Post by Pandora LeAmour on Jun 15, 2009 21:01:40 GMT -5
Pandora LeAmour
Symphony De Madrid
Tathar Seregon
William, the Tower Guard.
Gemini "Gemma" Stone
Hajia Portier
Location: The Tower
Time: Two hours after sunset.
Pandora
The Meeting Room had held Pandora captive since the moment she arose more then two hours ago. The NightWorld Council had surprised her with yet another visit, this time seeking her advice rather then to belittle her. As, one by one, the members rose from their chairs and began filing out, Pandora watched them go quite eagerly. Though it was a pleasant meeting, compared to the vast majority of them, she wasn't about to ask them to tea.
Because the meeting with the NightWorld Council had gone productivly, she was actually in high spirits. With a nod to the final member of the Council, Pandora leaned back in her chair glad for the peace and quiet.
She had a few appointments scheduled for this evening, but with luck, she'd be completed and able to enjoy a nice warm feeding before the evening ended.
Pandora pulled off the gloves that she had been wearing since the moment she was informed the Council was here to speak with her. The last thing she needed was them to find out that a Lycan had gotten the upperhand. They weren't the type to take too kindly that sort of information.
Icy blue eye's stared directly ahead as Pandora retreated deeper into her thoughts.
Symphony
It was high time for her little meeting. Symphony had done a bit of...research...in the past few days to better prepare herself for this little visit. She was quite certain her ettiquette had improved, and since she had kept true to her word on keeping her real nature secret from the increasingly nervous locals, she rather allowed herself a moment of that cursed human emotion: pride. She had preened herself, making herself more..."approachable?" for this little venture, and found quite to her unbidden pleasure that the Emerald green night cloak suited her rather well. She smiled at herself in a puddle as she passed on, heading towards the Tower, her metting, and her fate.
Tathar
He finished up the last few details on the schematic or blueprint or doodle...whichever one preferred to call it, and tucked it within his pocket. He thought, for a moment, about taking his pipe with him, as he'd likely be waiting for quite a while before he would have the chance to speak with the vampire, but he didn't mind. Even so, he decided against it, knowing that she did not care for the smell of the smoke it produced. He wouldn't care under normal circumstances, but he was going to her home, after all...
Pandora
Sliding the wooden chair back from the long table, Pandora rose and left the chair as it was. Walking around the table, she ignored the rest of the abandoned chairs, and headed for the archway. Speaking aloud, Pandora called for Bertha to ready the table. Before she even made it back to her own chair, Bertha had arrived and began lifting each chair off the floor, only to lower it once more to fit against the table where they rightly belonged. Pandora, it appears, was a sucker for organization.
As she took her seat once more, her eye's closed, mind mentally running down the long list of thing's to attend to this evening. She'd only been back from vacation for a little over a month now, and already Pandora couldn't wait for the next one. Everyone else got time off, and her's seemed to be scarce.
As Bertha tucked in the last of the dozen chairs, Pandora slowly opened her eye's and gave a nod of her head.
"Thank you, Bertha. That will be all tonight, I think. Enjoy your evening."
See, she could be polite. Technically, Bertha should have lingered around to ensure the room was in order after every meeting scheduled this evening, but there was nothing saying Pandora herself couldn't handle it. The woman deserved a night off. Hell, anyone deserves a night off now and again.
Icy blue eye's watched as Bertha backed from the room and then disappeared, no doubt to her own quarters to look after her young'un. Now that she was alone in the room again, Pandora began picking through the large stack of parchments that lay infront of her, her eye's quickly scanning through to at least get the gist of what was written.
Symphony
And thus, here she was again. She felt her wasted, useless heart beating with trepidation--or something. Surely one in as much control as she strove to be in couldn't be feeling such silly fear? She swallowed her silly, human weakness down, subconsciously pulled the cloak's hood further over her face, and at last raised her hand to knock boomingly on the door, as she had done so impertinously a few days before. She had cut the Tower a wide berth since then, and had seen the mundane drudgery that occupied the lives of these people, but still did not understand it. So, she would present herself, hopefully be granted (oh how she hated that term) citizenship or the right to stay or something. Whatever it was this new Master wanted from her would soon be discovered.
Tathar
He donned his cloak and headed out...The little argument with that irritating woman earlier still fresh in his mind, and so was the thick scent from his near slip-up transformation, but he wasn't worried about anyone catching wind of that...Even the vampire couldn't say anything about it, since he had technically kept himself in check, as much as he would have liked to do otherwise. He made sure that the hood was pulled up tight, hiding his features perfectly, and the darkness of it meshed well enough with the shadows to hide his large shape...or rather, help to hide it as far as was possible, going over anything he may have to bring to Pandora's attention in his mind. There was no bother rehearsing anything, as their conversations tended to stray in odd ways, but it would have to suffice.
William
William's eye peered through the small slit in the door and spotted the green cloak at once. With a grunt, he gritted his teeth and lifted the bolt from his side of the doorway, sliding it from it's natural place. Then, using the two fingers on his right hand that weren't damanged, he slowly and very carefully pulled the door open, using it as a sort of sheild. This woman had the weirdest effect on him. When he was accustomed to Pandora and her wrath, for lack of a better term, he didn't know two rocks from this woman and still she made the hair on his arms stand up.
"She is expecting you. The Master will receive you in the Meeting Room. Just down the hall, first door on your right Miss."
