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[center][sub]Dates: November 9th - December 6th[/sub][/center]

[hider=Eris and Ryner - November 9th][indent][hr][center][img]https://txt-dynamic.static.1001fonts.net/txt/b3RmLjU0LmQ5Zjg5Ni5RU0JTYjNsaGJDQlFZV2x1LjQAAAAAAAAAAAAA/mafakanev.regular.png[/img][/center]
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Eris had always heard about ‘human school’ and its usual trappings--teenage drama due to uncontrollable hormones, crappy teachers unfit to potty train a pup, hallway monitors drunk on power--and the one trope he found mildly amusing was whenever a student had to go to the principal’s office. So long as you had nothing to hide, what was the point of having anxiety towards an authority figure? Ismene once mentioned it was akin to getting in trouble with a vampire, but all the shows just had the principal give a stern lecture. It was hardly similar.

Now, however, Eris felt like he could agree.

The secretary had been pleasant, and he did encounter a familiar face--Jessica? Jenny? Janine? Eh, he’d never know--at the administration building, but the trek to Ryner’s office gave him the strangest feeling in his chest. He was still brooding over last night’s events, feeling like he had been slammed against the floor, and as much as he appreciated Maxie’s comfort, he felt more alone than he wanted to admit. He wasn’t quite at one hundred percent just yet, but it had been enough to convince anyone that mattered. The princess, however, would be harder to fool.

All he needed to do was repeat yesterday’s strategy: deflect, redirect, and get what he could while lying low. Despite feeling like he had taken out a chunk of his chest, he called his meeting with Varis successful. That didn’t stop him from dreading a meeting with Ryner, but he supposed he could see it as an opportunity and a learning place of sorts.

Knocking as instructed, he awaited for the princess’ mage--something with an ‘S’ that he couldn’t remember off the top of his head at the moment--to open the door, thanking her before stepping into the office. He bowed before Her Highness, letting himself enjoy her gorgeous visage for a tiny moment.

[color=ccff99]“Good evening, Your Highness,”[/color] He greeted her pleasantly and cordially.

When Eris entered, Ryner was holding a cup of coffee with a book in her hand. She finished her page and closed it, giving Eris a smile. [color=bc8dbf]"Good evening, Mr. Samael. Please take a seat."[/color] She gestured at the chairs in front of her desk as she took her seat. [color=bc8dbf]"I hope that your morning found you well after we last parted."[/color] 

The blond let out a genuine laugh, taking the seat as instructed and shaking his head. If only. [color=ccff99]“I didn’t do myself any favors and was pretty unpopular. Can’t be helped, I suppose,”[/color] He admitted with a slight shrug. [color=ccff99]“But life goes on. I’m glad we were able to meet on such short notice, although I hope you forgive my lack of subtlety, the practical left me more shaken than I realized.”[/color]

[color=bc8dbf] “I’m afraid I must admit I am confused about what caused such distress. It must be more than a passing thought if it disturbed a vampire of your caliber.”[/color] Ryner sipped at her coffee with a sigh and cast an appraising look over the actor. [color=bc8dbf]“My curiosity may be getting the best of me but whatever possessed you to drag Cydril Sinnenodel’s name out of his ashen graven?”[/color] 

Eris sat up slightly, his lips parting as a sort of understanding came to him. Cydril Sinnenodel, that made...no sense, but for some reason it seemed to click in his head. It was more confusing, actually, but as the princess prompted him to explain himself, he decided that he would be completely transparent for once.

[color=ccff99]“If you’ll allow it, I’d like to explain what happened in the test first--I think it’ll make more sense if I start from the beginning. But please, let me explain the entirety of it,”[/color] Eris said. Once she gave him a nod, he continued. [color=ccff99]“I had my expectations since Varis and I had decided to let our mages take on the challenge first and they explained it when they finished: touching a skull would take you somewhere and you would be faced with a clone or shadow of someone else. My opponent was Varis during daytime at a rustic house. Aside from the jarring choice of time, everything else seemed typical. I decided that despite his haggard appearance, I would take a diplomatic approach to getting the coin, which would end the challenge.”[/color]

He stopped to close his eyes for a second, making sure to remember things as precisely as possible. [color=ccff99]“It started with a few petty insults, but what came off as strange was his apology. He said he was being forced by someone to ‘say those things’. Odd for an illusion, but I assumed everything was part of the test. That said, at one point, a robed figure rose and towered over us. Varis asked if we were in the Etheld era and used some sort of spell, and the mage acted like she was getting choked and disappeared. If that wasn’t strange enough, the followup is what really started to make me question reality.”[/color]

[color=ccff99]“First, there was the mention of a sister--unless his father somehow sired more, Varis has had nothing but brothers as far as he is aware. Second came the mention of food, not blood, another detail I had missed in the moment that I now realize was odd,”[/color] He couldn’t believe he let his shock get to him like that. [color=ccff99]“Third came the assumption that I was willingly blind. He seemed to have confused me for someone else. Of course, all this paled in comparison when he forgot his own identity.”[/color]

[color=ccff99]“Again, assuming this was simply a test, I engaged in an attempt to help him regain himself. But everything he mentioned was from centuries before Varis existed: he spoke of the Astorios making an attempt at the crown and he spoke of Ralmevik Marivaldi as if he was alive. And when I reminded him of the first time he and I met, he spoke of ‘Varis’ in third person,”[/color] He neglected to mention the part about his confession for the moment, deciding it wasn’t relevant. [color=ccff99]“After a very brief panic, he asked me to pass along a message to someone who I assumed was you: a woman of power who has a close working relationship with Varis.”[/color] 

Ryner sipped quietly at her drink while she listened. Eris had her full attention and she was quiet for a moment after he finished. She set down the mug and flicked through the several stacks of folders on the desk and fished one out from the bottom, flipped it open, and skimmed over it with a hum to herself. [color=bc8dbf] “Before we go over your experience, let me explain how the challenges were proctored. Each pair was sent to a specific place in the forest and their routes were preassigned. Each challenge was written beforehand and how it would affect each pair was previously established. A mage watched over each area and when the appropriate contestant appeared, they would begin the appropriate spells.”[/color] Ryner took another sip and paused for just a moment.

[color=bc8dbf]“Of course, it was little surprise that a number of the students deviated. Every challenge was prepared for every contestant but the amount of preparation varied based on the likelihood each part would encounter it. In addition, we placed each group far enough apart that even if they did get lost, the chances of more than one encountering the same challenge at the same time was impossibly low. Therefore, any challenges faced that would pit one against the other was designed to face the vampire against the mage and vice versa.”[/color] Ryner shrugged with an apologetic smile as she continued. [color=bc8dbf] “Of course, Varis always has to be the exception to our plans. Even when he doesn’t realize it, he’s bulldozing carefully laid plans with his own. You should know that more than anyone”[/color]

[color=bc8dbf] “Because of Varis’ little… disruption, we added two additional mages who were not fully prepped to handle the exam. Mental magic with vampires takes a toll on the mage using it and they require a short rest period before continuing. Two vampires in one mental magic challenge made the additional mages necessary and unfortunately, they did not have the requisite time to brief on the appropriate protocols and deviated.”[/color] Ryner continued, putting the file down. [color=bc8dbf] “Apparently I was the only one unaware of Ms. Evans’ personal interest in you and wasn’t aware of how she was interested in playing with your relationship with Varis. Clearly her jealousy fueled fantasy worked as intended.”[/color] Ryner looked at the end of the report with a frown.

[color=bc8dbf] “She didn’t mention a message, though. What exactly did her figment instruct you tell me?”[/color] Ryner asked.

Normally hearing a fan doing anything extravagant (as sabotaging as it was) would have flattered him, but Eris couldn't say he appreciated it. There was also the fact that he went ahead and humiliated himself in front of the Sinnenodel--if what Princess Ryner said was true, then last night's fiasco should never have happened. Too late now, he supposed. The thought would have driven him to tears if he didn't already feel dead inside. 

[Color=ccff99]"I see,"[/color] Eris replied, closing his eyes as he fiddled with his sleeve. Looking down at his hand, his eyebrows furrowed, and he slowly lifted his gaze. [Color=ccff99]"The figment said this: Cydril said it's okay, but he's disappointed in your mistake. It was only then that the name was given to me. He mentioned a few other nonsensical things, but if you're certain, I'll pay it no mind."[/color]

He brought himself closer to the desk, frowning. [Color=ccff99]"I have to ask for a favor, then. When the figment bit me, it left a mark that persisted past the practical. If it was the work of a mage, I'll have to ask that you employ one of the more talented mages to get rid of the mark, if you would be so kind,"[/color] He said, pulling back his sleeve and showing her the bruise. [Color=ccff99]"There should be little issue dispelling it since it's just the work of a mage. Right?"[/color]

Ryner rarely showed anything other than her pleasant smile even when apologising. Those who extolled her surely commented how rarely she was without it and how kind and wonderful it made her seem in comparison to the stern traditionalists around her. Those who had seen her irritation were limited to family and Varis and now Eris could count himself among the few as Eris recounted Cydril’s message. Her smile stayed but it was stale and the warmth in her eyes snuffed out and instead murderous rage took its place. Every muscle in her body clenched like she was fighting the urge to lunge across the table at Eris but it was gone in another moment, her usual pleasant disposition back as she looked at the mark and laughed.

[color=bc8dbf]“I doubt a mage would make quick work of it. You’ve convinced yourself it’s there so it’s there. I’m surprised however. That’s quite an admirable application of blood control. I haven’t seen any of the more recent vampires studying it.”[/color] Ryner complimented him, sipping at the cooling remnants of her coffee. [color=bc8dbf] “Since the war is over, there’s been little need to pass it along. Who brought themselves out of their self absorbed stupor to teach you?”[/color]

Well, he always figured he'd end up on the academy's shit list at some point, but he always thought it would be because of sleeping with one of the staff.

Eris stared at the princess, almost admiring how quick she was able to switch from murderous back to pleasant, but it was obvious that whatever Cydril meant by the message had angered her to no end. He was back at square one, it looked like. Great, another thing to add onto the never ending list of shit he needed to look into. He thought he’d get [i]something[/i], anything out of this, but he was just as clueless as Max was on this. Either it really was the mistake of a mage, or there was more to this than the princess was letting on.

Of course, all that went out the window as soon as she casually let him know that he was essentially shit out of luck. [Color=ccff99]"Wh--”[/color] Now it was his turn to be indignant. [color=ccff99]“[i]I[/i] didn’t do this! [i]He[/i]--They did it, and it isn’t going away.”[/color] He only caught himself towards the end, irritated. Did she really want to hear about him and his pathetic efforts at doing everything imaginable to get rid of this thing? He [i]hated[/i] markings and tattoos of any kind, why in the world did she think he would ever do something like this on purpose?!

Ryner watched Eris' indignation with amusement. [color=bc8dbf]"My mistake. It must have been instinctive. I forget how impressionable young vampires are.”[/color] Ryner chuckled and closed her eyes and a mark matching Eris’s appeared in the middle of her forehead. [color=bc8dbf] “It’s an innate talent you must have drawn on subconsciously in order to maintain the illusion while you were besides yourself. A little practice and concentration and you’ll have it gone in no time.”[/color]

This was exactly why he hated interacting with nobility, their entire shtick of holier-than-thou speaking irritated him to no end. Did Ryner think Eris was that stupid? Did she think he thought [i]she[/i] was that stupid? Eris stared at the princess as she spoke, inwardly pushing down every single insult he had on the tip of his tongue. No, he had no one else to blame but himself; here he was, thinking he would get some semblance of a viable hint or even help. Max was entirely right, Ryner was messing with him, and he didn’t appreciate it.

