replied. [color=C0C0C0]“He wants to be an adult already. I’m sure you can sympathize.”[/color]

There was the tiniest hint of a smirk on Geoffrey’s lips as he walked around the desk. It disappeared once he stood next to his charge. [color=2F4F4F]“I suppose it also has to do with a recent message from Countess Halladius. She has suggested that a connection between mages could be beneficial,”[/color] He stated as he produced a letter.

Ben did not have to read it to know what it meant. [color=C0C0C0]“A proposal before Noah awakens is quite bold. But I am not interested in a countess that has been seeking to take my mother’s place at my father’s side, less so if she believes I am naive enough to let her use me so obviously. Write back that it is under consideration to keep the barrage of follow ups from coming,”[/color] He dismissed it entirely. [color=C0C0C0]“By your remark, I can safely assume your son is aware.”[/color]

[color=2F4F4F]“He is. I apologize,”[/color] Geoffrey bowed his head. As he straightened, Ben noticed that there was the slightest hint of exasperation playing on the corners of his eyes. They must have had the same thought considering they had went through this before some decades ago with Geoffrey himself. But where Geoffrey had nothing but disdain for the process, Noah likely had a quiet excitement. His heartbreaker tendencies were infamous among the servants, and while Ben wanted to think that the possibility of having to settle down would erase that aspect, the opposite was likely to happen.

However, discussing Noah’s behavior without him present would get them nowhere. Instead Ben decided he would ask, [color=C0C0C0]“And what of your search?”[/color] 

Geoffrey would already know what he meant by that. [color=2F4F4F]“The company behind the transportation is called Emerald Sun, operating mainly in Astorio and Noilan territories,”[/color] He informed him. [color=2F4F4F]“There is a minimal amount that does operate in Sinnenodel territories, however, neither the Marivaldis nor the Eves have granted them license to operate. One independant duke by the name of Horvath has granted them permits through his territory as well.”[/color]

Ben did not recognize the company nor the duke. Delving into unfamiliar territory was always a risk, but at the very least Geoffrey’s search was fruitful. Noilan and Astorio dominated deliveries did not bode well for him, but he couldn’t come to a decisive conclusion just yet. It would technically make sense for one of them to have obsidian, but why illegally? He supposed the easiest path was to confront the sole duke directly, but it felt too obvious. Not to mention it could very well be another red herring. His main concern also manifested in a lack of any hard evidence, or at least having little in the form of a possible bribe.

[color=C0C0C0]“Interesting,”[/color] Ben finally uttered a response. [color=C0C0C0]“We will need to come up with a plan going forward.”[/color]

[color=2F4F4F]“My personal suggestion would be to see if we could get in touch with either the company or the duke,”[/color] Geoffrey said. [color=2F4F4F]“But as always, I am at your command.”[/color]

Either choice was valid. He would need to carefully weigh both options. [color=C0C0C0]“Carefully see what information you can get on the company and the duke. Then we can see where to go from there,”[/color] He made the decision with confidence. 

Geoffrey gave Ben a nod of assurance before his eyes went to the door. [color=2F4F4F]“Understood,”[/color] He replied. [color=2F4F4F]“And Eleanore?”[/color]  

[color=C0C0C0]“Her own search has been fruitful,”[/color] Ben was pleased to inform him. [color=C0C0C0]“I’ve received updates sooner than expected.”[/color] It was relieving for the both of them, but the truth was that this search would likely take months if not years. Were it not for her enthusiasm, Ben would worry, but he had full confidence in his mage.

Their discussion wrapped up in time, Noah’s return marking the end. The desire to become an adult was frighteningly common in mortals, the rush to leave their adolescence behind disheartening. Ben hoped he would find the time to sit Noah down and see what the root of the issue was, but perhaps that was something better left to father and son. For now, he would simply enjoy the time he had with the two and strive for improvement on all fronts—he would seize his future with his own hands.[/hider]