Remaining behind the door, he would wait until she stepped in to close the door once more, and fasten the heavy wooden lock into place.
Symphony
She drew forth, her head held high but her voice remaining even, surveying him with some curiosity as he hid from her.
"Thank you. I will show myself in."
And with that, she did not spare him another glance, but drew forth, only then shaking back the hood of the cloak and freeing her dark hair. She hesitated outside the room, not sure if she should make her presence known or simply walk in. After a split second she opted for the latter and pushed the door open and stole silently within the meeting room she had been left in last time, and casting a furtive glance around, waiting for her instructions.
Tathar
The scent of the construct-woman met his nostrils...She must have come this way first, and from the strength of it, as well as the lingering feeling of slight unease, it must have not been very long ago at all. He made his way around the Tower and rapped slightly on the center of the door, just below the slit that the guard used to look outside with. He could scent William, though the door did manage to stifle it somewhat, and he wondered if he was doing any better than last he had seen.
Gemma
Her steps were swift,silent,graceful. Her body completely hidden beneath a dark cloak, only a few strands of long brown hair blew freely in the wind from 'neath her hood. She had been traveling for days by foot, only stopping when the darkness of day death wrapped its loving arms around her and carried her away. She had been lucky to be so far away from humans, succumbing to the death was much easier in a secluded place. She peered round her hood,blue eyes scanning the darkening village...she tried to appear as human as possible,though she had never had any full on contact with them unless she was feeding. Even as she had appeared from the shadowed forest a strange sensation had coursed through her body and the sweet scent of human blood mingled with the damp air and she had to breathe to control herself. She walked in a straight line, not stopping, nor touching anything. She had to get to the castle. She hoped they would let her pass. She did not know if the rumors were true. She did not know if there was a "Master of the City" who was vampire and ruled over other vamps and creatures of the night. Suppose her information had been false? she was afraid she would expose herself, her long guarded secret...or worse, scare a mere human into hysterics and be decapitated ont he spot. she didn't have much of a plan...she really hadn't waited around at home to figure anything out. She had just gone,wanting to see if there was really a place vampires and humans coincided in harmony. All she knew, was that if there were other vampires or anything of the sort,the Master of the City would know. She continued on, her mind set and determined.
William
Thankfully, William hadn't gotten the lock into place yet, so when the Smithy's rap inturrupted the process, he had little work to do. First peering through the small slit, he grunted again, and struggeld a moment before getting the door open again.
"Master is in the Meeting Room, Sire."
Though his eye's looked to the Smithy, they weren't really seeing. The light had gone out of them, and he was but a shell of a man, left to run the door.
Pandora
Inside the Meeting Room Pandora was aware of when her second appointment of the evening arrived, for it sent imaginary spiders creeping all over her body. Still, with eye's on the parchments infront of her, Pandora waited until the woman strolled under the Archway and into the room itself. She didn't glance up, but gestured to one of the many chairs that were tucked into the table properly.
"Take a seat De Madrid."
Even as she spoke that she heard William informing another of her location and Pandora picked up the scent of her favorite Lycan. She spoke not a word, her eye's remaining on the work infront of her, as she waited both the woman's seat and the Lycan's arrival.
Symphony
She nodded even as her booted feet crossed the room and took the seat indicated. She did not know it, but her expression as she gazed upon the other's feature was hungry. This "master" was no human, but she was still so beautifully, so tragically flawed. She knew there were other...creations...like herself out there who instead of studying the perks and quirks of humanity instead studied these creatures and their furry bellied kin, like the smithy. It was a discipline she had never before considered taking up, but now, surveying Pandora and wondering about her, she thought if ever she chose a second path in life, that would be it. She had no scent ability to detect another's approach, but merely sat there, not fidgiting, but focusing entirely on the woman in an eerie, unblinking way.
Tathar
It seemed that William was....different....and so he did not linger to attempt to discuss anything with the poor man...Instead, he nodded from under the dark confines of the hood and stepped foreward, heading the short way to the meeting room. Upon entering he caught Symphony under his gaze first, and then his bright emeralds moved to rest on Pandora's form. He offered no form of greeting, merely moving to a space equally far from them both at the table, taking a chair, and sitting. He hoped that they wouldn't mind his sitting in on this little meeting, but it wasn't like there was anything else to do here...at least not for a while, yet.
Hajia
She sat silently and wathed as the others made their way to the meeting that was to happen tonight. Her eyes narrowed a little as one would have appeared to be a female..with a nerve she had never quite seen before. The other was the smith, who she had met just a short few hours ago. Her corset clung tight to her chest, her gloves were open at the fingers, dangling between them was the cross. Pushing herself to her feet, she slowly made her way behind the others. Her thoughts calmed. Her orbs were shifting every direction. She would show him. Pompuous idiot. Chuckling she decided to carry onward. Pandora would probably hang her by her neck, upside down nd cut every artery possible, slowly letting her drip dry...literaly. But she had to try. She would not cause anyone harm. She just wanted to...make things a bit more perkier around here. Hajia's orbs took in the form of Tathar from behind. Muscular, and well built. She imagined he must be good lookin' even in..She smiled and cut off the thought. She nay wished to think about yet another man. She wanted...a Female toy, but she also had a problem with wanting somethin' someone else had. Sort of...competition. She thrived on it. She enduldged in it.