Lowering his hands onto his lap, Eris pulled his sleeve back into position. Fine, if she wanted to play dumb, then he’d find out on his own. He didn’t need her or anyone else. [color=ccff99]“My mother always said I was talented,”[/color] He replied dryly. [color=ccff99]“Guess I know what I’ll be doing, then…”[/color]

Unsatisfied with leaving the meeting like this, Eris leaning back against the seat, closing his eyes. [color=ccff99]“Ralmevik...Donovan...Greta...I suppose everything he said didn’t make too much sense…”[/color] He sighed.

[color=bc8dbf]“Actually, I’m glad you mentioned that! I wanted to ask you something myself.”[/color] Ryner snapped her fingers as something came to her, a false cheeriness in her voice. She pulled out her phone and placed it on the desk. [color=bc8dbf]“If I had it my way, I wouldn’t bother carrying that but my dear Ella worries too much if I don’t. However, it is rather annoying when I get 26 electronic mails in the span of two minutes at 12:30pm. And of course, there are only five people in the entire world who have this number so when I am rudely awoken by so many mails, I naturally assume it is an emergency and by the time I check it, I’ve called a light mage and am halfway out my bedroom door. Only to discover it is about a 106 year old child’s incessant complaining about a boy.”[/color] Ryner gave Eris a look.

[color=bc8dbf]“Care to explain that?”[/color] Ryner asked as a courtesy.

The princess's comment made Eris raise an eyebrow, although once she finished speaking, he suddenly wished Ismene was there to make the ground swallow him up. At the very least this made him realize that she knew more than she let on. Still, it was far from amusing, he wasn't entirely sure he could stand being humiliated two nights in a row. Not that he had a choice, he couldn't deny it without her calling him out on it. Go figure, he had wanted to see how he could get information out of a vampire eight times his age and now she was the one backing him into a corner.

[Color=ccff99]"Sounds like someone with a crush,"[/color] He suggested as a joke at first, though as he sat up, he shrugged, unsure how to respond at first. Of course, a thought occurred to him that Ryner should already have an inkling as to why was Varis spamming her phone. Didn't the mages mention the things Not-Varis said? [Color=ccff99]"It probably has to do with what secrets were exposed during the practical. I learned something--rather, I confirmed a piece of information today, and something of mine was exposed as well."[/color] He kept himself vague intentionally, masking it with a sense of hopelessness--which honestly wasn't too difficult considering how low he felt already.

[color=bc8dbf] "Yes, I was well informed of that."[/color] Ryner said dryly. She sighed and gave him a sympathetic look. [color=bc8dbf] "How are you handling it?"[/color]

Eris wasn't used to sympathy that wasn't manufactured or from his family--even then only from his parents as his sister fell firmly into the former camp. But hey, the princess had a part to play, so he could admire her for putting in a token effort. Maybe she had already laughed it up with the mind mages and just wanted some confirmation.

[Color=ccff99]"There isn't anything to handle, Your Highness,"[/color] He stated. [Color=ccff99]"I let my emotions get the better of me and said my piece to the real thing. I had no expectations and wanted nothing out of it, I just wanted to get it off my chest. He didn't seem to react much so I put it out of my mind and continued as if nothing happened. If he wants to overthink it, that's on him."[/color] Okay, that last part might have come off a little colder than he wanted, but it was true. He wasn't going to go around crying about being unloved anymore, so he was going to take things as they come and focus on more important matters. That was what he did the first time he was crushed, he could do it again with less issue since there was no betrayal involved this time.

[color=bc8dbf]"Well, I'm glad to hear your affections were weak. Varis certainly doesn't need such half hearted support for his upcoming bid for the Council seat."[/color] Ryner sighed. [color=bc8dbf]"And I was ready to suggest you fight through Varis' intolerable emotional ignorance. After all, he affords you far more privileges that he does me and I've been close to him since he was 45. I guess I'll have to find someone else to put this out of his mind."[/color]

Eris closed his eyes as he felt his mood take a sharp turn towards the negative. She would have him do all the legwork on an impossible task? Even if he didn't mention it in his retelling of the practical, the princess couldn't have been [i]that[/i] inattentive, though for someone who apparently knew Varis she was sure ignorant on it. [Color=ccff99]"Affection [i]is[/i] a weakness, Highness,"[/color] He couldn't quite hide his irritation, but he pressed on the matter. [Color=ccff99]"I already have a spotlight on me, I think widening the painted target on my back is overkill. And for what, for someone who is incapable of returning it? For someone who will never see me the same? Love isn't supposed to be business, it's supposed to be something personal and meaningful and--"[/color] Something he craved, but he wasn't going to admit that much. [Color=ccff99]"--requires a certain level of give and take. And as far as I'm aware, the word 'mutual' doesn't exist in Varis Sinnenodel's vocabulary."[/color]

[Color=ccff99]"This has always been a business transaction. And I made the mistake of trying to make it personal,"[/color] That much he would admit. [Color=ccff99]"That being said, don't confuse my unwillingness to subject myself to a futile task with resignation--I have every intention of keeping my place at his side, and if you'd like to challenge me on that, then by all means, do your best to knock me off my pedestal--I revel in a good challenge."[/color]

Once he said his piece, he opened his eyes, the chartreuse in them only a touch darker than before. [Color=ccff99]"You can tell the child that I came in here blubbering about my unreturned affections if you'd like, I've already embarrassed myself here,"[/color] He sighed, thinking to himself for a second. [Color=ccff99]"All I want is for things to return to the way they were before. So long as he believes I'm still groveling for his attention, he will be more than satisfied, I can promise you that."[/color]

[color=bc8dbf]"Of that I have no doubt. If there is anything that makes him happy, it's groveling. But no, I won't tell him."[/color] Ryner shook her head with a laugh. [color=bc8dbf] "I only ask that maybe, just maybe, you consider more than your wounded pride and consider it like him. It may open your eyes to another avenue."[/color] Ryner closed the file on her desk and stacked it on top of the others.

[color=bc8dbf] "To take a brief break from our personal lives, was there anything else to discuss Mr Samael or did you exhaust your list of grievances?"[/color]

As much as he hated to admit it, the princess had a point. He would have to consider his next course of action very carefully going forward. No more making a fool of himself at the very least, he genuinely didn't think he could make himself look any worse without the shame of it all collapsing on him. 

Eris watched the princess's movements, a thought occurred to him. [Color=ccff99]"If I listed all my grievances we'd be here until next week,"[/color] Eris let out a genuine laugh, running his hand through his hair. [Color=ccff99]"That said, I have to ask--am I dealing with the real Ryner, or is this another elaborate illusion? Because you nearly had me fooled the night of the Revel."[/color]

[color=bc8dbf]"Yes, you do have the pleasure of speaking with the real me. Dropping one of the greatest threats prior to the war will earn you that."[/color] Ryner laughed. [color=bc8dbf] "I promise, handling my students that way was a unique scenario rather than the norm."[/color]

He wondered if she was referring to the murderer that had gotten on campus. As much as he wanted to inquire on that, though, he had another thought. [color=ccff99]“I had been under the impression that it had been some form of secret Noilan vampire magic at the time,”[/color] He chuckled again, remembering how shocked he had been. He frowned to himself shortly after, asking, [color=ccff99]“I hate to beat a dead horse but I had initially assumed the mark had been magical in nature--in a moment of panic I remembered your illusion as well. But vampires aren’t capable of magic, are they?”[/color]

Ryner sent Eris a quizzical look and considered the question. [color=bc8dbf]"Not that I am aware. It's true we do have a unique set of abilities but unless you consider them magic, no."[/color] Ryner replied. [color=bc8dbf]"Interesting question. You could claim some of the First techniques were magic but they were really just advanced applications of blood control. Why do you ask?"[/color]

[Color=ccff99]"It was the first thing that came to mind in that time. Ridiculous, I know,"[/color] Eris rubbed his wrist, frowning at it. [Color=ccff99]"I suppose my small followup would be to ask what a vampire would do against such measures. Illusions, mind magic...at such an institution that has both kinds of mages running around, were the wrong person to find out something they shouldn't, how are we supposed to protect ourselves?"[/color]

[color=bc8dbf] "Vampires, even at your age, are incredibly difficult to influence with mental magic. Illusions are a different matter but penetrating a vampire's mind isn't taught at our school. All our mental magic relates to mage intricacies as per the Council's guidelines. Only our advanced instructors can possibly do that and they are bound by higher magics to secrecy. Only the Queen has the authority to lift those spells."[/color] Ryner explained seriously. [color=bc8dbf] "As for protecting yourself against illusions, your mage will be learning basic wards against such things and you should be able to manipulate your senses to notice disparities against lower tiered spells. Unfortunately, unless your life is in danger, I can offer little else."[/color]

He supposed he should take her word for it, especially since his current influence was a redhead at the moment, but it still made him feel uneasy. And of course it didn’t help that the solution seemed to rely on Max, who still ‘hated’ him. When did things get so complicated? What a stupid question, everything has been complicated since he was twenty. Rather this was the first time he felt overwhelmed and at a loss. It was a foreign and idiotic emotion. Maybe he should take the Varis approach and try to distance himself from his feelings.

[color=ccff99]“I see,”[/color] Eris replied, lightly rubbing his temples. [color=ccff99]“I’m sure it’ll come up in the curriculum, but who should I go to about blood control? I may as well get a step up on it and rid myself of this before the wrong people see and get ideas.”[/color] He scowled at the mark openly.

[color=bc8dbf] “Besides myself, the three oldest vampires on campus are Dame Patel, Count Alder, and…”[/color] Ryner hesitated, seriously considering the wisdom of the recommendation, but sighed and continued. [color=bc8dbf]“Nasir ibn Tariq. However, they will likely require something in return. Nasir is a bit of a wild card but Alder will demand a favor and Dame Patel well, her request may be oddly archaic.”[/color]

Nothing in this life was free, so Eris expected that much, but the variety of vampires’ names threw him for a loop. As far as he was aware there were other things that Alder was occupied with, Dame Patel was pleasant company though he could see why Ryner would think her odd, but that last one was someone he didn’t recognize.

[color=ccff99]“Dame Patel and I have a pleasant repertoire, I will definitely take her into consideration,”[/color] He said, pausing for a moment. [color=ccff99]“Is Nasir a professor for the older students? I don’t believe I’ve ever heard his name before.”[/color] 

[color=bc8dbf]“Nasir is both a first year professor and a senior professor. As a first year professor, he teaches mortal biology and psychology 101 but he is an expert linguist and teaches almost every language we offer at the highest level.”[/color] Ryner spoke glowingly but the slight downturn at the edges of her mouth spoke otherwise. [color=bc8dbf] “He is a tad… eccentric and his age has taken the concept of personal boundaries from him but he is quite skilled at several advanced control techniques. I have full confidence he can teach you what you need to know.”[/color]

Ah, that explained it; Eris had the other professors, so he had yet to meet the man. Either way, the choices were clear, though he was certain he already had the professor he wanted in mind. Hopefully he could get a handle on blood control sooner than later, getting rid of the mark had to be his top priority. It was purely for vanity’s sake, but he simply hated lingering markings of any kind as it was.

