Elizaveta Romanova, Sister Mary Ignatia Hale, and Virginia Crypt
Location: Russian Imperial Circus Tent City (Regent's Park)
Skills: Tretiy Glaz (Elizaveta/Passive), English (Elizaveta), Diplomacy (Elizaveta)
Elizaveta stood there stoically as the Baron entered the tent. He might not have been a boisterous as his son but there was no denying the man was an Alexandrov. There was just a flair that ran deep within the families bloodline. She awaited patiently for him to finish speaking and finally address that he had in fact been called by her to the tent for a meeting.
"Family is vhat has caused me to summon you to audience vith us at this time." the Grand Duchess said as she slowly turned around and faced the Baron as he sat at his desk.
"Libations vill have to vait. Vould not do vell for any to smell of vodka at this hour before ve present to the Graveolase." Her brow rising slightly as she spoke, otherwise she seemed to hold perfectly still. It was odd, when she was like this one could barely tell she was drawing a single breath.
"Nov on to pressing matters. The Circus needs to be conscripted to take beneath its vings tvo more children. Under royal protection as I have been since I vas a child. The first is Lady Crypts brother, the future Earl, James. The other is the orphan child Adam." Mary stood respectfully, head bowed slightly to signal her deference to those more centrally involved in the conversation. She had spoken with The Baron for a good, long while earlier; the vast majority of what they had to say to each other had been said. This meeting was called by The Grand Duchess for an important matter with The Baron Alexandrov, of which she had little to contribute, except maybe the support of her presence. Though it would help if she knew what this coming peril entailed.
Baron Alexandrov, on the other hand, looked like he had much to say. Carefully, he set his glass upon his desk and settled into the chair behind it. The nigh-comical, animated posturings of the elder man melted away, replaced with a shrewd glint to his eye and a more assertive voice. He was not a politician nor captain of industry, but one might make the mistake of assuming so by his demeanor.
"Ov course, Grand Duchess. The Circus remains a humble retainer of the Russian Peoples as ve alvays have been for generations and generations. This is vithout use of vord: Conscripted. Have never liked this vord. Assumes ordering. Not business, not friendship. Ve are also known for the taking in of displaced and orphaned children. If ve are to train them in the vays of Rusyn, vays of Circus, tradition must be considered. I have been in conference already vith Dame Mary today. Who sponsors future Earl James?" Virginia set down the glass that the Baron had offered her. While she would not mind to have the scent of vodka on her - she often smelled of chemicals when at the Crypt townhouse due to her scientific experiments - she did not wish to jeopardize the Circus' attempts to gain recognition. While she lacked some of the mannerisms of the
Ton, she did not actively attempt to be rude and unpleasant.
"James Petrus Crypt, the Viscount Wenwynith, may serve as his own advocate. Yet he has allowed me to act in his place for decisions such as these - as of such, as the interim head of the Crypt family in the absence of Mycroft Abraxas Crypt, the Earl of Dywell, I - along with the Crypt family - sponsor the future earl." While her own middle name may have appeared strange next to the likes of Petrus and Abraxas, Virginia had been named partially after one of her mother's heroes - the English serial killer Margaret Davey.
Elizaveta stood perfectly still as she watched the Baron, her fingers simply laced together before her. It was an eerie habit of hers to stand like a statue, one it seemed many others in her family line had. It grew to a disturbing level when she was in contemplation. It seemed she lost all life to her being when she was thinking. It was a look that her
great uncle would know well. While she was loving and full of life around most of the circus, even if a bit understated, the Baron and the Ring Master knew just how ruthless the Grand Duchess could be.
"Yet, as you knov perfectly vell, it matters not the ties of blood, money makes it stronger. Othervise I vould not have had the protection I have had as I have grovn, that or the crovn vould not have needed to send so much. Yes, conscripted is the perfect terminology here for this isn't just a request, this isn't just you taking in an orphan, this isn't your niece asking you to help a friend. This is your Grand Duchess placing tvo children in your care that vill be treated as if they were the future Czars. Are ve understood?" Elizaveta said in slow and purposeful tones, a lace of ice sweeping through them that while uncommon was not unheard of from the Grand Duchess. The last time was when someone suggested that Myska would be better off as a rug than a companion.