Gemma
The night grew darker and damper around her, there was no one in the streets now, and soft yellow lights from lanterns and candles shone from tiny windows of the homes. She licked her cold lips as her blue gaze fell upon the gatehouse of the castle. She quickened her steps, pulling her hood down from her head, hoping to show that she meant no harm. She was greeted by a large guard, who was almost as black as the night itself. She looked at him for a moment and lifted her head high and said in a strong voice "My name is Gemini stone, I am seeking the Master of the City for personal buisness," [/b]she shifted herself not knowing what to expect.[/color]
Pandora
Pandora continued reading silently from the parchment in her hand as Tathar took his seat silently. A few moments of utter silence passed before she would lower said parchment and turn her blue eye's first to Tathar and then to Symphony. Very carefully, she lowered the parchment to the table and flipped it over so the contents of it was no longer visible to those at her table.
"Well then. Please remove your cloaks and drape them carefully over the back of your chairs, and we shall get down to business."
Her back remained straight and riggid against the chair's own, as she watched between the two of them. Her face, casual. Expressionless almost, if not for the fact that her eye's were clearly alive. She was in high spirits after all... The corner of her lips twitched in the false sense that she was smiling. Not quite THAT high of spirits, but close enough. It had been a good night thus far, and Pandora hoped the remainder of it would prove to be just as productive.
Before she even had the chance to speak again, one of the Towers servants came skittering into the room, his eye's upon the floor. Pandora, keeping her left hand under the table in her lap, gestured with her right to summon them forward. As he told her that there was someone at the castle gates requesting to be taken to her, Pandora's eyebrows arched ever so slightly.
"Did they give their name?"
A name was provided, one in which Pandora had never heard before, and she asked another typical question.
"From what world?"
Again an answer was provided, and Pandora considered this a moment, before nodding her head.
"Very well, have them send her over this way."
She then gestured again, and without watching as he backed from the room and disappeared, she turned her eye's to Symphony and then to Tathar, and back to Symphony again.
"It seems we've more unexpected guests tonight. Let us move onto business before another inturruption finds their way into my home, shall we?"[/b][/u]
Hajia
Nestling in the shadows at the village edge, she donned her cloak. Lifting her head to pull up her hood tuckin in all the loose locks. She was completely covered. Fished with everything in it's place she made her way to where the others were. She chose to walk with her staff. It was a walkin' staff, and without the cross she carried it bared no strength. Watching as the others disappeared behind the closed door she noted the lass waiting her turn to gain access. Smilin' lightly. Going out into an open area to enter where the night life is..dangerous. She was next to the other girl before anyone could blink their eye. She hadn't moved too fast, she was just discreet. Standing beside her, she looked to her. Overhearing that she had mentioned seekin' the Master of The City, she spoke calmly to the young Vampiress. Able to tell, by her scent. Roaming her cloudy blues over the woman she continued.
" I hear you are lookin' for the Master of the City, you must be new here.. I will escort you... but..please..." Before she finished she pulled her from her cloak another fine velour cloak and draped it about the girl. pulling the hood up and nodding to her. leaning in to whisper softly.
" Be careful young one, there are plenty who would love to gain access to such place..protect who you are first..."
She paused for a moment and then added
" I am Hajia..I will not harm you.."
Even though she was sure Tathar would argue that, she smiled at the thought but she turned in time to see the gate keep return and open the slot. Leaning up she requested.
" Hajia Portier, formerly of Enchantica..here to see the Master of the City..."
She fell back into silence and awaited.
Symphony
She observed the servant with idle curiousity, instead finding the reaction of the master much more entertaining. She WAS capable of a real smile, and she did as such then.
"But of course, Master. I am here at your request, having fulfilled the demands set. I have waited four days, and returned bedecked in the LOVELY cloak provided for me. Also true to my testament, I have kept my tongue silenced about this world to the mortals, although I think they might have noticed that I...am not like them. They have an unfortunate habit of paying attention to little things and putting much stock into superstition."
She paused, seeming to realize that she had been rambling, and continued in a much more professional manner.
"At any rate, I have fulfilled the tasks set before me, and now I turn back to you, but..."
Another pause, as she weighed the consequences of her next words, for they had not occured to her until that very moment.
"But I have returned with no questions locked behind my lips this eve. This is merely a gratuity visit, to show you that I will be no threat to you or your secret."[/b][/u]
Gemma
Her body stiffened hard,and her blue eyes burned as the woman calling herself Hajia introduced herself and produced another cloak that she draped about Gemini. Gemini jerked and moved to the side, wrinking her nose as a strange scent drifted 'neath her nose. She spoke in a low voice to the woman, her head held high, her gaze still burning. "I worry not about you harming me, for it would be a Very foolish thing should you attempt so," she removed the cloak and dropped it to the ground "I need not your help either...what was it..Hajia? yes well, I would advise you to not be so friendly with strangers...'tis a good way to get yourself harmed," she pulled her lips tight. Perhaps she shouldn't be so rude,but she was untrustworthy of all outside of her small village...she knew the things people were capable of. She looked at the woman again, and bent over to retrieve the cloak and handed it back to her. "Thank you for the consideration however...and I-I apologize, I did not mean to offened." with that she fell silent.Her lips pulled tight and her senses on alert.