Speaking of which… [color=ccff99]“I will take your recommendations into careful consideration,”[/color] He replied with a nod, frowning slightly as he looked back at his wrist. [color=ccff99]“I wonder where the idea for the symbol came from, I’ve never seen it before and I have a good memory of this sort of thing. I don’t suppose you have any idea, do you, Highness?”[/color]

[color=bc8dbf] “When I first saw it, I thought it was an odd play on the Marivaldi crest.”[/color] Ryner’s response was far quicker than her previous ones, like she was mentally preparing for this question and had thought it’d slipped by. Her eyes darted down to the mark and back up, darker than they had been before. [color=bc8dbf]“I haven’t seen that exact mark before unfortunately.”[/color]

[I]Ew[/i]. Now Eris was determined to drop nearly everything to get rid of this thing--anything even remotely related to the clan of magelovers was an insult to everything he stood for. He grimaced, greatly unamused with the sight as he tugged on his sleeve a little more. Of course Princess Ryner's reaction was less than convincing, but he wasn't entirely sure he wanted to suffer her wrath--he was pretty sure the only thing that had stopped her from longing at him previously was the fact that it might look poorly if people found out the princess attacked one of her students. This of course put him back firmly on square one, but at the very least he could see some semblance of a path along the fog-filled forest. It would be worth perusing, but he would have to be very careful about leading Max through it. A valuable lesson for them both, though the prospect of the challenge invigorated him some. And who knows, maybe he'd dig up the reason the kind princess turned murderous at a simple comment.

[Color=ccff99]"I'm going to have to decide quickly on which professor before I'm accused of being accosted with that house,"[/color] He muttered in displeasure. [color=ccff99]“Thank you for your time, I know you’re a busy woman,”[/color] He told her as he ran a hand through his hair. [color=ccff99]“I can trust that this conversation remains in this room, correct?”[/color]

[color=bc8dbf] “Of course. All my students have my discretion unless you’re regularly blocking my humanitarian bills, then the policy is a little grey.”[/color] Ryner joked. [color=bc8dbf] “It was a pleasure as usual, Mr. Samael. Have a pleasant evening and pass my regards to Max, please.”[/color]

Eris stood from his seat to give the princess a bow, though he had to suppress a laugh. Ha, now [i]that[/i] would be a message to pass along. He’d barely manage to get her name out before finding something sharp in his skin. Of course with that in mind, he had a clearer vision on how to get the kid on his side, so he was grateful for that much. He straightened up with a smile, his expression only dropping once he was turned away from the woman.

Ryner watched Eris walk away from her. She pulled out the familiar pocket watch, pressing it open and chewing on her lip for a second before sighing quietly. She stored it back in her pocket. [color=bc8dbf] “Eris, one last thing.”[/color] If that fool was wrong, she’d set him on fire herself. [color=bc8dbf] “My meeting with Varis is at three and will probably last a few hours. His room may have an answer.”[/color] She looked at Eris’ wrist pointedly and back again. [color=bc8dbf] “But officially, I have no idea what that is.”[/color]

Eris stopped when addressed, his hand on the door when the princess spoke. The very last thing he expected was [i]that[/i]; it was like she was asking him to cross a road that had suddenly lit up. Of course, the lights were fire and the road was on fire and so were the sky and clouds, but there were crickety stepping stones ahead. One slip up, and he may as well lose everything he’s worked for.

Of course, his expression reflected nothing of what he thought, but he did give Princess Ryner a nod of acknowledgement. [color=ccff99]“I’ll have to enlighten you, then,”[/color] He replied, opening the door as he set about determining his path through the flames.


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Taking a glance at his watch, Eris frowned up at the Sinnenodel dorm. No one was going to be around for a while, it seemed. Probably for the best. He decided at that point that he might as well take his leave, although he couldn’t help but linger a little around the Eve dorm. Neither the dogsitter or the annoying one were around. Too bad, he would’ve liked to try to make his first attempt at enchanting the little one to see if she would let him inside. Oh well.

Eris accepted defeat and decided to walk back to his dorm, greeting the odd vampire as he made his way back. He had to admit he was procrastinating on a few things, but until he received further notice from Ismene, he was forced to wait. For now he could clean himself up and tune into his show while working on his pointless homework assignments. He wished he could submit them verbally but no, each professor insisted on physical copies, so he was often forced to write them out more often than not.

That said, he was all too happy to return to the dorm and get to work on rejuvenating himself. Feeling refreshed in more ways than one, Eris stepped out of the shower, humming quietly to himself. Wrapping a towel around his waist, he grabbed another one and dried his hair, tossing it towards the clothes hamper before approaching the mirror. Heh, the messy look would give Wells a run for his money. For the moment he ignored his hair, instead pulling out a few bottles from the cabinet. He had uncapped one when he heard the door open in the distance--looks like the kid was back.

Focusing on his reflection, Eris dipped his fingers into the bottle, gently massaging his face. Regardless of his mood or anything that had happened, skincare was always his priority. He had seen plenty of older vampires already sagging and wrinkling, and he’d be damned if he was going to let that happen to him in the next millenia.

Hearing the kid’s footsteps, Eris looked at the mirror, raising an eyebrow at Max. [color=CCFF99]“If I knew you’d be raiding my closet, I would’ve had Antigone send me more choices for you,”[/color] He said, focusing back on his face. [color=ccff99]“You kept Sunny occupied longer than I thought if you’re just getting back now.”[/color]

Max promptly pulled off the black cloak draped around him with a scowl, throwing it on the floor like it had burned him. Freezing his ass off was almost preferable to taking any more shit for wearing that fashion abomination.

[color=8585ad]“No need, Feliks will be hearing all about my lack of a coat later,”[/color] Max grumbled as he yanked his hoodie down to reveal an even messier bedhead than usual. Even if Eris said no, Max was pretty sure the tailor would go along with it just to mess with him and bill the leech afterward. [color=8585ad]“You said three hours, I gave you three hours. Needed to talk to him about Greta anyway. Which reminds me, are you a good news first or bad news first type of person?”[/color]

Eris massaged his cheeks, eyebrows knitted together as Max threw off his cloak. Rude! He could say whatever the hell he wanted, but he didn't appreciate his belongings being thrown around so callously. That cloak cost more than anything the kid and his family owned and if anything happened to it, he highly doubted the kid could ever get the funding to fix it in his lifetime.

[Color=ccff99]"If you're going to toss my things, toss them on a chair or my bed, not the floor,"[/color] Hs replied sharply, opening up what looked like a liquid toner and grabbing a soft-looking wad of material. [Color=ccff99]"And bad news first always, either the good news will balance it out or just turn out to be not-so-good news, so my expectations won't be high."[/color] Not to mention he'd rather get to cleaning up whatever mess the bad news would bring.

The mage rolled his eyes and picked up the discarded cape off the floor. It was a piece of fabric, Eris, the worst thing that could happen to it was it might pick up some dog hair.

[color=8585ad]“Right. I was a bit more loose-lipped than I would’ve liked to be, but I don’t anticipate it being a problem. The real bad news is that I found absolutely no conclusive link between Greta Bordeleaux and the Sinnenodels, let alone Varis himself,”[/color] Max reported in monotone before raising a finger, [color=8585ad]“But, I’m almost entirely certain now that those names the clone mentioned during the exam weren’t random. They mean [i]something[/i], and that something has to do with Varis.”[/color] Wasn’t much of a lead, but it at least confirmed they were barking up the right tree, or at the very least were in the right forest. This sounded like a much bigger accomplishment in his head.

[color=8585ad]“Otherwise I have a full backstory on this woman that maybe somebody more historically savvy than me can pick apart, plus I got the Retriever to let a little secret slip about Ryner and Nox that no one outside the castle has apparently ever heard.”[/color] Max wandered away to throw the cape on Eris’ bed before reluctantly returning to the bathroom doorway. He wasn’t entirely certain the leech wouldn’t drop the towel at some point, but either way he wasn’t too keen on watching this bizarre skincare regimen - or was this makeup? How the hell did Eris have time for all this unnecessary shit? No wonder he was always busy.

[color=ccff99]“Bordelaux…”[/color] Eris stopped what he was doing for a minute, squinting at his reflection. He knew that name, where the hell did he hear it from? Wait a minute, that was the Knight of Night’s name, wasn’t it? He flexed his jaw, making a mental note as he listened to the rest. Admittedly Eris expected the kid to let out more than intended, but as far as he was aware, unless he blabbed about the mark, anything more than the topic would be fine for the moment.

Finishing with his moisturizer, he slowly spun around to face Max, leaning against the sink. Fortunately he didn’t need to look at himself for his next step: a few quick sprays on his hair before vigorously spreading the formula. [color=ccff99]“Sunny blabbing? So much for that Noilan loyalty. Varis will be pleased, at least,”[/color] He couldn’t help but comment, though he made another note to be very careful about anything he would say around him. Depending on what it was, he could use that little fact as an advantage, too. [color=ccff99]“Do tell, I’m all ears.”[/color]

[color=8585ad]“According to him, his loyalties to the Noilas are gone in favor of his new house. Dunno if I believe it yet, though,”[/color] The mage continued on cue. Where to start? The whole life story might be tedious, but he didn’t know what Eris was looking for, so he couldn’t very well omit anything that could potentially be important.

[color=8585ad]“She grew up in some shitty little village that got trashed by one of the Noila’s rivals. Turned the whole populace and set them on each other like dogs. Old Jeffy Noila killed the guy and conscripted all the fledgelings into his army. Greta was apparently charismatic enough to lead and strong enough to do so from the front, so she got promoted to commander or something in record time. She was the crux of the entire Noilan ascension to the throne after the Battle of… Althisa? I think. Another battle over some shithole village on the Noila-Pieron border.”[/color]

[color=8585ad]“Apparently her leadership skills stemmed from her being able to humanize herself for all the new little Embraced under her.”[/color] Max rolled his eyes. He still maintained she was just really good at lying. [color=8585ad]“Anyway, Geoffrey puts her in charge of training Nox and they hook up, then Nox gets ambushed by a fire mage and Greta gets melted into paste defending her. The end.”[/color] The mage even gave unenthusiastic jazz hands at the conclusion to accentuate his point. He didn’t see how any of this was relevant to Varis, but if Eris didn’t even know her last name, it was probably safe to assume he didn’t know this lady’s history.

Eris’ mouth opened, almost laughing at the statement. Well, well, well, Sunny was wising up. What a slippery slope, hopefully he would descend gracefully and not end up tumbling to the ground. The little history lesson was interesting, although it probably would’ve captured him with a better storyteller. Still, slowly but surely, a story was building: Althisa, the Noilan ascension, and even Geoffrey Noila himself.

[color=ccff99]“That explains why the Bordelaux family is held in such high esteem in regards to their position with the royal family. What a pretty feather in their cap,”[/color] Eris rolled his eyes, wiping his hands on his towel and pushing off, slipping past Max and walking into his closet. [color=ccff99]“And the secret?”[/color]

Max flinched a bit as he saw Eris reaching for his towel. There was no way he was going to spill state secrets to a man with his dick out. Thankfully, the vampire decided not to get naked. Yet. Max didn’t turn around as Eris passed him.

[color=8585ad]“Greta is directly responsible for Nox hating Ryner, even today. She died right before the Treaty, and in order to facilitate Treaty proceedings, Ryner stymied all of Nox’s retaliation plans to genocide the mages over her girlfriend or whatever. Apparently Nox never forgave her.”[/color] That could be a tie-in, given how often he sees Varis and Ryner together, but that didn’t explain Ralmevik, or anyone else Eris forgot to mention.

