Home was a bittersweet struggle for Varis. The silence and the stillness that permeated his family home suited Varis just fine. It was a much needed respite from the chaos that came from working with Ryner and for his Lady in equal measure. But the ghosts of his old life ambushed him in the quiet of the halls, the crackle of the fire as in flickered in the library, the starlight drifting across the snow across the fields the isolated him. The stuttering violin of a younger him after his mother’s death, the shredded pages fluttering around him when he crossed his brother once too many times, and… Antwone pulled at right as expected, five minutes before their appointed time. Varis slid into the back, helping himself to his favorite travel bottle and the blood glass Eloise brought back from her last soiree with Edgar’s show mages. How the vampire managed to get anything done with all the parties Varis would never know but at least it kept Eloise busy when he didn’t have anything specific for her to do. Varis poured himself a tall glass as his mage finished putting away his luggage and pulled away. 

More than once this semester, Varis wished alcohol could numb a vampire’s problems. He’d thought their little deal was an easy favor but by the Queen’s saving grace, the boy was an idiot! A perfect pedigree, an amazing affinity, an education even a noble’s show mage would be envious of and he couldn’t even figure out where to put cufflinks without cuffs and embarrassed his own master in such a public manner. Varis could only imagine Landar was rolling in his grave. A mage of the Starag line who was nothing more than a glorified side table. Anything more complex than holding something and Varis had to hold the idiot’s hand through it. Varis let his hopes get up after the brat did something passingly well and look where that got him. 

Varis tapped his foot irritably against the passenger seat. He harbored little doubt that any other House would have backed out of this deal but any Sinnendel worth their name would rather walk into the sunlight. Varis wasn’t sure which was worse right now. The Count was no stranger to breaking mage’s. The more willful, the more fulfilling it was to watch the personality fade from their eyes. But the boy presented a challenge he hadn’t handled yet: a mage dependant on his servitude. He never considered that a mage could use their position as a shield. A distraction, an excuse? Par the course. But a full suit of armor? Varis was baffled and everytime he thought he found a chink in it, the boy would just adjust to it. The stubborn mage was frustrating and frustration made him impatient and impatience embarrassed him. 

The ride home was silent. The privacy screen stayed up, Antwone kept the drive smooth and took the scenic detour Varis preferred when he was drawn a little too thin, and pulled into home with no fanfare. A servant, eyes kept determinedly on the floor, opened Varis’ door and scuttled away with the luggage as soon as Varis was out. He waited until he was alone again and ran his hand through his hair, a weary smile breaking through. The Count always prefered the first few hours to himself in solitary contemplation as he wandered the family’s garden, a massive maze that they’d kept up for as long as they could remember. Varis had transplanted a wide variety of flowers through the maze to add a little color through the seasons but otherwise left it the same. 

[color=f7976a]“Finally home.”[/color] Varis murmured, the tension melting away as he took the first steps into the garden. It had been years since he’d let himself take his usual paths through the garden. It had been years since he’d let the familiarity fade and focus on how the moonlight played in the shrubs. Years since he’d put behind the demands of Court and Council, of the monster he served, of childish Duke and Duchess’, and now from the weariness of a deal he wasn’t sure he could twist in his favor. Here in the garden, he felt closer to… something, a vague feeling or a memory blurry and faded with age. Fleeting impressions of bitterness, of heartbreak, of laughter, of longing, of fury. He followed them more often in his youth; an escape from a tyrannical father and apathetic siblings as he ran down the hallways of his own mind. These impressions always left him with more questions than not but he’d come to a startling realization about it.

It comforted him. Knowing there would always be a new puzzle, a new riddle, a challenge in the days he grew bored with the tediousness of his projects. More than one vampire lost their minds when everything stagnated around them but Varis had his own little puzzle locked away where no one could find it. On the nights his web wove itself and the pieces of his grand schemes just fell into his lap, he could always steal away for a few hours and chase these intangible clues as far as he could. He could try again and again and again because he never seemed to make any headway. He wouldn't wish this on his worst enemy and he certainly couldn’t handle these complications every night but once in a while, it was an excellent headrush. 