Tathar
His attention settled wholly on her at first...at least until she made the request that they remove their cloaks. What purpose could that possibly serve? To promote comeraderie? But he did not complain or voice an objection, doing as was instructed with his cloak before returning his attention to...the table, though the arrival of the servant snatched it elsewhere...Another NightWorlder...? My how the ranks of night were swelling all of a sudden...This was likely to be an entertaining meeting indeed. And Pandora had even almost smiled...Well, tonight was proving to be...odd....His attention turned to Symphony as she spoke....Almost laughing at the manner in which she did so...It was...Odd, to say the least, and he could see that she was still apparently having quite some difficulty grasping the proper way to speak...Flattery will get you nowhere, after all, or at least that was the way he thought about it....And his gaze turned to Pandora when the woman mentioned this being a gratuity visit....She had been ordered to visit, so it was nothing of the sort...It was required...and he waited for a response.
William.
At the request for the Master of the City, William fidgetted. He checked the clipboard and noticed that Pandora didn't have an outstanding appointment with anyone else that wasn't already within the walls of the Tower.
Peering through the slit in the door once more, he studied both women. One was clearly a vampire like Pandora herself, and the other.. Well, the other wouldn't have warranted a second glance as she did appear human, if not for the fact that she seemed to know that a cloak was in order, even if it was not the CORRECT cloak.
The haunting words of the Master of the City came back to him. Throughout his punishment he had to repeat it enough times to ensure it was committed to memory. He repeated it now, his voice quiet and haunting.
"All new arrivals of NightWorld are welcome within the Tower permitting they arrive at a decent hour."
With a grunt, he worked the wooden lock from it's position and opened the door, once more using it as a sheild to hide behind until the women were clear of the doorframe. Then he would push the heavy door closed once more and refasten the lock.
"If you'll wait here, I shall inform her of your arrival Ms. Stone, Ms. Portier."
He then turned and slowly staggered towards the Meeting Room, leaving the two newly arrived NightWorlders there in the enterance hall of the Tower.
As he stepped nervously into the Meeting Room, his eye's instantly went to the floor. There he stood, awaiting until Pandora finished speaking before he would request a moment of her time.
Pandora
Pandora had been listening to the woman speak with no indication that she actually heard, or approved, of what was being said. The small nod of her head at the end of every detail was the only indication that she was obsorbing what was being provided.
When Symphony finished, Pandora settled back into her chair, her right hand slipping under the table to join her left.
"I am pleased to hear all this, De Madrid. There are certain laws in which you must be made aware of before I can even consider allowing you reside within my home, as I am sure you understand."
Her eye's then travelled to Tathar and she struggled not to actually smile as she continued speaking to Symphony.
"We all have had to endure the law speech."
She had almost added something else there, her mouth opened but no words came. Her eye's had locked on William and her eyebrows arched.
"What is it, William?"
Her right hand gestured him forward before returning to her lap under the table. As William whispered in her ear, Pandora's expression changed from casual businesslike to surprise, and then anger.
"Very well, show them both in."
She then turned her eye's to Symphony once more.
"It seems we have another new arrival. She is being shown in now, and to save myself from having to repeat, we shall go over the laws then. I expect you have nothing better to do but wait."
She made no reference to the old aquintince whom was also being shown in, simply because she couldn't think of a nice way of putting it. While William backed out of the Meeting Room to fetch the women, Pandora turned to Tathar.
"And what of you, Lycan? Have you come bearing toys?"[/b][/u]
Hajia
She blinked at the woman. Pressing her lips to a firm line she stepped back saying not another word to her. Her orbs glossed over. Perhaps being nice was over-rated. She thought she would try. However it was foolish of her to try to be helpful. The girl would soon find out what happends. But none the less she focused straight ahead. Biting on the corner of her mouth impatiently until the door was unlocked and opened. She stepped t hrough ahead of the rude Vamp. Finding her almost annoying. She had alot to learn Hajia didn't need to fear most. She had a few close calls, but her line of work caused her to have deathly encounters on more than one occassion
Making her way through to the Tower's meeting room, she stopped short just before and let the other girl go first. Leaning against the wall she waited. She would follow her in. Twirling the Cross between her index finger and her thumb she stood straight again and followed on in. Knowing full well, this could send Pandora off the edge. But she had proven her normal instincts correct. Generosity, and kindness bear nothing but redicule and rudeness. Making her way into where Pandora was...she could smell the Lycan too. This was proving to be even more appealing. Handsome Toy..where did you run to?! She chuckled quietly.
Gemma
Gemini only looked at the woman from a sideways glance,not particularly interested in her at all...she was not here to make "friends" she was here to see if her information proved true, so that if it didnt...she could try and get most of the way home before death called her to its side once more. She watched as the door opened and she followed in behind Hajia to the entrance hall. She didnt take the time to look around, as she watched the man who had opened the door go right on through and enter into another room. When Hajia hung back to let her slide past she shot a glare at her, her nose wrinkling again. She slid past her, entering into a big room that housed three others who had seemed to be in the middle of something. Two women sat in the middle of the room and a man sat off to the side. Her eyes slid from one to the other as more smells drifted beneath her nose...She followed the man to where the women were seated...she kept silent waiting for them to adress her first.