Go figure, the one Noilan Eris assumed was a hardass did things out of love and spite. No surprise that Ryner would block those attempts. Now that he had a firm handle on Greta Bordelaux, now he needed to see how it tied into the mysterious Cydril. As of this moment, however, he couldn’t really put the pieces together, thinking to himself as he put on a pair of loose sweatpants and walked back into the room.

Approaching his chessboard, he rearranged a few pieces, picking up a knight. [color=ccff99]“And they called [i]me[/i] petty for not speaking to my sister for two decades. Sibling rivalries must be more vicious the higher the totem pole,”[/color] He commented, knocking over a pawn. [color=ccff99]“I need more information on this, but it’s a decent first step. You’ve done well for a first try.”[/color]

[color=8585ad]“Gee, thanks,”[/color] Max responded unenthusiastically, [color=8585ad]“I think you should look into that old Marivaldi lord you brought up too. Aaron said-”[/color] Ah, fuck, he wasn’t allowed to say that, was he? Well, there wouldn’t be a consequence if he [i]did[/i], but he had principles, damn it. [color=8585ad]“...Something I can’t tell you so you’ll have to take my word for it. All the history the clone was spitting out fits in here somehow.”[/color] Either in Ryner’s game or Varis’, in any case.

[color=8585ad]“Now, your turn. What the hell was so pressing that I needed to entertain the Retriever all night?”[/color] Clearly something clandestine; Aaron was too whipped to be a threat, but he’d report anything he saw in an instant.

Eris slowly raised his eyebrows as Max hesitated. He was building rapport with Sunny--it looked like the blond took Eris’ request to heart. Another step in the direction he wanted. That said, when Max wanted to know why Eris had him occupy his attention, Eris clucked his tongue, moving a bishop to another space before leaving it be and snatching his phone off his bedside table.

[color=ccff99]“Kid looked sad last I saw him, figured you could cheer him up before he ends up slicing his wrists open,”[/color] He said, checking his phone for something. [color=ccff99]“I was actually trying to see if I could run into that Eve mage--her vampire pissed me off, I wanted to see what I could get out of her and if I could get her to let me into his dorm. Unfortunately, anytime that girl so much as spots Sunny, she latches onto him. She’s stupid enough to believe everything I say, but Sunny also has a tendency to ‘help’ the lesser plebians.  Couldn’t have him warn her about what I was trying to do, and considering I got scolded by Varis for messing with the Eves already, I didn’t want him knowing, either.”[/color]

He looked up from his phone, rolling his eyes. [color=ccff99]“The real pressing issue is that I found out exactly what the stupid mark is,”[/color] He put his phone down, pulling out the bedside table’s drawer and grabbing a notebook and pen. He did a quick sketch of the mark, showing it to Max, then he slowly drew a few more lines, adding an eye, transforming the fangs into a book, and suddenly it resembled something very familiar as he showed it to Max.

[color=ccff99]“It’s a precursor to the Marivaldi symbol,”[/color] Eris scowled, tossing the notebook and pen back. [color=ccff99]“Certainly explains the Ralmevik connection, although I didn’t expect the princess to be the petty type--I called the Eve a magefucker and she thought it funny if I had the insignia of the Magefucker Clan. Disgusting.”[/color]

Max peered at Eris suspiciously as he explained. He sent [i]Max[/i] to talk someone out of suicide. So he could talk to a mage. To get past a door with a metal lock that Max could open half-asleep with his eyes closed. So he could play a prank.

[color=8585ad]“I counted like five holes in that story off the top of my head, I know you’re a better liar than that.”[/color] He waved the protest off after he spoke, instead focusing on the far more pressing matter - the mark. Definitely related to Ralmevik, then. If it was a precursor to the modern symbol, it may have even been pre-Treaty. He asked about Greta’s connections to the wrong house; Sinnenodel wasn’t the link here, it was Marivaldi.

[color=8585ad]“I’m assuming you got all this information from Ryner and not the Retriever’s little girlfriend.”[/color] He was hesitant to believe they even spoke at all, but Eris could’ve been simply pushing a half-truth in place of his real motive and this did have something to do with the Eve. [color=8585ad]“Does Cinnamon have a connection to the Marivaldis or something? He doesn’t seem like the type.”[/color]

At least the kid was bright, but if he was going to keep something from him, then Eris could do the same. It wasn’t entirely relevant to him, anyway, but the less people that knew what he did, the better. [color=ccff99]“Okay, fine, I wanted to see if you’d end up sending him over the edge. You have a great way of pushing people’s buttons. Happy?”[/color] He waved a hand in dismissal. [color=ccff99]“It was mostly a joke, anyway, sending you to comfort someone is like sending a thirsty vampire a water bottle. Completely pointless.”[/color]

He tossed his phone onto his bed, striding over to his vanity and spraying himself with the first scent he grabbed. [color=ccff99]“Ryner was all too happy to dance around my questions and avoid giving real answers. She makes it an art,”[/color] His eyes darkened considerably, clearly annoyed. [color=ccff99]“She tried to convince me that everything said and done was the work of an overzealous fan. And if it wasn’t for your report, I’d almost believe it. She nearly burst out laughing as she made a fool of me showing what the mark was and capped off the conversation by sending [i]you[/i] her regards.”[/color]

Patching one hole wouldn’t save a sinking ship, Eris. Whatever, it was pointless to argue it; Eris would keep feeding him bullshit until even the real answer would sound like a lie. 

[color=8585ad]“Fine, fine, don’t tell me. We’ll call this that favor I owe you, then.”[/color] Max grinned disingenuously, even if Eris wasn’t looking at him. Unfortunately, his trump card here didn’t have enough of a threat behind it yet to be played. If it ever would; Eris was right about one thing, Cinnamon was turning Aaron into a mess, there was no telling how he’d reliably act in the future.

Ryner taking an interest in him was creepy, though she might’ve just been trying to be polite and do that mage-lover thing she always seemed to do. If she was hiding it, they were at least on the right track. But then, why would [i]her[/i] mages in [i]her[/i] exam reveal something like that if she was only going to deny it later?

[color=8585ad]“If she’s dodging questions, that means she’s either playing a long game that relies on your suspicion or she’s genuinely caught off guard here. But if that’s the case, which one of those mental magic fucks broke protocol and showed you all that stuff?”[/color]

Eris shrugged at Max’s decision, deciding that at least it would get him to shut up about it. Though the fact that he doubted Eris would never want to get in a noble’s dorm did show the kid didn’t consider that a serious goal of his, so that was a plus. 

As for Ryner, Eris had a few theories, but nothing concrete. [color=ccff99]“If her word is to be believed, it was a mage by the name of Ms. Evans. Your theory in the forest was spot on: it was supposed to be a group of mages that were overlooking the exam, specifically our portion, and additional mages were needed. I know little of magic so I might have understood this part wrong, but supposedly because of that there wasn’t enough time to give the proper protocol when it came to casting magic on two vampires, Ms. Evans didn’t like finding out about my fling with Varis and promptly tried to sabotage our relationship by mentioning Greta and the rest.”[/color]

Once he finished that part, Eris slicked his hair back before dropping his arms, his hair springing back and pointing in a multitude of directions. [color=ccff99]“Except even if that [i]was[/i] the case, why bother bringing up the name of centuries-dead vampires?”[/color] He pointed out. [color=ccff99]“She really thinks very little of me if she truly believed I’d buy that bullshit. On the contrary, there [i]is[/i] a long game, but I believe it to have something to do with the Marivaldis--Varis was just the messenger, if you’d imagine. Expel Sinnenodel from the equation, you’re left with Ralmevik, Donovan, and Greta. Finding the link between those three will be the best bet.”[/color]

As to what, however, Eris didn’t have the slightest idea. [color=ccff99]“I think your next step should be either validating or invalidating the claim. I’m sure you can find some way to interact with the Evans mage since you did well enough with Sunny,”[/color] The blond said, sitting on his bed. [color=ccff99]“And if it turns out the princess truly is a massive prankster, then bravo. Otherwise...well, see what you can find, you might get another little secret to hide from me.”[/color]

Max might’ve been more sympathetic to Eris’ displeasure if the vampire hadn’t employed the very same tactic on him thirty seconds prior. The story was obviously bullshit, especially if the same names came out of clone-Aaron’s mouth too. Even assuming this lady was overseeing both exams at once, she’d gain nothing from regurgitating the same thing to Varis, he’d notice something was up. Plus, he couldn’t imagine an individual as depraved as a mind reader would be bothered by something as trivial as an affair, even if it was between celebrities.

Plus, no time for instructions? Really? Ryner couldn’t’ve delayed the exam for what, ten minutes, while everyone was brought up to speed?

[color=8585ad]“I think you’re right that the Sinnenodels are a false lead, but I don’t think Varis was just the messenger. He’s involved. By the way, the secret I’m keeping from you is only an agreement between me and the Retriever - we talk with the understanding that neither vampire hears what was said, and nobody’s watching their words or playing political doublespeak.”[/color] At least, that was the intent. If he found Varis throwing around Ralmevik’s name around Eris anytime soon, he’d have a pretty good idea that Aaron didn’t hold up his end of the bargain.

[color=8585ad]“Now, I’d never betray that trust - especially not for [i]you[/i],”[/color] Max explained, turning around to face Eris again at last, [color=8585ad]“But if you were to, say, drag me into something I knew was a bad idea, I couldn’t very well stay silent and let you do it, could I?”[/color] He didn’t blame Eris for immediately jumping to malice as Max’s motivation for everything, but he could at least give him the benefit of the doubt that openly admitting ‘I’m hiding something’ wasn’t an admission of planning to defang him in his sleep.

[color=8585ad]“Either way, it doesn’t apply to this other girl. If she hasn’t mysteriously disappeared by now. Is she a professor here or a student?”[/color]

Aww, little ones banding together, how cute. Eris would have to make sure to watch how long that lasted--Sunny was so straightlaced that he wouldn’t be surprised if the kid went straight to Varis with everything Max told him. Really, it was a nice thought, but Eris knew the kid wasn’t naive. Oh well, he’d just have to take his words at face value for now.

[color=ccff99]“If she’s disappeared, we have our answer. I think she was a student,”[/color] Eris stopped for a second to remember the conversation. [color=ccff99]“...yeah, a student. Senior year, most likely, old enough to have a proper grasp on their powers and overzealous enough to think they can get away with shit, young enough not to realize they’re still stupid and naive enough to actually deviate.”[/color]

Placing his elbows on his knees, Eris eyed Max curiously for a moment. [color=ccff99]“At the risk of getting stabbed with my own pen, I have to admit, you have the mind for this sort of thing,”[/color] He would at least give him that compliment. 

A student. That made things both easier and harder. Harder to find, at least, but more likely to spill when pressured. He could approach under the guise of being interested in the mental program, though a first name would’ve helped immensely. He assumed Ryner omitted this detail purposefully. The compliment was unexpected, given he was halfway convinced Eris thought he was a fucking moron, and he didn’t see any reason for the leech to be buttering him up at the moment.

[color=8585ad]“Yeah, I was one of those depressed gifted kids back home,”[/color] Max remarked sarcastically. If by ‘depressed’ he meant ‘angry’, anyway. [color=8585ad]“If I’m here, I might as well be here to win. I already don’t like this game you all play, and games only get less fun when you’re losing. Speaking of winning, I got a plan. If I find this girl, I’ll try and send you a picture so you can tell me if she looks like the mage you saw Varis throttling during your test.”[/color] It probably meant nothing, but she could’ve used her own likeness in the illusion and it would be confirmation of identity, if nothing else.

