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Rituals
Nov 6, 2019 11:18:36 GMT -6
Post by demikara on Nov 6, 2019 11:18:36 GMT -6
"Scottlynn is a different story all told. She's incredibly immature. I think a lot of her problem is not having grown up in the Unseen though." She asked wildly inappropriately personal questions. It was insane. "I'm glad Brandon ended up with you. He's trouble and a half, but he's been a good kid." If you ignored the whole body parts harvesting schtick. Tyrus tried rather hard to ignore it and wasn't looking forward to the blow out when Catherine found out exactly what her nephew did for the court and for himself. Something had to be done with the victims of their meals after all. So the ones who met his stringent requirements Brandon, for lack of a better word, processed.
"I didn't think I'd like the ranch at first. Someone needed to attend to the shrines, and Father decided that someone was me. I've come to love it." He owned it all now too, instead of the court owning it. He hesitated a moment. "I had an apprentice once. James. He was...he was a great kid. Everything was going well, until he picked a fight he couldn't win." It had been a serious blow to his confidence. His apprentice had died and as far as he had been concerned for years afterwards, it was his fault for not doing a good enough job of teaching him.
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Rituals
Nov 6, 2019 14:25:51 GMT -6
Post by Circe on Nov 6, 2019 14:25:51 GMT -6
"That's probably true, but I also suspect she's suffering from some amount confirmation bias and culture shock." Catherine pointed out. She had tried to ease the girl into everything, but the other had already made up her mind that this was some terrible nightmare or conspiracy against her. Xiaolian and Molly had even run her through a highly modified version of an MCU officer's education, which had only made her even more recalcitrant towards Catherine and others in the unseen. "But yes.. Brandon is a good kid for the most part." Sure, the other had had his moments, but didn't everyone?
Frowning at Tyrus's mention of an apprentice, she quickly put two and two together, hoping that she didn't get anything other than four. "So you handled your grief with self medication and drinking."
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Rituals
Nov 6, 2019 15:23:29 GMT -6
Post by demikara on Nov 6, 2019 15:23:29 GMT -6
"Poorly, but yes." He agreed. "I stopped training for a while and just. I threw myself into magic and into drinking and sometimes both at the same time. I don't recommend that." then again, drinking led to accidental magic and that was his lot in life. It had been a terrible choice. "Without the training, without an appropriate diet, I tend to get bone thin. My magic...it consumes me, if I don't eat enough. I suspect I may need to feed more than most because of that." It had been like that his entire life.
He could eat well, often, and lots or he could die. "I'll have to let Monmack know my diet had changed. He tends to send over meals with supplies." He offered her a smile. "Monmack is my supplier, a dwarf. He's brilliant and makes a great stew." Tyrus ate a lot of stew largely because whatever Monmack put in it was delicious. "If I go too long wihtout dropping by, he sends one of his golems to check on me." There was nothing like a stone golem checking on him at all.
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Rituals
Nov 6, 2019 15:57:40 GMT -6
Post by Circe on Nov 6, 2019 15:57:40 GMT -6
"Can't say I've tried that, considering I've never been one to drink much." Especially not after her last experience with the previous court. She had let down her guard and paid for it. Whatever they had slipped into her wine had been strong, tasteless, and fast acting. That was a large part of the reason she hadn't drunk more than a few minuscule sips at the gala; barely enough to taste and even less to toast with if necessary. "As for your magic... well the higher the level, the more strain it puts on the user and the more reserves you'll need. I don't see how your current state of affairs will have changed that."
Catherine had a knowledge of magic built through trial and error, not to mention many of the cases she had worked that had required their own hours of research through archives and special collections. Tyrus meanwhile was ever the scholar, knowing how it should look on paper or anything ever written about it.
"So the dwarf is your keeper..." She grinned finding this somehow amusing. "Good to know I won't have to fill that role myself. Gods only know how terrible I am just keeping myself together."
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Rituals
Nov 6, 2019 16:04:54 GMT -6
Post by demikara on Nov 6, 2019 16:04:54 GMT -6
"Ha! I have a personal assistant as well with explicit instructions on making certain I eat and how often and how much. Carter and his familiar, Cruor are a clever duo. Not greatly suited to being anyone's personal assistant though." They tried, but Carter got distracted by his latest project and Cruor mostly just followed Carter around and caused trouble. The glamour on the creature helped, but it wasn't the sort of glamour that looked like it fit in at Broadmoor at all. "If I start to have court duties regularly again, I'll probably hire a second PA. What I actually need is an apprentice but...not again. Not anytime soon at least." Getting past the first loss was hard enough.
He finished fixing the hot chocolate and poured them both a mug, bringing one over to Catherine and handing it over. "That reminds me. Want to learn the magic the old Ra's family used to hold the throne? Blood magic is super illegal, but hey. I'm pretty sure the court is exempt." Or might as well be for how well it was enforced.