Tathar
Well...apparently the vampire was either understanding of the construct's manner of speech, or she chose not to notice the words chosen, either way she did not react the way he had thought she would, showing even further that she must have been in a much better mood this evening. At the mention of the speech about the laws he merely nodded, suppressing a slight grin himself....Long and droning and boring monotoned stuff, of which he would have to sit through once more....Maybe that should be deemed a punishment...It was certainly mind numbing enough to serve as a fitting one. And he looked up as William entered...He had no difficulty listening in on the whispered words, even though he chose to act as nonchalant as possible so he wouldn't be accused of eavesdropping, though she surely had expected him to overhear, and her expressions were noted, and it would seem that yet again her temperment turned for the worse...She didn't stay in good spirits for very long...And at her question he reached into his coat pocket, withdrawing the scrap of parchment, a smug expression on his face as he slid the thing accross the top of the table to her "Well, I would, but you have not yet supplied me with the necessary....materials....as of yet. Instead of showing up without productive results, I chose to see how you feel on the design before I implement it." The design itself was bold...crude....cruelly so, the tip of the blade wide with the front half hooked and the back serrated, this particular one with a full and thin and sharpened hand guard which would cover the entire set of fingers wielding it, the trademark P large and emboldened in the center of this. As the others entered, there was one of which he chose to blatantly ignore...the irritating one from his shop earlier, but this time he showed a great deal more control over himself, showing not the slightest sense of tension about his form. The other....another vampire it scented like, he offered a small nod before returning his gaze to Pandora once more.
Pandora
Pandora kept her eye's on the Lycan as he spoke. When he withdrew the sketch of her request, she reached out with her right hand and lifted it, her eye's sliding from him to the parchment. She remained studing it as the two women entered. She kept them locked on the drawing still so, as they approached. And still, her eye's remained on Tathar's design as they stopped.
Finally, she tore her eye's away from the design and back to Tathar, still pointedly not looking at the two women whom had arrived.
"It will serve it's purpose. I shall have William fetch you the required materials."
She turned her eye's to the doorway where William had stopped at after showing the guests in, and gave a brisk nod in his direction. When he backed from the room once more, Pandora turned her eye's back to the sketch for a moment before she lowered it, too flipping it over so no one else could see it.
"Well then."
Finally, Pandora turned her eye's to the two new arrivals, or rather the one new arrival and the one who finally returned.
"Let us see here."
Pandora gestured with both hands for Tathar and Symphony to rise from their chairs. She didn't wait for them to obey, instead she continued speaking as if she fully expected them to obey.
"The Lycan will sit here, directly on my right. Symphony, if you will politely trade him seats, you will be seated on my left."
Without looking at the two new arrivals, she addressed them as well.
"Portier, kindly take a seat three chairs down from the Lycan. And you, miss. Likewise from Ms. De Madrid here."
Undoubtedly, Portier would not like these arrangements, for once a long time ago, she always took the seat directly to Pandora's right. A lot of time has passed since then. A lot of thing's have changed. The seating at the table was done purposly. The two new arrivals will be there, on her left. The seat to the right of her was reserved for her Second in Command, but seeing as he was recently deceased, the Smithy would occupy it, a nice little snub to Portier, whom would take a seat next to him.
"I do not offer biscuits and tea, thus if you are hungry perhaps you should simply gnaw on the inside of your own mouth until you are excused. Now, if you will get a move on, it seems we have much business to discuss before I can move onto more personal matters."
Her gaze flashed to the paper infront of her that held her requested design, then back around the room once more.
"Portier, I shall deal with you later. As you can see, I am in the midst of something here. You can either sit where I assigned you, or you can show yourself out."
It was clear Pandora knew the woman, but no one could seem to gather if that was a good or bad thing. Business first.
Hajia
She had entered the room. Her lips calm, pulled into a flat emotionless line. Upon hearing instruction and taking a strong dislike for the idea to sit next to Tathar. But Chuckling to herself she slid into the seat. Nodding to Pandora and not saying another word. It was worth the wait.
Sliding into the spot next to Tathar she slid him and smooth glance, and winked. Trying to hold back the entertaining laugh she felt. It was sadistic in a way. Leaning back in the chair she remained silent.
Symphony De Madrid
Tathar Seregon
William, the Tower Guard.
Gemini "Gemma" Stone
Hajia Portier
Location: The Tower
Time: Two hours after sunset.
PandoraThe Meeting Room had held Pandora captive since the moment she arose more then two hours ago. The NightWorld Council had surprised her with yet another visit, this time seeking her advice rather then to belittle her. As, one by one, the members rose from their chairs and began filing out, Pandora watched them go quite eagerly. Though it was a pleasant meeting, compared to the vast majority of them, she wasn't about to ask them to tea.
Because the meeting with the NightWorld Council had gone productivly, she was actually in high spirits. With a nod to the final member of the Council, Pandora leaned back in her chair glad for the peace and quiet.
She had a few appointments scheduled for this evening, but with luck, she'd be completed and able to enjoy a nice warm feeding before the evening ended.
Pandora pulled off the gloves that she had been wearing since the moment she was informed the Council was here to speak with her. The last thing she needed was them to find out that a Lycan had gotten the upperhand. They weren't the type to take too kindly that sort of information.
Icy blue eye's stared directly ahead as Pandora retreated deeper into her thoughts.
Symphony
It was high time for her little meeting. Symphony had done a bit of...research...in the past few days to better prepare herself for this little visit. She was quite certain her ettiquette had improved, and since she had kept true to her word on keeping her real nature secret from the increasingly nervous locals, she rather allowed herself a moment of that cursed human emotion: pride. She had preened herself, making herself more..."approachable?" for this little venture, and found quite to her unbidden pleasure that the Emerald green night cloak suited her rather well. She smiled at herself in a puddle as she passed on, heading towards the Tower, her metting, and her fate.