Depressed gifted kids? Eris could believe that, even if the kid was being sarcastic. Well,  he supposed it didn't matter much. Eris liked proactiveness--maybe the kid was more than just his good looks. Either way he wasn't going to discourage him, if he was going to make an effort then the last thing he would do was mess that up. Now, the real question was whether he should bother offering a token reward or not. The information on Greta exceeded his expectations, and he would like that same quality going forward. If he would reward him, how would he go about it, anyway? Anything material would probably be taken with suspicion but he also didn't seem like the type to want anything, either.

[Color=ccff99]"That's a well thought out idea,"[/color] First and foremost, he'd confirm that. [Color=ccff99]"Guess you've earned an Eris-Free Day, at least."[/color]

Lucky him. The fact that Eris knowingly used his presence as a form of negative reinforcement was telling, but Max supposed if anyone would delight in being a thorn in everyone else’s side, it’d be Eris Samael. Though if pitching ideas won him some peace and quiet, he supposed he could overlook the fact that the leech was trying to train him like a dog. Of course, he’d have to actually find this lady first. The Retriever was his only source on the people in the mental program, but asking him too many questions in too short of a time frame was obviously suspicious and Cinnamon learning that Max was snooping around [i]too[/i] much wouldn’t be ideal no matter what alibi Eris came up with.

[color=8585ad]“You’re so generous, master,”[/color] he grumbled unenthusiastically as he turned to leave, [color=8585ad]“And no, that remark was not an invitation for you to keep bothering me instead.”[/color] At least the leech hadn’t patronized him with a literal treat or something equally asinine.

Eris grinned widely as he sat up, rolling the knight between his fingers as he watched Max. [color=ccff99]“Here I was, thinking we were having a pleasant conversation!”[/color] He chuckled. [color=ccff99]“If you’d rather come to bed with me instead, I’m willing to exchange that reward.”[/color]

The irony of being offered a prize some people would literally kill for as a cheeky punishment wasn’t lost on Max. He was tempted to jokingly agree just to watch what kind of gymnastics Eris would have to do rearranging his little chessboard to account for [i]that[/i] development. By the way, what corny spy movie did he pick that gimmick out from? Cliché, Eris.

[color=8585ad]“Hard pass. Be careful all your fans don’t find out you’re hitting on me now.”[/color] Though that’d probably blow up in [i]his[/i] face more than Eris’ if it ever did come up publicly.

[color=ccff99]“The offer is always open to you,”[/color] The blond cheerfully informed him, watching the brunet walk out without another word. 

Eris’ expression fell into something more neutral, looking down at the knight. Hm, he should have come up with a better lie, but then again, breaking into the Eve dorm [i]was[/i] a long term goal of his. It was probably the presentation that he tripped over--that or the kid was getting used to his bullshit. Probably for the better, he would rather have someone as sharp as he was to make things more interesting.

Tossing the chess piece into the air, he caught it as he walked over to his vanity, taking a hold of the briefcase and placing it at the end of his bed. Overtaking the Ghanie Foundation was going to be the first of many things Eris was going to get out of Varis. Max did have a point, Eris was definitely playing a game, but morality be damned; so long as he came out on top the rest would follow. It was easier to ask for forgiveness than permission, after all.


[/indent][hr][/indent][/hider]

[hider=Eris and Dame Patel - November 11th][indent][hr][center][img]https://txt-dynamic.static.1001fonts.net/txt/b3RmLjU0LmQ5Zjg5Ni5WR2hsSUZCeWFXTmxJRzltSUV0dWIzZHNaV1JuWlEsLC40AAAAAAA,/mafakanev.regular.png[/img][/center]
[hr][indent]

Employee housing was just outside of the little town, neatly bordered off from the rest of the world with a large stone fence overgrown with vines. Gothic homes in blacks, whites, and the periodic yellow and pink, sat in large yards along the brick roads lined with wrought iron street lamps. Families played in the yard, children kicking balls in the street, racing p and down, and a party could be heard in the backyard of another. People stopped and stared as Eris walked past, whispering quietly among themselves and hushing their children. The vampires gave polite nods, mages bowed, and children pointed and waved excitedly. 

Dame Patel’s home however was beyond this. The road led back through the wall and down into the woods again. A smaller stone fence trailed to a white house that was easily double the size of the largest home in the employee housing. Stain glass windows adorned the upper level and a lush vegetable garden covered most of the front yard. A square fountain with a bench in front of it babbled contently as the path wound around to the column flanked stairs and the dark wood door. Little fairy lights adorned the porch where Dame Patel sat outside on one of the two rocking chairs reading in the faint light. She fiddled with a shawl with an intricate star pattern across it, the small gems in it glittering beneath the light.

When it came to the employee housing, Eris always figured he’d be going there to smooth talk his way out of Max’s bad grades or something--he never really thought he’d be going for himself. But Dame Patel insisted and who was he to turn her down? The stroll was pleasant as he soaked in the attention, returning the gestures with a few of his own. Children were always fun to see as he matched their excitement, but he didn’t linger and kept up his pace. 

Ryner’s recommendations varied wildly: there was the loon Nasir who wanted some kind of seed (fuck if Eris knew anything about food, the only one he knew anything about was lettuce and apparently mortals only ate a few leaves at a time judging from the curious look Ismene gave him the one time he presented one to her), the gruff Alder who wanted a favor in return (he was decidedly quick on this one, he would rather not have to owe a vampire that was so close to the royal family), and then there was Patel. 

Dame Patel’s offer seemed too good to be true: not only would she give him blood control lessons, but she would also graciously teach him some form of martial art (at least he thought so, he admittedly didn’t get too many details). There was no loss or angle that he could find where she would prove advantageous against him, so the choice seemed obvious. He was fond of her more than his other professors anyway and the decision was made in his favor. At least, that was his assumption--who knew what was going to happen?

Eris stopped to admire the scenery for a moment, spotting the Dame. [color=ccff99]“Good evening!”[/color] He greeted her cheerfully, giving her a slight bow before flashing a grin. [color=ccff99]“May I come in?”[/color]

[color=FF69B4]“Eris!”[/color] Dame Patel put her bookmark in and closed the book gingerly, waving to the rocking chair next to her. [color=FF69B4] “Of course, my little chickadee! Sit, sit. I take it you’ve considered my offer?”[/color]

He was all too happy to enter, taking a seat when given permission to, though he couldn’t help his small chuckle. [color=ccff99]“I have,”[/color] He replied to the Dame’s question cheerfully. [color=ccff99]“And I feel I can’t pass the opportunity up. Truly, you’re too generous.”[/color] Suspiciously so, but eh, too late to back out now.

[color=FF69B4]"Oh, that's sweet. I'll ask you if you think that in five years."[/color] Dame Patel laughed quietly. [color=FF69B4]"But that's for another night. For now, we have a few details to discuss and then we'll need to formalize our agreement. For starters, which blood control technique were you interested in learning, darling? Depending on how advanced what you're aiming for is, I may need a while to remind myself."[/color]

Well that’s ominous. Eris was a little wary even as he politely smiled along, but he didn’t have time to dwell as she mentioned [i]techniques[/i]. He didn’t know there were choices involved, apparently. From what he saw of Ryner’s demonstration, he assumed that getting blood to move at all was just it.

[color=ccff99]“I’ll admit I wasn’t aware there were multiple,”[/color] He got that out of the way first, deciding to be honest with his goal. [color=ccff99]“Though what I’m looking for at the moment is something akin to what humans call ‘tattoo’s’--the ability to push the blood upwards enough so that it appears almost as a mark, albeit a bruised one.”[/color]

Dame Patel considered his words for a little while and then nodded. [color=FF69B4]"Oh, yes, I know that one. It was used in all sorts of rituals and war parties in simpler times. Better times truly."[/color] She sighed but leaned back in her chair. She seemed lost in thought for a while, a fond smile on her face before something brought her back. [color=FF69B4]"So why would you ask for that particular method if you didn't know they existed?"[/color] She waited a moment and then held her hand up before Eris could respond.

[color=FF69B4]"It doesn't matter, really. I'll teach you like you asked in exchange for five years of lessons like I said."[/color] She said. [color=FF69B4]"Did you have any questions before we make our agreement or are you ready to begin?"[/color]

There was a flimsy excuse on the tip of Eris’ tongue--curiosity about a theory he had read, something about controlling innards being a similar principle, blaming Count Benson--but none were needed. He had come into this encounter woefully underprepared, it seemed, and admittedly it did put him just a touch on edge.

[color=ccff99]“I suppose now is as good a time as ever to ask about the specifics of our...arrangement,”[/color] He didn’t know how else to put it, though something else came to mind. [color=ccff99]“Before that, however, I have to ask what benefit you gain from this. You’re an incredibly intelligent woman and I’d hate to see you walk away empty handed.”[/color]

Dame Patel stayed quiet for a long time at that question, just staring out over her garden. When she spoke again, it was filled with nostalgia. [color=FF69B4]“It seems like so long ago that we would choose companions that we’d teach everything we knew. I believe the closest modern term for them is squire but it doesn’t quite capture the essence of it. We were partners on the battlefield, equals without rivals, light for each other in the endless dark that vampires so easily succumb to. It defies modern definition; equality and honesty and trust are little more than political ploys and bartering tools. It was not a relationship of the flesh nor the mind; it was a connection that ran deeper than that, to the very source of our existence.”[/color] She laughed, soft and private. 

[color=FF69B4]“It has been so very long since I’ve had the opportunity to pass on my knowledge. I do not expect you to understand the lesson behind the lessons or commit to anything but the style that I teach; I only want the satisfaction of knowing that time will not claim what I cherish most.”[/color] She explained. [color=FF69B4]“Sentiment has very little value these nights but I hope you’ll indulge an old vampire her whims nonetheless.”[/color]

That wasn't what Eris had been expecting at all. It was hard not to be surprised at Dame Patel's admission, an odd sense of curiosity gripping him. It wasn't so much that he didn't believe her, but the thought of it was just so bizarre. Operating on pure sentiment was unfathomable, the idea of doing something for nothing going against a lot of things Eris had both seen and experienced in his lifetime. He wasn't entirely sure if it was the age gap or if because the reality he was familiar with didn't have room for that sort of thinking. Society had a tendency to take sentiments like those and tear them to shreds--it wasn't just weak, it was suicidal to some. But it was not his place to question her nor would he judge her. He couldn't say he agreed, but to each their own, he supposed.

[Color=ccff99]"I hope I can be worthy of such hopes,"[/color] Eris replied, if only because he didn't know what else to say. [Color=ccff99]"I will say, however, that I'm fully committed."[/color] And why wouldn't he be? He had nothing to lose..

[color=FF69B4]“I expect nothing less, chickadee.”[/color] Patel patted Eris’ leg. [color=FF69B4]“As for the specifics of your training, we’ll be working on blood control and your combat skills every night. School nights will only be two hours and weekends will be four. On weekdays, we’ll use the Arena; I’ll have one of the private rooms available for use each night. Weekends, you’ll come out here in my backyard where we’ll have plenty of space. Of course, your breaks are your breaks though I will suggest you continue practicing even when away. Does that sound agreeable?”[/color]

Hopefully he would pick up on it sooner than later--he felt like the wristwatch was becoming a permanent part of his arm by now with how many times he wore it. At the very least he could get the symbol down on his own and then continue to entertain the dame. He did enjoy his lessons in swordplay, though he wasn’t familiar with the weapon she had mentioned when he first inquired. She wasn’t asking for too much, although having less time than usual meant something would have to give. Oh well, sleep was for the weak.