Varis enjoyed it for a while longer but he knew there was work to be done. He followed the twists and turns to his childhood spot, a secret little swirl that opened to reveal a jagged piece of stone tucked away under a wooden pagoda. His grandfather stole it from an archeological site he helped fund before the finds were reported to the Noilas. Archaic writings covered the stone, a language Ryner refused to teach him. Varis worried his lip at the thought, rolling his eyes at the familiar fight, and he bent down to the base of the pagoda, prying open a loose board, and pulling out a long, thin wooden box. He hadn’t opened it since the 25th anniversary of his mother’s passing but he hadn’t needed to. He knew what was inside by heart but seeing it again might help clear his head. He slipped it into his jacket, replaced the board, and headed into the castle. 

His family’s castle was a dark, imposing structure. Three spires clawed at the sky as they rose out of a heavily fortified manor, dark and imposing on the skyline. The design choice was from an era before the vampire lords worked together rather than against and his twice great grandmother brutally crushed the weak territories around her and brought them under her reign. Varis pushed his way into the main hall, not bothering to acknowledge the older mage waiting with a briefcase and a tablet in hand. The man fell in step with Varis exactly two paces behind him and paused when Varis picked up the mail his mages determined important. He almost groaned at the familiar handwriting on one and immediately shoved it to the bottom of the pile. If it had been important, his presence would have been demanded immediately after the Academy. 

[color=f7976a]“How is the situation with the Noble Hearts?”[/color] Varis asked as flipped through the various envelopes.

[color=E9B000]“Their preliminary evaluations of the Duke’s protections have been concluded. An estimate for their services are on your desk. I authorized the funds with your treasury two nights ago and provided the transfer account. It only needs your signature.”[/color] The man rasped. 

[color=f7976a]“It’ll be signed before the sun rises. I expect the evidence will be delivered with payment?”[/color] Varis waited for confirmation and sneered. [color=f7976a]“Excellent. A kidnapping and a framing. That nosey Marivaldi will be busy for a bit. How is the Eve situation?”[/color]

[color=E9B000]“Dracul’s death has dealt a major blow to the traditionalist grip in the family. Nox originally controlled the investigation and handled the remaining estates but Countess Arianna has submitted an official transfer of estate to Princess Ryner and has opted to sequester herself in a distant family holding. Princess Nox will lose control of the estate in less than a week.”[/color] The mage offered Varis a single sheet of paper from his briefcase. [color=E9B000]“A contact in the investigation passed along a few notes of interest. It seems more than one vampire sent their mage to investigate the situation but we’ve managed to keep our Lady’s private support out of the public eye thus far.”[/color]

[color=f7976a]“When Ryner gets her claws in it, that’ll be a PR nightmare.”[/color] Varis grumbled. Nox may not like the Sinnenodels but she was a stickler for rules. Any investigations would be handled quietly, privately. But Ryner wasn’t interested in solving a murder. Putting the family under public scrutiny would drive a wedge between the Queen and his Lady, giving her a little more breathing room but Varis would be the one to suffer the consequences of that decision and he would be damned if he was going to willingly stab himself in the chest. His Lady tortured him enough as it was. Literally. [color=f7976a]“Malek, handle this. Every gift, every letter, anything that would show our support, I want it gone. Dracul wasn’t an idiot but he was old and old vampires are predictable. He’s bound to have some sort of blackmail floating around. I want it gone last night.”[/color] Varis glanced down at the short list of likely suspects. Only two were verified but he wasn’t worried about them. Devon Pierce and Nintrella Sinnenodel though… 

[color=f7976a]“Investigate these two. I want to know who they sent, what they were looking into, and where they went with their information.”[/color] Varis commanded and passed the list back. [color=f7976a]“Have Eloise secure a meeting with the Countess during my next break and remind Edgar he owes me for the last fiasco he caused with my Lady. I want his mages watching Nintrella until that meeting. I won’t have a horse faced gambling addict trying to usurp my position.”[/color] 

[color=E9B000]“Immediately Count Varis. As well, we discovered the source of the leak while you were gone. My grandson was persuaded by an outside interest into granting them access to your private records vault. They managed to escape but we have added additional wards against intrusion. Nothing was lost but Joshua has been detained since.”[/color] Malek droned as he took back the page, adding a few notes, and slipping it into his briefcase. [color=E9B000]“Unfortunately, the Marivaldis managed to dismantle your preferred buyer. Would you care to reach out to Count Dominick or Countess Annita?”[/color]

[color=f7976a]“Really? They shut down the Grey Dancer? How disappointing. Barbaric activities aside, they had the best bottled agony in the entire realm.”[/color] Varis sighed but considered his options. [color=f7976a]“Joshua is 16? Too young for Annita so sell him off to Dominick. We’ll get less but they only buy garbage for their dogs.”[/color] Behind Varis, Malek’s shoulders slumped and he closed his eyes for a moment longer than a blink before he managed to compose himself.