Tathar He finished up the last few details on the schematic or blueprint or doodle...whichever one preferred to call it, and tucked it within his pocket. He thought, for a moment, about taking his pipe with him, as he'd likely be waiting for quite a while before he would have the chance to speak with the vampire, but he didn't mind. Even so, he decided against it, knowing that she did not care for the smell of the smoke it produced. He wouldn't care under normal circumstances, but he was going to her home, after all...
PandoraSliding the wooden chair back from the long table, Pandora rose and left the chair as it was. Walking around the table, she ignored the rest of the abandoned chairs, and headed for the archway. Speaking aloud, Pandora called for Bertha to ready the table. Before she even made it back to her own chair, Bertha had arrived and began lifting each chair off the floor, only to lower it once more to fit against the table where they rightly belonged. Pandora, it appears, was a sucker for organization.
As she took her seat once more, her eye's closed, mind mentally running down the long list of thing's to attend to this evening. She'd only been back from vacation for a little over a month now, and already Pandora couldn't wait for the next one. Everyone else got time off, and her's seemed to be scarce.
As Bertha tucked in the last of the dozen chairs, Pandora slowly opened her eye's and gave a nod of her head.
"Thank you, Bertha. That will be all tonight, I think. Enjoy your evening."
See, she could be polite. Technically, Bertha should have lingered around to ensure the room was in order after every meeting scheduled this evening, but there was nothing saying Pandora herself couldn't handle it. The woman deserved a night off. Hell, anyone deserves a night off now and again.
Icy blue eye's watched as Bertha backed from the room and then disappeared, no doubt to her own quarters to look after her young'un. Now that she was alone in the room again, Pandora began picking through the large stack of parchments that lay infront of her, her eye's quickly scanning through to at least get the gist of what was written.
Symphony
And thus, here she was again. She felt her wasted, useless heart beating with trepidation--or something. Surely one in as much control as she strove to be in couldn't be feeling such silly fear? She swallowed her silly, human weakness down, subconsciously pulled the cloak's hood further over her face, and at last raised her hand to knock boomingly on the door, as she had done so impertinously a few days before. She had cut the Tower a wide berth since then, and had seen the mundane drudgery that occupied the lives of these people, but still did not understand it. So, she would present herself, hopefully be granted (oh how she hated that term) citizenship or the right to stay or something. Whatever it was this new Master wanted from her would soon be discovered.
Tathar He donned his cloak and headed out...The little argument with that irritating woman earlier still fresh in his mind, and so was the thick scent from his near slip-up transformation, but he wasn't worried about anyone catching wind of that...Even the vampire couldn't say anything about it, since he had technically kept himself in check, as much as he would have liked to do otherwise. He made sure that the hood was pulled up tight, hiding his features perfectly, and the darkness of it meshed well enough with the shadows to hide his large shape...or rather, help to hide it as far as was possible, going over anything he may have to bring to Pandora's attention in his mind. There was no bother rehearsing anything, as their conversations tended to stray in odd ways, but it would have to suffice.
William
William's eye peered through the small slit in the door and spotted the green cloak at once. With a grunt, he gritted his teeth and lifted the bolt from his side of the doorway, sliding it from it's natural place. Then, using the two fingers on his right hand that weren't damanged, he slowly and very carefully pulled the door open, using it as a sort of sheild. This woman had the weirdest effect on him. When he was accustomed to Pandora and her wrath, for lack of a better term, he didn't know two rocks from this woman and still she made the hair on his arms stand up.
"She is expecting you. The Master will receive you in the Meeting Room. Just down the hall, first door on your right Miss."
Remaining behind the door, he would wait until she stepped in to close the door once more, and fasten the heavy wooden lock into place.
Symphony
She drew forth, her head held high but her voice remaining even, surveying him with some curiosity as he hid from her.
"Thank you. I will show myself in."
And with that, she did not spare him another glance, but drew forth, only then shaking back the hood of the cloak and freeing her dark hair. She hesitated outside the room, not sure if she should make her presence known or simply walk in. After a split second she opted for the latter and pushed the door open and stole silently within the meeting room she had been left in last time, and casting a furtive glance around, waiting for her instructions.
TatharThe scent of the construct-woman met his nostrils...She must have come this way first, and from the strength of it, as well as the lingering feeling of slight unease, it must have not been very long ago at all. He made his way around the Tower and rapped slightly on the center of the door, just below the slit that the guard used to look outside with. He could scent William, though the door did manage to stifle it somewhat, and he wondered if he was doing any better than last he had seen.
GemmaHer steps were swift,silent,graceful. Her body completely hidden beneath a dark cloak, only a few strands of long brown hair blew freely in the wind from 'neath her hood. She had been traveling for days by foot, only stopping when the darkness of day death wrapped its loving arms around her and carried her away. She had been lucky to be so far away from humans, succumbing to the death was much easier in a secluded place. She peered round her hood,blue eyes scanning the darkening village...she tried to appear as human as possible,though she had never had any full on contact with them unless she was feeding. Even as she had appeared from the shadowed forest a strange sensation had coursed through her body and the sweet scent of human blood mingled with the damp air and she had to breathe to control herself. She walked in a straight line, not stopping, nor touching anything. She had to get to the castle. She hoped they would let her pass. She did not know if the rumors were true. She did not know if there was a "Master of the City" who was vampire and ruled over other vamps and creatures of the night. Suppose her information had been false? she was afraid she would expose herself, her long guarded secret...or worse, scare a mere human into hysterics and be decapitated ont he spot. she didn't have much of a plan...she really hadn't waited around at home to figure anything out. She had just gone,wanting to see if there was really a place vampires and humans coincided in harmony. All she knew, was that if there were other vampires or anything of the sort,the Master of the City would know. She continued on, her mind set and determined.