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Rituals
Nov 6, 2019 16:42:07 GMT -6
Post by Circe on Nov 6, 2019 16:42:07 GMT -6
Wrapping her hands around the mug and enjoying the warmth seeping into her hands, Catherine considered Tyrus's choice of personal assistants. "Ah yes, those two. I had the distinct... privilege of meeting those two when you were in the hospital." She remarked, twisting the words around in her mind to best fit the pair. Carter had raised some alarm bells in her mind and Cruor had been the first individual in several decades leave her more confused than to begin with. "I don't know if you'll have court duties regularly again.. father has me handling the bulk of the day to day affairs." Catherine stated carefully. Grigore had been adamant that once she had settled, she assume many of the duties required to hold the court together.
In her opinion, the fewer people mixed up in the court the better, as the previous family had had too many moving pieces. Catherine much preferred small and efficient to the long logistical tails and entourages that many groups could easily build.
Taking a sip of the hot cocoa, she let the warm liquid trickle down her throat and ease some of the remaining soreness in her mouth. Her attention was drifting with Tyrus's rambling, but it didn't take long before it returned with the words 'blood magic'. Choking on her drink and eyes watering, it took a few minutes for her to speak, "Christ! Tyrus! That's... extremely illegal! The Council doesn't look on it any better than necromancy." There were still times when she couldn't help but think or act like a warden instead of her current status as princess.
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Rituals
Nov 6, 2019 18:30:22 GMT -6
Post by demikara on Nov 6, 2019 18:30:22 GMT -6
"This reaction is why I only just told you." He shrugged. "I am - was - human. Blood magic was father's way of equalizing the playing field and securing his throne. It is the only reason a human prince was accepted. It was used to punish the court when it got out of line, and no one dared breathe a word to the council of it. Klein didn't dare tell the rest of the council either." And now, Tyrus was counting on pride keeping Klein's mouth shut. Pride and a hefty dose of fear that was. "You're not a warden any more. And while you and your father have psionic gifts powerful enough to subdue the court, you should probably know how the previous court did it."
He shrugged. "Father would boil the blood in the veins of those who dared lift so much as a finger against him. He could drive a vampire mad with blood lust, and take it away as he desired." That was just his life. "In the halls of the courts, I'll draw on blood magic first, until I get the whole psionic thing down." That's how he was trained.
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Rituals
Nov 6, 2019 18:54:35 GMT -6
Post by Circe on Nov 6, 2019 18:54:35 GMT -6
Catherine glared at Tyrus and still entertaining the idea of strangling the mage. "What did you expect me to say mage?" She growled. This was not something she had been counting on, but it did explain how the previous rulers had been able to keep everyone cowed so easily. "I may not be a warden currently, but I was one and worked with MCU for longer than you've existed likely." Catherine pointed out. It was a hard habit to break, considering she'd seen what could happen if the Council found out something it didn't like.
This newest piece of information didn't sit well with Catherine, and it made her second guess whether or not she could trust Tyrus going forward. The idea of blood boiling in her own veins sounded like a torture akin to what she had just subjected herself to earlier in the evening. "Did you expect me to say teach me?" Catherine asked incredulously. Psionics combined with the chaotic veil magic could generally be manipulated into something just as destructive and fearful.
"For chrissake fucking sake Tyrus..." Despite being la principessa and Grigore's distaste of it, she still swore like a cop.
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Rituals
Nov 6, 2019 19:05:29 GMT -6
Post by demikara on Nov 6, 2019 19:05:29 GMT -6
"Oh probably longer, yeah." You didn't get to make warden without a lot of experience behind you after all. "And no, but you should be made aware of all my skills, including the less than savory ones. Don't worry, I'm not a necromancer also." Just a man who knew blood magic, which was just as rare and just as illegal. "I had figured you already knew, to be honest. I thought it was one of the reasons you didn't like the court." It was a valid reason to dislike the court too.
Blood magic was not kind. He couldn't think of a single way that it could be used kindly. Blood was incredibly precious as an ingredient and no one in the unseen would let a drop of their blood fall into bad hands. He knew a great many reasons why. "I feel like I should offer you something. You're going to be stuck teaching me until I get this down." And he made a terrible student. Too many questions and he had to be moving to take anything in.
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Rituals
Nov 6, 2019 19:22:42 GMT -6
Post by Circe on Nov 6, 2019 19:22:42 GMT -6
"de dragul zeului Tyrus .." Catherine muttered tersely under her breath. She was in over her head again, and was likely to loose it finally at this rate. "No I didn't know, there's surprisingly a lot that I don't know. I've spent the last few hundred years either working for the Council or in the fae courts." She explained exasperatedly. "In case you didn't realize it, I'm not terribly good at being a vampire either."