[color=E9B000]“It will be done, Count Varis.”[/color] Malek bowed and vanished with murmured incantation. 

Varis climbed the stairs to his room as he shuffled through his letters. Brown nosing from Countess Fennila after he ruled against her in a business dispute with one of her duchesses. Typical. He’d expected it sooner but she was always one to sulk for a few years before she moved on. Whining from some nobody about a comment he made at some party or another that he couldn’t bother remembering. And, of course, the worst of the lot. A letter handwritten by his Lady herself. He waited until he was in his room, door shut firmly behind him, to open it. 

[i]Count Varis Sinnenodel,

Your presence is expected at Lady Sinnenodel's Raining Star Villa along with all documentation on the acquisitions of Green Vision Inc and plans for hosting Chaend. Lady Sinnenodel's attendant will arrive in two days. Arraignments for your meeting with the Astorio Counts have been made. Expect to return to the Noila Academy directly from the Villa.

Secretary of the luminous Lady Sinnenodel.[/i]

He reread the letter as his plans for his break slowly crumbled around him. He thought the meeting with the rest of board of Green Vision would protect him from anything she planned but clearly he was far too optimistic. The page started trembling and red blotches suddenly bloomed on the page. Varis frowned.What an odd thing for paper to do. He tossed it on his desk and made his way around the room, immediately preparing for his next trip. He’d have his school things shipped from here to the school when it was time. He spent an eternity, or a second he wasn’t really sure, putting together his luggage for his next trip. He was sure he wouldn’t use all of it but he may as well be prepared in case she changed up how she messed with him. Though he’d really have to talk with someone about those red dots on his clothes. They were clearly blood stains. Maybe someone died doing the laundry. Just another headache. 

Soon enough, the mechanical task of folding laundry was done and separated into piles of red stains and no red stains. He stared at them for a while longer, head blank and body heavy, before moving onto the next task which was… He froze again as he saw the letter on the desk but the welling dread never came. His hands trembled again, he noted with indifference, and he moved to smooth out his jacket when he felt the lump. He pulled out the box he retrieved earlier, placed it on top of the letter, and gingerly slid off the lid. He pulled out the parchment gingerly and carefully rolled them out and weighed them down. He smiled weakly at the thin, fading scrawl of music notes across the page. He knew the tune by heart but it had been half a decade since he had time to play. He fell asleep at his desk most nights unless one of his mages gently pushed him to bed or he was entertaining for the evening. With the added stress of teaching and sitting through these [i]inane[/i] classes, Varis felt thinner than he ever had. And with his most convenient form of stress relief otherwise occupied for his limited window of freedom, Varis wasn’t sure how to make it better. 

Until he looked at the violin sitting neatly on its stand. He realized with a start he hadn’t even considered picking up the instrument while he was away. He used to play it every night and he couldn’t remember when he stopped. He picked out the rosen from his desk and gently ran it over the bow and checked the strings. With every pass, every off note, Varis’ motions became more fluid and gentle. He felt the dried blood on his cheeks, the bubbling dread in his stomach, the faint but irritating tremble in his fingers but at least he felt in control again. He tucked the instrument under his chin, held the bow poised over the strings, and counted the beat in his head. His eyes closed at the familiarity.

The first pass of the bow drained the tension from his shoulders and each one after lightened them even more. He fell into the familiar melody, forgetting everything that loomed dark around him and drifted off into a time he didn’t care for all these vampires and mages and their muddlesome politics. When he only cared about the approval of one person and the words his books took them away to. When this song made him feel more alive than any drop of blood and the mysteries of the past were his only concern. 

Varis played into the night and well into the day, the passing mage covering the windows before he burned himself alive, until Malek pried the instrument from where Varis slept standing with the bow still on the strings.