William
Thankfully, William hadn't gotten the lock into place yet, so when the Smithy's rap inturrupted the process, he had little work to do. First peering through the small slit, he grunted again, and struggeld a moment before getting the door open again.
"Master is in the Meeting Room, Sire."
Though his eye's looked to the Smithy, they weren't really seeing. The light had gone out of them, and he was but a shell of a man, left to run the door.
Pandora Inside the Meeting Room Pandora was aware of when her second appointment of the evening arrived, for it sent imaginary spiders creeping all over her body. Still, with eye's on the parchments infront of her, Pandora waited until the woman strolled under the Archway and into the room itself. She didn't glance up, but gestured to one of the many chairs that were tucked into the table properly.
"Take a seat De Madrid."
Even as she spoke that she heard William informing another of her location and Pandora picked up the scent of her favorite Lycan. She spoke not a word, her eye's remaining on the work infront of her, as she waited both the woman's seat and the Lycan's arrival.
Symphony
She nodded even as her booted feet crossed the room and took the seat indicated. She did not know it, but her expression as she gazed upon the other's feature was hungry. This "master" was no human, but she was still so beautifully, so tragically flawed. She knew there were other...creations...like herself out there who instead of studying the perks and quirks of humanity instead studied these creatures and their furry bellied kin, like the smithy. It was a discipline she had never before considered taking up, but now, surveying Pandora and wondering about her, she thought if ever she chose a second path in life, that would be it. She had no scent ability to detect another's approach, but merely sat there, not fidgiting, but focusing entirely on the woman in an eerie, unblinking way.
Tathar It seemed that William was....different....and so he did not linger to attempt to discuss anything with the poor man...Instead, he nodded from under the dark confines of the hood and stepped foreward, heading the short way to the meeting room. Upon entering he caught Symphony under his gaze first, and then his bright emeralds moved to rest on Pandora's form. He offered no form of greeting, merely moving to a space equally far from them both at the table, taking a chair, and sitting. He hoped that they wouldn't mind his sitting in on this little meeting, but it wasn't like there was anything else to do here...at least not for a while, yet.
HajiaShe sat silently and wathed as the others made their way to the meeting that was to happen tonight. Her eyes narrowed a little as one would have appeared to be a female..with a nerve she had never quite seen before. The other was the smith, who she had met just a short few hours ago. Her corset clung tight to her chest, her gloves were open at the fingers, dangling between them was the cross. Pushing herself to her feet, she slowly made her way behind the others. Her thoughts calmed. Her orbs were shifting every direction. She would show him. Pompuous idiot. Chuckling she decided to carry onward. Pandora would probably hang her by her neck, upside down nd cut every artery possible, slowly letting her drip dry...literaly. But she had to try. She would not cause anyone harm. She just wanted to...make things a bit more perkier around here. Hajia's orbs took in the form of Tathar from behind. Muscular, and well built. She imagined he must be good lookin' even in..She smiled and cut off the thought. She nay wished to think about yet another man. She wanted...a Female toy, but she also had a problem with wanting somethin' someone else had. Sort of...competition. She thrived on it. She enduldged in it.
GemmaThe night grew darker and damper around her, there was no one in the streets now, and soft yellow lights from lanterns and candles shone from tiny windows of the homes. She licked her cold lips as her blue gaze fell upon the gatehouse of the castle. She quickened her steps, pulling her hood down from her head, hoping to show that she meant no harm. She was greeted by a large guard, who was almost as black as the night itself. She looked at him for a moment and lifted her head high and said in a strong voice "My name is Gemini stone, I am seeking the Master of the City for personal buisness," [/b]she shifted herself not knowing what to expect.[/color]
Pandora Pandora continued reading silently from the parchment in her hand as Tathar took his seat silently. A few moments of utter silence passed before she would lower said parchment and turn her blue eye's first to Tathar and then to Symphony. Very carefully, she lowered the parchment to the table and flipped it over so the contents of it was no longer visible to those at her table.
"Well then. Please remove your cloaks and drape them carefully over the back of your chairs, and we shall get down to business."
Her back remained straight and riggid against the chair's own, as she watched between the two of them. Her face, casual. Expressionless almost, if not for the fact that her eye's were clearly alive. She was in high spirits after all... The corner of her lips twitched in the false sense that she was smiling. Not quite THAT high of spirits, but close enough. It had been a good night thus far, and Pandora hoped the remainder of it would prove to be just as productive.
Before she even had the chance to speak again, one of the Towers servants came skittering into the room, his eye's upon the floor. Pandora, keeping her left hand under the table in her lap, gestured with her right to summon them forward. As he told her that there was someone at the castle gates requesting to be taken to her, Pandora's eyebrows arched ever so slightly.
"Did they give their name?"