[color=ccff99]“It does,”[/color] Eris nodded, mentally adjusting his schedule and reminding himself to shove Max’s training to a later time. Maybe he could save himself a trip and just have it follow after his own. [color=ccff99]“I assume once I graduate we will make other arrangements?”[/color]

[color=FF69B4]"When it comes to that time, we will. Let me see your hand, chickadee."[/color] She requested, taking it when he offered it. She held her own palm up, dragged her fangs across her palm and then cut across Eris' with her nails. She pressed the two wounds together before they healed. [color=FF69B4]"In blood is it bound."[/color] She pulled out a handkerchief and cleaned up the blood, not even a scar left behind.

[color=FF69B4]"Are you interested in your first lesson in blood control now then, chickadee? Or would you rather take the rest of the morning to yourself?"[/color] She asked as she neatly folded up the bloodied cloth.

Eris was more than wary, thinking she was going to bite him, but as he watched her slice into his wrist, he was more concerned with not wincing. What was it with this place and trying to damage his perfect skin? He’d chalk it up to jealousy if he was a lesser man. It must have been some old ritual or something between vampires from before his time. Putting it out of his mind for now, he examined his wrist as she asked what he would do.

[color=ccff99]“I’m eager to begin,”[/color] Eris said as he put his hands on his knees. [color=ccff99]“Before we do, however, something you said confused me. You said there were different techniques--but aside from blood mages, I wasn’t aware there were multiple ways of controlling it. Blood is blood, isn’t it?”[/color]

[color=FF69B4]"I suppose it is a bit of a misnomer. Do you know why we feed on blood, chickadee?"[/color] She asked.

[color=ccff99]“We lose control of ourselves without it, but…?”[/color] Actually, now that she asked, Eris didn’t actually know how to respond. He had always been told ‘how’ and ‘when’, but never ‘why’. [color=ccff99]“I...I don’t actually know.”[/color]

[color=FF69B4]"We do not survive on the blood but rather what the blood carries. Inside the blood of every living creature is an infinitesimal amount of magic. When we drain blood, we consume the magic as energy."[/color] She explained. [color=FF69B4]"It is why we can survive on mage blood despite how much fewer mages there are than humans. Their blood carries far more magic in it and so we derive more power. When we say blood control, we really mean we are actively manipulating the magic we have in our bodies rather than passively. It’s almost like doing magic ourselves, just on a far more subtle scale."[/color]

Fascinating, Eris didn’t expect that. At the very least it was a neat fun fact and knowledge he was happy with having. But once again, Eris was presented with the uncomfortable (and now dreaded) [i]magic[/i] phenomenon. It just seemed so unnatural to mix vampires with magic, and he was starting to resent it.

But that wasn’t important. What was important was getting a jump on their lessons. He would have to probe her more on that another time. [color=ccff99]“Very interesting. I always believed vampires and magic didn't go together, but it seems I was wrong.”[/color] He said.

[color=FF69B4]“Until the surge in mages, neither did we. Admittedly, we were otherwise occupied and conducting experiments on our brethren was taboo even then but it became clear once the development of arcane magic came about.”[/color] She shrugged and then reached out, bopping Eris on the nose. [color=FF69B4]“But don’t concern yourself with the why, chickadee. You should be focused on the how! I can’t wait to see the designs you create with this!”[/color] 

[color=FF69B4]“Now let’s get started. It may feel a little weird to practice this but you’ll adjust to the feeling soon enough. Although…”[/color] She paused and frowned. [color=FF69B4]“I’ve never taught a pure blood vampire before. I’m not quite sure what you’ll experience actually. This is usually the first step of developing mastery over your internals. Shifting your heart around in combat greatly increased your chances of survival and first learning it was... uncomfortable. I do hope it isn’t worse; it was already quite unsettling.”[/color] She considered him for a little bit and beamed.

[color=FF69B4]“Nothing we can do about it though, chickadee! Promises made in blood are binding to us so you’ll have to learn one way or another. Thankfully, practicing this can be done anywhere, at any time, though a quiet, serene setting is usually most beneficial. For this method at least. I don’t particularly care for the quicker way.”[/color] Dame Patel sighed with a visible wince. [color=FF69B4]“The goal of this is to learn to actively circulate your blood though your body. Usually, it moves slowly and sluggishly as you do but here we are forcing it to move how we want it to. Doing so will agitate what remnants of organs we do have which is the unsettling part but once you master it’s movement, you’ll be able to develop the designs you are after without hurting yourself.”[/color]

She opened her mouth and shut it again, seemingly perplexed. [color=FF69B4]“Usually, we use the concept of the human’s circulatory system but you never used it. I’m not quite sure how to explain it.”[/color] Her finger tapped on the arm of the chair as she rocked. [color=FF69B4]“It’s still similar, I suppose. We’ll try it that way and then move forward if you struggle. First, you need to be aware of the blood in your body. Dim your senses and focus on what’s inside of you. Your mind filters out the feeling normally; overcome that and [i]feel[/i] everything inside you.”[/color]

Aw man, Eris hated mortal biology, the human body was [i]disgusting[/i]. They sweat, vacated this bowels, and some of them drooled like dogs--it was honestly mortifying. Granted, she was talking about the circulatory system, but that also seemed wildly inconvenient. If he knicked Max the wrong way the poor bastard would just bleed out and die. Humans were so inconveniently built now that he thought about it.

Except he didn't linger on the thought for too long, instead pushing aside most of his petty thoughts and trying to remember what he knew about them as he followed Dame Patel's instructions. Funny, he was used to dimming his senses to use his others better, but never all at once. He did his damndest to focus, though, trying to see if he could feel anything. Aside from maybe noticing how his clothes felt on his skin, though, Eris wasn't sure what he was looking for. Lowering his sense to touch was probably the right call, although even as he thought about it, there was the strangest sensation all over him, something eerie as it felt like it was moving under his skin.

[Color=ccff99]"Gah!"[/color] Eris shuddered, shaking his arms as he looked at his body. [Color=ccff99]"Do mortals feel that [i]all[/i] the time?! It's like having a million bugs crawling under your skin!"[/color] 

[color=FF69B4]"I don't believe so, chickadee. I have not asked though."[/color] She replied, amused. [color=FF69B4]"That's how it will feel whenever you need to use it. Eventually the feeling will dull but it never quite goes away. Stay focused on it and then let your other senses come back to the forefront. It is a dangerous habit to rely on lowering your guard to achieve the desired results. You need to become accustomed to doing so while aware of your surroundings."[/color]

This was going to be annoying, wasn’t it? As much as Eris wanted to ask, he found he didn’t really want to know the answer. He had a feeling it was a definite ‘yes’ though. That said, Dame Patel had a good point. All this shifty business could end up being useful down the line if he ever found himself at the wrong end of whatever pointy object Max decided to chuck at him. Which, given his penchant for annoying the kid, was bound to happen sooner than later.

He also definitely noticed ‘chickadee’ was going to be persistent. Wonderful. As he tried to focus on the flow and not imagine bugs, he tried to multitask a little. [color=ccff99]“This is a little more difficult than I thought it would be,”[/color] He said slowly, finding himself faltering when he spoke. Fuck. [color=ccff99]“I don’t...suppose that...this is something--fuck, I thought I had it--that would...come naturally to most…? Is that--fuck--”[/color]

Eris rolled his eyes, giving himself a small break before continuing. [color=ccff99]“Why [i]isn’t[/i] something like this...taught normally? Or at least talked about…”[/color] He furrowed his brow as he concentrated.

[color=FF69B4]"If you're curious enough, you could develop it yourself but it is easier with a teacher."[/color] Dame Patel admitted, her amusement at his efforts evident in her voice. [color=FF69B4]"These techniques were developed out of necessity. The past was nothing but conflict of the aggressive, envious, and bored vampires and to survive, we needed every skill we could master."[/color] She sighed and settled back, staring off over the garden.

[color=FF69B4]"Now with this facade of peace, priorities have shifted, mages are weapons and are pitted against each other as proxies."[/color] Dame Patel shook her head. [color=FF69B4]"A disgrace. How far we've fallen."[/color]

If Eris did absolutely everything himself, he wouldn’t even have time to [i]blink[/i], let alone any extracurriculars. He supposed she did have a point about people getting lax, but didn’t she find outmaneuvering people fun? A spar was fun and all, but there wasn’t the same satisfaction of watching someone crumble inwardly as you show them up. 

[color=ccff99]“I suppose…”[/color] He lightly shrugged, albeit feeling the crawl under his neck made him jerk in place. Argh, that one felt [i]weird[/i]. [color=ccff99]“I will admit my plethora of mages make things a lot faster...but couldn’t you argue that because we risk mages instead of ourselves it’s a means of preservation? Aside from the occasional assassination, I mean--[i]oh that didn’t feel good[/i].”[/color] Eris cringed, his hand flying to his lower back. 

[color=FF69B4]"Stay focused. You need to even your control over the whole otherwise we will experience complications on the next step."[/color] Patel advised. [color=FF69B4]"And I don't disagree with you. Mages benefit from a firm guiding hand and our busy lives help give them meaning. Society's disgrace is wielding them as weapons and pitting them against each other in our names. What honor is there in hiding in the shadows? If neither you nor your enemy can see life fade from the eyes when you clash, what do you learn? Nothing and the hunger grows because you experienced nothing."[/color] 

Hm, Eris never thought of it that way. Winning [i]was[/i] probably the best feeling in the world, so he could see the argument. For the moment, he put that aside, trying to spread the crawling feeling evenly. At least it prevented it from building up in any one place, and smoothed out into something resembling a multitude of jabs instead of the previous cluster. He couldn’t say he got a hang of it right away, but at the very least he was understanding what he was supposed to accomplish.

[color=ccff99]“Unfortunately, peace has made us cowards,”[/color] He’d definitely give her that much.[color=ccff99]“Mages are a dime a dozen if you breed them right and expendable, so of course they’d go for the easier option. Of course, it brings up the fact that should push come to shove, they’d end up losing their lives because they relied more on their mages than their own abilities.”[/color]

[color=FF69B4]“Peace has certainly done that. Perhaps if they came to realize that mages are indispensable, they would handle more things themselves. How many sit in their gilded cages and watch their servants fall like flies these nights? Even one is too many.”[/color] Patel muttered but turned her attention to Eris. [color=FF69B4]“How are you adjusting so far? We can try something if you are confident that you can keep yourself focused.”[/color]

Eris raised an eyebrow at her comment--that sounded like something a Marivaldi or modernist Eve would say--but her followup called his attention louder. It felt like one of those weird bath bombs that prickled on his skin all over, except this time he was actively making it happen and hadn’t gotten dragged into the bath by surprise.

[color=ccff99]“I think I’m starting to get it,”[/color] He spoke slowly, lightly  moving his fingers as if to shake the feeling. [color=ccff99]“What’ll you have me do?”[/color]

[color=FF69B4]“The next step is to move the blood inside you. This is where the circulatory comparison usually comes in handy but you might have to work with your imagination a little. The blood needs to flow from your center, down your limbs, and back to the center in an unbroken cycle.”[/color] She explained, tracing from Eris’ shoulder to his hand and back again. [color=FF69B4]“Let yourself sink into the blood, into that crawling feeling, and direct it, push and pull over and over. Make sure you maintain focus though. If you let it slip, the blood might escape.”[/color] Blood started leaking from her eyes and nose, seeping up from her fingernails and dripped out of her gums. She patted it away with the previous cloth and laid a clean one on Eris’ lap. [color=FF69B4]“Now try.”[/color]

Were he a lesser vampire, Eris might have been disturbed at the image before him. Years of having to keep his composure helped more often than not--he'd argue it was a necessity with most vampires at this point--but even with that said, Dame Patel's demonstration was outright [i]disturbing[/i]. He watched her put the cloth down on his lap, slowly lifting his head and gaze up with a face that could've been made of stone, but he'd be lying if he said he wasn't screaming internally. 

