[color=gray][h3][sup][sup]Vincenzo sat at his desk in his study, the weak amber glow of his desk lamp giving the stacked mahogany shelves a sepia tone. Their old-timey charm was broken somewhat by the cleanliness: this room was well travelled, and the books on them were not just for show like so many others in the highlands of Las Vegas.
 
Shadows danced on the walls, and that desk lamp felt woefully inadequate for the openness of the room, its lone source a bold defiance of the sinister darkness pooling in the corners and edges of the room. The light’s struggle before Vince amused him, it was at his mercy, yet still it stood. It was a good distraction from his reading; ritual proceedings from centuries before even his time were dense at the best of times.
 
As he considered the lamp’s position, the door to the hall of his mansion was opened, letting in more unnatural light from beyond to relieve the beleaguered prey. Tim Keene stood in the doorway, his wide frame rectangular glasses and the brown eyes behind them focusing quickly through the wire frames of his own reading glasses.
 
He spoke quickly to pre-empt his long-time associate, ever earnest in his tone “Yes?” he regarded his greasy-haired attendant.
 
“Letter for you, Vince.” He held up the envelope, carrying a similar coloration to the shelves, its contents sealed in red wax. Both parties knew who it was from, and both knew what it meant.
 
Only the master of the house felt the need to speculate. “Bishop Krause finally decided to grace me with his words?” he says, his voice gaining a sharp sarcasm “How kind.” a thin smile growing under his thin moustache.
 
The ghoul was much less cavalier, carrying that even-keeled steel in the face of his master’s amusement. He would need to learn to be so forced in his unbotheredness someday, but that lesson would come in time. He entered the sanctum, looking down at Vince with a certain sense that the Ghoul was above him. A firmer hand would have risen against him for his demeanor alone, but he bore good news.
 
The letter felt old, its construction brittle and yellowed. The wax bore the personal seal of his once-friend and once-mentor: the bar of a not-so-long forgotten empire quartered with a cross engrailed, a billeted field, and an eagle. Vince always felt that the ornateness of the design was insulted by the monochrome color of fresh blood.
 
Vince drew his stiletto, flicking open the blackwood switchblade adorned with a silver cross. It was freshly sharpened, and rent the seal open, his eyes trailing back up to his far-too-imperious subordinate. “Take a seat, mister Keene.”
 
He sat into the leather upholstery, wearing a knowing smile all the while he sinks to eye level, the hide creaking in the silence all too loudly. Eventually he extracts the parchment from the envelope, and opens the trifold. His eyes go over the contents quickly, then all too slowly.
 
[/sup][/sup][/h3][/color]
[indent][i][color=gray][h3][sup][sup]For the Eyes of Lord Pagani, Friend of the Night, Vincenzo

It has come to my attention that you intend to follow the traitors of your home city against the Sword of Caine, and I must plead with you to reconsider your decision. You have enjoyed over a century of good graces and fellowship from myself and countless others, and you have been honored as a neutral hand which brought ease to the most incendiary feuds.

Those you seek the protection and comradery of now will not welcome you. They do not trust us, nor would they tolerate your ambitions. Without the protection of the Amici you will be at the mercy of their predations. I do not understand why you of all people would abandon security without the promise of something greater.

I appeal to our long-standing friendship, and an understanding that transcends life and death. Do not abandon me to the ire of our fellows, and rededicate yourself to the cause.

Your Eternal Friend,
Bishop Josef Krause[/sup][/sup][/h3][/color][/i][/indent]

[color=gray][h3][sup][sup]
Vince purses his lips and closes his eyes for a moment with a short, sharp sigh. Placing the letter flat on his desk, he reopens them and regards his loyal servant, whose eyes were wandering over that portentous parchment. He could likely read faster upside down than his master could read straight.

“A shame he can only see things from his point of view.” Vince would lament, opening a drawer and drawing his own paper, not burdened by poor construction or faux-age pretense.

“He does have a point, they aren’t going to trust you, even if we expose ourselves at their mercy.” Vince’s expression evens with his companion’s words while he draws his fountain pen from its holder.

“Sometimes life is about taking risks, Tim. And they will not pass up what we can offer, if we are able to offer it in the right way.” he spoke with a confidence that he normally reserved for Order meetings. That pen would begin scrawling with a grace to its movements, a century and a half of penmanship honed.

[/sup][/sup][/h3][/color][indent][i][color=gray][h3][sup][sup]To my Dear Friend Josef,

I am glad to hear from you, and your counsel is taken into consideration. I too value our friendship, and it is for that reason among others that I have made my decision to abandon the cause we have shared for so long. I have disappointed you in my lack of drive, and I have rarely been suited for the cutthroat work expected of me. I do not view this as a betrayal, for I have never been true in my service. 

I always took great pains to distance myself from the bloodsport that I watched consume the lives of others, and take my time to enjoy my life with the wealth and relationships I have built. As I see it, the violence that surrounded me was going to eventually consume me and those I care for, including you.

So I will not be rescinding my decision, nor will I accept this as a parting of ways. We have fought and worked together for too long, and I believe that we do not need to abandon such things on the altar of ideology. You know as well as I do that I will adapt as well as I always have, I just hope that this change will not affect us.

I look forward to your reply,
Vincenzo[/sup][/sup][/h3][/color][/i][/indent]