A stern silence held sway over the tent of the Baron Alexandrov. Mary dared not say a word in the growing tension, seeing as this involved politic beyond her full understanding. The Baron himself appeared stoically holding back a flood of intensity as he tilted his head to one side, perhaps to get a differing angle on Elizaveta as he gazed at her, eyes bright and sharp. Sensing what might become an altercation, Mary quietly swept a foot behind her, one hand drifting toward the hilt of one of her shortswords instinctively, a weapon better suited to their closer quarters.
The Baron slammed his open hand onto the top of his desk, breaking the heavy quiet of the air around them.
"HA!" he exclaimed, triumphantly jutting a finger toward Elizaveta.
"Those are vords of future Czarina of Russian Empire! His mannerisms became confidently calm. The Baron leaned back in his chair and opened a drawer, and began to rummage through papers therein. His voice became more brooding, even thoughtful.
"Is important, da? I know you, Grand Duchess. Ve are not stupid peoples, you and I." He gave a knowing look, as if he suspected more than he was letting on. The Baron lay three identical papers written in Cyrillic alphabet onto the smooth, polished wood in front of him.
"Very much like contract I signed vith your father. As future Czars, like you say. I shall place them both... vith Sem'ya Bazhooli. The people of our people. They vill be as sons." Still facing the Grand Duchess, his eyes darted to Mary first, then Virginia.
"Ve may cross blades vone day, Sister-Knight. Indeed, I vould consider it honor; a show to speak about for generations to come! Is not today. I need papers signed by Grand Duchess, Lady Crypt, and vitnessed by Arch Graveolase." He nudged a jar of ink with a quill pen standing tall from its mouth toward the papers and stepped back.
"Three of you are formidable. I vould hate to be your enemies tonight." Throughout the tense exchange between the Baron and the Grand Duchess, Virginia had remained silent, preferring to observe. She was filled with an emotion akin to pride at Elizaveta's formidable words. It was not often that she heard a woman speak her mind so clearly in London society - certainly not one that she had not already been well acquainted with. While she found some of the Baron's words to be empty attempts at saving face when so squarely beaten in verbal swordplay, his final phrase did ring true - the three women in the tent were formidable.
"I do not place my signature on documents that I have not read in full," Virginia said, as she glanced down at the paper. She could not read nor understand the words on the page. Anything could have been written there and while she had no explicit reason to distrust the Baron, she also had no reason to abandon such a principle.
"If a copy may be procured in Arre-Catte Waho or English, or perhaps a translation offered verbally, then I may sign these papers." Elizaveta rose a brow as she stepped over and looked down the bridge of her nose towards the papers. Reaching out with a gloved hand she lightly touched them with the silk and then her eyes drifted up towards the Baron before she locked eyes with him.
"The lady speaks vell, these vill not do. Nor vill it do for a mere verbal translation for ve could be told anything and if one does not speak the language they could still be signing their life avay. Take these to Sister Sophia to translate promptly. Ve vill conclude after the presentation to the Graveolase." Her words were ever on air as she spoke before turning away and heading towards the doorway of the tent.
At that time the Lady Crypt vill be free to read vhile the council is on conclave for the decision." "Indeed." said The Baron graciously, carefully gathering the papers back up. He was not overly fond of being spoken down to by anyone, not in his Circus and most especially not in his own tent after being summoned for, as it was described to him, important business. He had to admit that the language barrier was an issue, one that had rarely crept up before but was understandably important here in London. Still, the percieved lack of respect given to him overall, even by a Grand Duchess, could be largely forgotten and overcome by the continued support of the Crown during these uncertain times. Whatever was best for his people.
Meanwhile, Mary offered what little gesture was appropriate to the situation while still maintaining her outward position of being in Veta's corner. She gave a serene smile, curtsied with a polite,
"Baron Alexandrov", and exited the tent behind Elizaveta.
Virginia nodded curtly - she was used to doing business transactions on behalf of her father ever since he and her mother departed on their voyage. Someone had to tend to the Crypt family investments and more often than not, it meant having to deal with disrespect. There were those who saw her as nothing more than her gender - and while she did not believe that to be the case with the Baron, a perception of decency on his part by no means meant a change of behavior on hers. She would treat this contract in the same manner that she treated all contracts she was asked to sign.
"I look forward to reading those papers, Baron Alexandrov," Virginia said, before exiting the tent as well.
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