Still, Eris wasn't the type to up and quit without giving things an earnest attempt. The idea of having to move things around within was bizarre enough, but he decided he'd give it a shot. Her instructions reminded him a little of some kind of yoga thing he had seen Ismene watching, something about inner energies or whatever. Maybe he should've paid more attention, that seemed like it could have helped him up now.

He wouldn't go trying just yet, instead trying to visualize it himself mentally. An unbroken cycle, from the center, down, and back, over and over and over. It sounded simple in theory, but he figured there had to be a certain speed of pushing it--if he lost control or focus, he’d end up a bloody mess. But if he didn’t push it enough, he wouldn’t get anything accomplished. Tricky, but it seemed doable. 

Keeping in mind where the cloth was just in case, Eris decided to give it a shot. Wriggling his fingers, he brought up the weird, creepy-crawly feeling first, ignoring the urge to shudder, as he focused on the actual blood in him. There was a foreign sensation that he felt under his skin in addition to the crawling, and for a split second, it threw him completely off-guard--he could see the blood coming out of his nails, the sudden pool in his mouth causing him to hack and cough, hastily grabbing the cloth.

About a dozen curse words could’ve all sprung from his mouth right then and there, but he was more focused on cleaning up the mess. Great stars above, that was [i]disgusting[/i]. Of course, even in failure there were lessons to be learned.

[color=ccff99]“I can see why the practice has fallen to the wayside,”[/color] Eris did admit that much, dabbing his eyes and raising an eyebrow at the cloth. [color=ccff99]“I’m not scared off so easily, fortunately.”[/color] If anything, his stubbornness meant he needed to keep trying to get it down.

Dame Patel laughed at the display. [color=FF69B4]"It does take some getting used to but once it clicks, it becomes second nature. It was a good first try, chickadee."[/color] She rocked back and forth in the rocking chair, tapping in time to the creaking of the wood. [color=FF69B4]"It warms my old, withered heart to see a fledgling picking up the old traditions. Even as gruesome a sight as this. But mistakes are for learning and practice is for nothing but mistakes. What did we learn from this try?"[/color]

[color=ccff99]“Flinching and sudden movements are punished,”[/color] He couldn’t help his response, vaguely remembering a moment from his childhood where his cousins would declare the same thing while trying to pummel him. [color=ccff99]“Actually, I learned that consistency is key, and stopping suddenly is only going to result in this...travesty.”[/color] 

He looked down at the cloth, his free hand double checking his face for any lingering blood. His fingers ran over his nails a few times, but it looked like as soon as he had stopped, the blood stopped flowing. There was more control in there than he expected. [color=ccff99]“The idea isn’t too difficult, though. I think I can get it down sooner than later,”[/color] He told her, pausing for a moment. [color=ccff99]“Did you struggle with learning this, too?”[/color]

[color=FF69B4]"Oh you have no idea, chickadee. My lessons started less than a fortnight after my embrace."[/color] Dame Patel sighed wistfully. [color=FF69B4]"Not only was I expected to control my blood but I had to learn everything about vampires. I believe by the time of my Sire's passing, I accumulated more corrections than any others of the Court. My control was atrocious even for a fledgling struggling with their base desires. I had to pause my practices on a regular basis I'd bleed so much. There were far fewer humans back then and we could only feed with our Sire's permission."[/color]

Interesting, he didn’t think the Dame was an Embraced vampire, though that did explain her pureblood common from earlier. What an age, only being able to feed with permission. Anytime Eris’ eyes would so much as look red off a reflection he’d have a dozen wrists already out to choose from. It piqued his curiosity, but he wasn’t sure if dredging into her past was for the better--he was already asking for a lot as it was, next thing he’d know he would have to pay up.

[color=ccff99]“Simpler times, I assume?”[/color] He’d say that much, deciding to give the control another try.

[color=FF69B4]“I find my life now far simpler than it was back then. Now, I educate and read my nights away. Back then…”[/color] She chuckled. [color=FF69B4]“I executed criminals, oversaw judicial proceedings, protected my Lady… It seemed my duties were endless. I relished the trust and responsibility of course and my unique position put me in the sights of the Court’s greatest adversaries but it was never a dull moment. I do miss the opportunity to cross blades with the fiercest vampires of those nights. I haven't had an opportunity to turn my glaive on someone in...4 centuries? No one has enough balls these nights to try!”[/color] 

The woman was a maniac. That said, Eris did have to admit he liked her moxy. Going four centuries unable to do what you liked would suck no matter who you were. A domestic life must have been boring her to tears compared to her previous one. He would have joked that he could give her a challenge, but Eris knew a losing fight when he saw one; she'd probably have him flat on his back faster than he could say 'blood control'.

[Color=ccff99]"Well, as you may be aware, I live to entertain--hopefully our lessons give you some nostalgia into that,"[/color] He told her, trying to imagine himself with the weapon. Maybe he could get the double bladed version, that would make him look pretty badass. [Color=ccff99]"Was it hard for you to learn the ways of your weapon from your Sire?"[/color]

[color=FF69B4]"Dreadfully so. I thought living to 120 was a miracle."[/color] She laughed again. [color=FF69B4]"I was given a little less than a month to adjust to my new circumstances before a glance was shoved in my hands. 18 hour training sessions with rations as a reward. We weren't allowed to let go of our weapons unless we were asleep. If we did, we were forced to hold an ember. Brutal but all embraced deserved it in the beginning. We had so much to pay for."[/color]

Eris’ eyebrows shot up at that--he almost asked what sort of ancient torture method that was before reminding himself that this was the result of something that happened many centuries back. Her last comment did get him curious. [color=ccff99]“Pay? But you were embraced, chosen by your Sire, no?”[/color] He actually didn’t know how it worked considered it had been basically outlawed at this point in time.

[color=FF69B4]"In life, the members of our Court were criminals. Rapists, thieves, and murderers the lot of us. I killed because I could. I loved it; I still do. I was good at what I did but like all those who fall off the wayside, justice comes with a vengeance."[/color] She spoke quietly as she explained. [color=FF69B4]"I was to be burned at the stake. I was all tied up, waiting for the flames to rise, when they came. The Mistress and her Court offered me a place, an opportunity to indulge in my art in a constructive manner, so long as I worked off my debt to society. Our punishments were part of paying that debt."[/color]

Now [i]that[/i] sounded interesting. Eris didn’t know much about history prior to the forming of the Treaty, but he was well aware how chaotic things had been before then. It was just as hard to believe that the Dame came from such an unrefined background. Honestly, it was fascinating to think of a time where merit on one’s abilities held true over petty politics. Not that Eris would judge, he was already doing both and good at them, managing to keep himself in the game this long.

[color=ccff99]“Who was your Mistress that granted you mercy?”[/color] He asked.

Dame Patel just shook her head, a bitter smile on her face. [color=FF69B4]"Do not ask me that question. The Moonlight Council has long consigned her name to oblivion. It is treason for anyone other than I to still carry that name."[/color] She stared out into the distance again. [color=FF69B4]"I believe it time we stop talking about the past. We must keep our eyes on the horizon and find new meaning in our eternal lives."[/color]

Aw man, he still had questions! Eris stopped himself from pouting, teetering on asking anyway, but then again he [i]was[/i] eager to keep practicing. He nodded in understanding, holding the stained cloth in one hand as he looked at the other, but he really needed to know at least one last thing. Hopefully it was vague enough that she wouldn’t get offended.

[color=ccff99]“One last question--entirely relevant to finding meaning in eternity,”[/color] He hastily added the second part, just in case she wanted to construe the question as disrespectful. [color=ccff99]“I can’t be the only one you’ve chosen to pass down your art to, am I?”[/color]

[color=FF69B4]"No you aren't. You're the second since the Blood Wars. Why do you ask, chickadee?"[/color] Dame Patel looked at him curiously.

[color=ccff99]“I wanted to know if I had competition for your time, that’s all,”[/color] Eris replied as he sat up a touch. [color=ccff99]“Alright, I plan to get this down tonight. I’ll try again.”[/color]


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Whistling to himself, Eris walked along the familiar path with his hands in his pockets. After a long day of dull schoolwork, he decided to liberate his dog walker so he could have some quality playtime with little Maxie. The little puff was starting to grow on him--he actually missed her when she would decide to nap in Max’s room. He wasn’t sure if it was because he was in such a good mood or if he felt particularly playful, but either way he was due to bother someone, and it may as well be someone worth bothering.

He spotted the blinding white hair a mile away, standing just outside the Eve dorm. She was kneeling down and gently cleaning off the pup’s feet and back, Maxie’s tail wagging happily. Maxie perked up as Eris approached, letting out a tiny bark of excitement. The mage’s gaze followed, and she gave him the same polite smile she always did: a smile that was happy to see him but slightly nervous. He figured she was still getting used to being so close in approximation with a vampire of his caliber.

Aw, fuck, what was her name again? At this point he should have some semblance of an idea, but asking at this point would almost be embarrassing if he cared. [color=CCFF99]“Hello there, my pet,”[/color] He grinned. [color=CCFF99]“Ah, and you got Maxie there, too!”[/color]

As predicted, the girl was flustered, clearing her throat as she stood up. [color=00BFFF]“Good evening, Eris,”[/color] She returned his greeting, dusting the edge of her skirt before giving him her full attention. Her eyes diverted from his, amusing him a little. [color=00BFFF]“I was just about to head over to drop Maxie off.”[/color]

[color=CCFF99]“I finished early, figured I’d come get her,”[/color] He replied. [color=CCFF99]“Hm, was the nickname too personal? How about Chérie, instead?”[/color]

She looked a little confused at that, though she slowly nodded. Of course she would, not like she’d ever say a word of protest against him. He was pretty sure he could burn down her dorm and she’d thank him. [color=00BFFF]“That’s...fine,”[/color] She shrugged, rubbing her arm.

[color=CCFF99]“Aw, don’t make that face. If you don’t like it, you can tell me,”[/color] He said cheerfully.

Chérie had a pensive look on her face, her fingers fumbling a little with her sleeve. He almost assumed he had made her nervous, but she shook her head at his question. [color=00BFFF]“Oh, no! No, it’s not that,”[/color] She assured him. [color=00BFFF]“I just wanted to ask...I mean, if I can ask--can I ask you something?”[/color]

[color=CCFF99]“Of course.”[/color]

After a short pause, she let out another sigh. [color=00BFFF]“I was wondering...um, there’s going to be this noble thing, and...I’m really, really nervous about messing up…”[/color] She told him. [color=00BFFF]“Be--Count Eve keeps telling me to be myself, but I feel like I can’t. I’m not really good at etiquette and I’ve never really been to anything so fancy, so…”[/color]

Eris had half a mind to report Count Benson. ‘Be yourself’? That was the [i]worst[/i] advice he could give! Who in their right mind would ever want this albino hick to be herself? He was basically setting her up for failure. Entertaining, yes, but Eris would much rather see someone worthwhile humiliate themselves in front of a crowd. Bullying What’s-her-face was just pointless. Unless that was what he wanted? He’d have to give him some credit if that was the case, he supposed.