How she had even managed to survive this long as a mystery even to her. Her life up until now had seemed to be a comedy of errors and poor choices mostly on her part. Her upbringing had been rather sheltered, but at the same time strict. It had just been her and Sir William, and the man had tried his best. But ultimately as an only child, with even fewer playmates, she hadn't had many of the opportunities others had been given.
"The reason I was never a fan of the courts is duty always came first, I couldn't hold a political opinion or position either way. It was already risky enough placing me in as a warden."
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Rituals
Nov 6, 2019 19:30:21 GMT -6
Post by demikara on Nov 6, 2019 19:30:21 GMT -6
"That didn't sound nice, whatever you just said." He had caught the tone and his name. "Well, I can tell you more about the culture, but I suspect we're about to undergo a culture shift." And a strong one too. "So I suspect we'll both learn together." That was going to be interesting. "But I can get you up to date on whose who in the court." That he knew like the back of his hand, and the politics of it all. It was a court of vipers, but it was one he had navigated since he was ten.
"I suppose your duty has changed now." the shift was going to be interesting. "But it suits you more." And now he supposed beign a vampire would suit him more too. He sipped at his hot chocolate.
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Rituals
Nov 6, 2019 19:46:05 GMT -6
Post by Circe on Nov 6, 2019 19:46:05 GMT -6
"It wasn't anything polite company shouldn't hear and it could have been worse." Catherine quipped, waving Tyrus's concerns aside and picking her mug back up. It hadn't been much of an insult, and she was too tired to continue thinking and then mentally translating to English before speaking. "If by culture shift, you mean the precedent of a ruling family going back to the first.. maybe. But probably more so that father has been encouraging hunting instead of a banked product.. which if I'm honest is full of chemicals, but safer considering man kind's proclivity for stupidity." If the humans woke up and remembered any of their history with the vampires, it was that ingesting certain compounds took them directly off the menu for the vampires. Besides, with the recent medical innovations and rise of the chronic health condition, there would be no telling what they'd be eating.
"However a list of names at the court would be appreciated... I'm all too familiar with the backstabbing and backbiting. The fae do it just as badly, but are a bit more discrete." The fae were master's at saying one thing, meaning another, and doing something else entirely. Catherine didn't expect any better out of the vampires, the two were nearly equal in terms of deception.
"Wait.. why do you think this role suits me better?"
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Rituals
Nov 6, 2019 19:53:00 GMT -6
Post by demikara on Nov 6, 2019 19:53:00 GMT -6
"You're happier." He said and shrugged. 'You're visibly less stressed. You don't actually have to be a dog of the council now." That was what the seedier parts of the unseen called wardens. Dogs of the council, ready to nip at your heels if you left a trace behind. "I can give you a list. Once I'm in control enough, I can go with and point them out to you." Once he could focus on sharing thoughts with just one person and blocking out the thoughts of those around him.
It was basically like a control exercise, right? He hoped. He had no clue. This was going to be maddening. "The gala was the first time I saw you without your glamour. I'm mildly jealous." She looked amazing and he had been in his sun court finery. It looked like he'd get to skip all that from now on, at least. Maybe he'd even figure out a less obvious way of holding his favored stones. "Did not appreciate you taking the mind shielding trinket from me. It's not like it would have stopped you."
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Rituals
Nov 6, 2019 20:08:38 GMT -6
Post by Circe on Nov 6, 2019 20:08:38 GMT -6
Catherine was silent as she considered everything. Was she happier? That depended greatly on the day of the week and what was going on, but over all she could agree with his statement. Things were not as stressful when she wasn't having to clean up after whatever mess Molly had gotten herself into, or argue with the Council for better support for her officers. "There were things I enjoyed about my job, but in the last little bit... after everything, the Council wasn't on my side." She explained drawing her knees up to her chest. She didn't care if it wasn't lady like or polite to sit on someone's sofa half lucid.
"Father had requested that I not use a glamour and it feels.. strange, almost wrong." Catherine admitted. She had been distinctly uncomfortable without the security of the glamour, something that she had grown used to. "I've used it for the last few decades, and to suddenly not have it is an odd thing." With her stark white hair, fair skin, and light eyes combined with her height, Catherine cut quite the striking figure at the court. A far cry from the very clearly human, female detective, with her hastily put up hair and clearance rack suits.
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Rituals
Nov 6, 2019 20:15:58 GMT -6
Post by demikara on Nov 6, 2019 20:15:58 GMT -6
"Going without a glamour is...It's a bold move in the unseen." It generally wasn't done. the goal was to look as human as possible as often as possible. He knew that goal all too well. He had needed to learn how to walk like a human to go to college and even then he had sometimes messed it up and scared his mundane classmates. You learned how to walk from your parents and his parents had walked like predators.
He tucked his legs under him and held his drink close. "I'm hopping he doesn't ask it of me. Father wasn't always careful with training or punishments. Mother was the one who cared about my appearance." All his injuries from mother could be hidden under his clothes. His father's training had left much more visible injuries.
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