Clicking his tongue, Eris wagged a finger at her. [color=CCFF99]“Etiquette is what you are doing and saying when people are looking and listening. What you are thinking is your business,”[/color] He told her. [color=CCFF99]“As long as you remember that, you’ll be fine.”[/color]

[color=00BFFF]“That’s...helpful…”[/COLOR] She laughed nervously. [color=00BFFF]“It’s one way to look at it…?”[/color]

[color=CCFF99]“It’s the only way to look at it. Otherwise you prime yourself for easy pickings,”[/color] He said seriously. [color=CCFF99]“Anyone that tells you otherwise is lying and trying to make you look bad. And if you look bad, your vampire looks bad. And [i]that[/i] is just unacceptable.”[/color] Not that he would’ve minded if it was Count Benton, but he figured giving the thing a fighting chance to flounder was better than falling flat on her face.

Ben was also on his way back to the Eve dorm after a few hours of mingling. It was a nice change of pace from his usual socialization and a good break from his studies. He never was the studious type unless it was a subject that interested him but it would not do to flunk his classes. At this point in time he was certain Lilie would be at the dorm already. She had mentioned that she would be taking 'Maxie' for a walk, but he had yet to address that wrinkle. The creature itself could barely qualify as a dog but as it was innocent he wouldn't forbid her from interacting with it. No, its master was more dangerous. The masses may have been swayed by the starlet but Ben himself wasn't convinced that there was anything more than a self-absorbed prick who was as deep as a child's pool. His existence was superfluous and his presence at the academy was clearly one clamoring for attention.

[Color=C0C0C0][i]And now he is getting that attention from Lilie.[/i][/color] His thoughts intensified as he saw the man in question engaged in conversation with his mage. It was only a matter of time before that little commitment would break and he hoped it was sooner than later. Something about Eris Samael bothered him to no end, but he couldn't put his finger on it. His attitude was enough to qualify, yes, but the way he carried himself warned Ben that he was very much like the snake he chose to hang around. A predator, but he couldn't call him a snake. Regardless of his thoughts, Eris was interacting with [i]his[/i] mage, and thus Ben had the perfect footing to insert himself into whatever it was they were speaking of.

[Color=C0C0C0]"Good evening, Mr. Samael,"[/color]  Ben said. [Color=C0C0C0]"To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit? I'm accustomed to seeing you at the Sinnenodel dorm."[/color]

And here came the buzzkill. Ugh. Not like he could say he was having a good time with Snow White here, but he wasn’t having a bad time until now. Still, Eris wasn’t going to let him know how much of a nuisance he was. Not yet, anyway. He flashed the count another grin, sliding his arm over the girl’s shoulders.

[color=CCFF99]“Just talking to my favorite dog sitter,”[/color] He replied happily, pinching her cheek and ignoring her discomfort. [color=CCFF99]“I was wondering where you were. Must be nice to have so much free time on your hands, I do envy the nobility for being able to do whatever they want.”[/color]

That was quite the leap. To Ben's surprise it amused him greatly; seeing their mutual and open dislike of one another was much better than subtle dancing in his opinion. Ruffling Eris' feathers wasn't quite as fun as knocking him off that high horse he rode but this would be a pleasant conversation. He almost frowned at Eris' gesture. Was he trying to mark his territory? Lilie was an Eve mage, such a display was disrespectful at minimum. It must have been some sort of play. [Color=C0C0C0][i]Alright, Eris, I'll bite. Let's play.[/i][/color]

[Color=C0C0C0]"The academy does relieve me of some of my duties, yes, but what free time I do have I spend it wisely,"[/color] Ben said. [Color=C0C0C0]"Not all of us can afford chasing after the affections of an unemotional snake. Unless you've found a new target that I'm unaware of?"[/color]

Eris let out a hollow laugh. Of [i]course[/i] the dick would go straight there. He didn’t care, of course, but maybe that area was still a touch sensitive. Not that it mattered, he was much more interested in why the little count was going on the offensive so quickly. Did he get under his skin just by being around? As flattering as the thought was, he realized the girl next to him had gotten tense. Aww, was he being protective?

Giving Ben a smirk, he took a hold of Lilie and hugged her, ignoring her squeak of surprise. [color=CCFF99]“Hear that, Chérie? Your count thinks there’s something going on between us,”[/color] He asked, giving Ben a mischievous look. 

[color=00BFFF]“What? No, I--”[/color] Lilie had originally opted to try to sneak away, finding it impossible to get out of Eris’ grasp. 

That was one way to divert the topic. Ben couldn’t say he approved of such behavior, although Lilie’s clear discomfort and protest assured him that he had nothing to worry about. Instead he leveled a look on Eris, greatly displeased with his antics. He must have hit the mark if Eris was going so far as to handle Lilie like that.

[color=c0c0c0]"Not at all. If Miss Dionne decides to interact with you then that is her prerogative. I will only intervene if I feel the relationship is inappropriate or a danger,"[/color] Ben said. [color=c0c0c0]"Still, I'm going to have to ask you not to touch her like that. You should know better than to manhandle a count's mage."[/color]

Eris kept a firm grip on her as he placed his chin on top of her head, raising his eyebrows as his arms pinned Lilie in place. The temptation to mess with her more spiked, but that last part annoyed him. For one, he didn’t know what manhandling was if he thought this was it, for another he was really, really focused on him. 

He let out a fake gasp, shaking his head. [color=CCFF99]“Wowee Benji, you must be constantly swatting the boys away if you’re that concerned,”[/COLOR] He replied, giving Lilie a squeeze. [color=CCFF99]“Just so you know, Chérie and I are good friends. When she has something she can’t ask you, she comes to me! If anything, [i]I’m[/i] doing [i]you[/i] a favor.”[/color] He smirked at the blond. [color=CCFF99]“Like you said, you spend your time wisely, but you can’t even take a few minutes to assuage your poor mage? Sounds like a recipe for disaster if you ask me.”[/color]

Lilie’s eyes widened as she shook her head at Ben, horrified. That wasn’t why she was asking him! It wasn’t that she didn’t want to ask, she just thought getting a different opinion was better! She felt a little embarrassed, looking away sheepishly.

Ben's face copied Lilie’s in shock. Since when was Lilie confiding in Eris? How long had this gone on? No, he was trying to rile him up. His initial comment must have been spot on, he was letting himself get distracted. The princess had certainly accomplished the goal of getting vampire and mage closer from the practical as there was an odd sense of protectiveness stirring from within. But of all the people to help him come to this realization, must it truly have been this douchebag? This was a predicament. He mustn't reveal his soft spot for his mage regardless of who was in front of him, moreso the flippant, vapid actor who was so clearly trying to get under his skin.

[Color=C0C0C0]"It’s Benjamin. I will take your words into consideration [i]after[/i] you release my mage,"[/color] Ben said. [Color=C0C0C0]"Regardless of your affiliation your actions are a flagrant disrespect to Miss Dionne's comfort."[/color]

Aha! So he [i]was[/i] a mage fu--actually right now ‘mage lover’ was more accurate. Good, he could pocket this for the future. Eris let out a fake sigh as he released Lilie, patting her head. [color=CCFF99]“No matter what happens, you can always come to me,”[/color] He shot her a grin. [color=CCFF99]“Don’t let him scare you, we can talk anytime, okay?”[/color]

Lilie was all too glad to be out of Eris’ grasp, but she felt weirdly guilty about it. Looking between the two vampires, she suddenly felt like she needed to be as far away from this conversation as possible. [color=00BFFF]“Y-Yeah...if you’ll excuse me,”[/color] She gave Eris a practised curtsey before practically running into the dorm, the door closing a little harder than it should have.

Eris was delighted, of course, and now he could give old Bentley his full attention. [color=CCFF99]“Are you mad because I get along better with your mage than you do?”[/color] He asked. [color=CCFF99]“You do know if you tell her not to talk to me, she’s still gonna do it, right? I know you’re not [i]that[/i] dumb.”[/color]

[Color=C0C0C0]"I'm afraid you're mistaken, but since you're constantly surrounded by a horde of fans constantly telling you the contrary, I can't say I'm surprised,"[/color] Ben said. [Color=C0C0C0]"She speaks to you out of respect, not admiration. If you actually knew her you would recognize that."[/color]

His leap may have been quick but he wanted to lay it out there sooner than later. If he was trying to make some sort of statement then he was doing a poor show of it. No, all Eris wanted to do was be a nuisance. What was worse was that for all intents and purposes, it worked. He was going to have to be very careful around this one as he technically did have a point, no matter how much Ben wished it weren’t so.

Eris gave Ben a wicked grin, his smug expression watching Ben gleefully. [color=CCFF99]“I can change that. I mean look at me--you really think I have a hard time forming a bond with anyone I want? Even the assholes that try to use me get enchanted by my looks,”[/color] He couldn’t help but brag, though his eyes sharpened as he glared at the count. [color=CCFF99]“If you don’t want to find your little mouse in bed with me, then I suggest you don’t go insulting me. I let the night of the practical go and here you are again talking shit. I won’t stand for it just because you think you can get away with it.”[/color]

Ben’s comment must have left quite the mark if Eris was suddenly trying to threaten him. He should have been concerned as he believed him, but something about this just gave him an unnatural delight. He didn’t quite appreciate the threat, but at this point the gloves were clearly off. 

[color=C0C0C0]"I didn’t realize you and Count Sinnenodel were having relationship problems. You have my sincerest apologies, you deserve so much better,"[/color] Ben said dryly. [color=C0C0C0]"I’m going to return your warning with one of my own: don’t underestimate me. If you truly believe I won’t retaliate to your prodding and mockery then you are sorely mistaken."[/color]

The bite back was nice, even if Eris felt like the count was holding back some. He barely managed to make sure his eyes didn’t roll to the back of his head, crossing his arms. [color=CCFF99]“Oh, I’m fully aware of a noble’s capabilities. But believe me, as of this moment, I’m much more dangerous than you,”[/color] He said, wagging his finger. [color=CCFF99]“If I were you I’d focus on trying to get on my good side.”[/color]

It was far too late for that now. However, it did mean that the two came to a mutual understanding: neither one of them liked the other and was fine with that. So be it, Ben was more than sure he would never have a reason to ally himself with a petulant child, and the less they had to interact, the better. This conversation, for all intents and purposes, was over. 

[Color=C0C0C0]"That would infer that I actually cared about your opinion, and I'd hate to lie to you,"[/color] Ben said. [color=C0C0C0]"What say you and I go out separate ways and do our best to avoid one another since we can't come to an understanding?"[/color]

Deaf [i]and[/i] stupid, go figure. But hey, he was more than fine to have a rival of sorts, things were a little too peaceful anyway. Now he could properly antagonize the idiot without repercussion. 

[color=CCFF99]“Oh, that was just rude. Didn't your father teach you any manners--oh, wait...no, he didn't, did he? I nearly forgot your father's practically disowned you out of shame. It must be so hard doing everything you can to get approval you'll never get, will it?"[/COLOR] Eris gave Benji a look of pity. [color=CCFF99]“Oh, well. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have better people to speak with and things of actual importance to do,”[/color] He knelt down and scooped up the patient Maxie, winking at Benson. [color=CCFF99]“Have a good night.”[/color]

This much he should have expected. Ben took solace in his victory for the moment even if he had to admit Eris' terribly thrown together insult did sting just a touch. He supposed walking away unscathed wasn't a possibility. For now he decided to concede and simply let Eris walk away; he needed to have a very frank discussion with his mage on avoiding the hot mess of an actor. 

[Color=C0C0C0]"Enjoy your evening, Mr. Samael,"[/color] Ben said.


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