A name was provided, one in which Pandora had never heard before, and she asked another typical question.
"From what world?"
Again an answer was provided, and Pandora considered this a moment, before nodding her head.
"Very well, have them send her over this way."
She then gestured again, and without watching as he backed from the room and disappeared, she turned her eye's to Symphony and then to Tathar, and back to Symphony again.
"It seems we've more unexpected guests tonight. Let us move onto business before another inturruption finds their way into my home, shall we?"[/b][/u]
Hajia Nestling in the shadows at the village edge, she donned her cloak. Lifting her head to pull up her hood tuckin in all the loose locks. She was completely covered. Fished with everything in it's place she made her way to where the others were. She chose to walk with her staff. It was a walkin' staff, and without the cross she carried it bared no strength. Watching as the others disappeared behind the closed door she noted the lass waiting her turn to gain access. Smilin' lightly. Going out into an open area to enter where the night life is..dangerous. She was next to the other girl before anyone could blink their eye. She hadn't moved too fast, she was just discreet. Standing beside her, she looked to her. Overhearing that she had mentioned seekin' the Master of The City, she spoke calmly to the young Vampiress. Able to tell, by her scent. Roaming her cloudy blues over the woman she continued.
" I hear you are lookin' for the Master of the City, you must be new here.. I will escort you... but..please..." Before she finished she pulled her from her cloak another fine velour cloak and draped it about the girl. pulling the hood up and nodding to her. leaning in to whisper softly.
" Be careful young one, there are plenty who would love to gain access to such place..protect who you are first..."
She paused for a moment and then added
" I am Hajia..I will not harm you.."
Even though she was sure Tathar would argue that, she smiled at the thought but she turned in time to see the gate keep return and open the slot. Leaning up she requested.
" Hajia Portier, formerly of Enchantica..here to see the Master of the City..."
She fell back into silence and awaited.
Symphony
She observed the servant with idle curiousity, instead finding the reaction of the master much more entertaining. She WAS capable of a real smile, and she did as such then.
"But of course, Master. I am here at your request, having fulfilled the demands set. I have waited four days, and returned bedecked in the LOVELY cloak provided for me. Also true to my testament, I have kept my tongue silenced about this world to the mortals, although I think they might have noticed that I...am not like them. They have an unfortunate habit of paying attention to little things and putting much stock into superstition."
She paused, seeming to realize that she had been rambling, and continued in a much more professional manner.
"At any rate, I have fulfilled the tasks set before me, and now I turn back to you, but..."
Another pause, as she weighed the consequences of her next words, for they had not occured to her until that very moment.
"But I have returned with no questions locked behind my lips this eve. This is merely a gratuity visit, to show you that I will be no threat to you or your secret."[/b][/u]
GemmaHer body stiffened hard,and her blue eyes burned as the woman calling herself Hajia introduced herself and produced another cloak that she draped about Gemini. Gemini jerked and moved to the side, wrinking her nose as a strange scent drifted 'neath her nose. She spoke in a low voice to the woman, her head held high, her gaze still burning. "I worry not about you harming me, for it would be a Very foolish thing should you attempt so," she removed the cloak and dropped it to the ground "I need not your help either...what was it..Hajia? yes well, I would advise you to not be so friendly with strangers...'tis a good way to get yourself harmed," she pulled her lips tight. Perhaps she shouldn't be so rude,but she was untrustworthy of all outside of her small village...she knew the things people were capable of. She looked at the woman again, and bent over to retrieve the cloak and handed it back to her. "Thank you for the consideration however...and I-I apologize, I did not mean to offened." with that she fell silent.Her lips pulled tight and her senses on alert.
Tathar His attention settled wholly on her at first...at least until she made the request that they remove their cloaks. What purpose could that possibly serve? To promote comeraderie? But he did not complain or voice an objection, doing as was instructed with his cloak before returning his attention to...the table, though the arrival of the servant snatched it elsewhere...Another NightWorlder...? My how the ranks of night were swelling all of a sudden...This was likely to be an entertaining meeting indeed. And Pandora had even almost smiled...Well, tonight was proving to be...odd....His attention turned to Symphony as she spoke....Almost laughing at the manner in which she did so...It was...Odd, to say the least, and he could see that she was still apparently having quite some difficulty grasping the proper way to speak...Flattery will get you nowhere, after all, or at least that was the way he thought about it....And his gaze turned to Pandora when the woman mentioned this being a gratuity visit....She had been ordered to visit, so it was nothing of the sort...It was required...and he waited for a response.
William.
At the request for the Master of the City, William fidgetted. He checked the clipboard and noticed that Pandora didn't have an outstanding appointment with anyone else that wasn't already within the walls of the Tower.
Peering through the slit in the door once more, he studied both women. One was clearly a vampire like Pandora herself, and the other.. Well, the other wouldn't have warranted a second glance as she did appear human, if not for the fact that she seemed to know that a cloak was in order, even if it was not the CORRECT cloak.
The haunting words of the Master of the City came back to him. Throughout his punishment he had to repeat it enough times to ensure it was committed to memory. He repeated it now, his voice quiet and haunting.
"All new arrivals of NightWorld are welcome within the Tower permitting they arrive at a decent hour."
With a grunt, he worked the wooden lock from it's position and opened the door, once more using it as a sheild to hide behind until the women were clear of the doorframe. Then he would push the heavy door closed once more and refasten the lock.
"If you'll wait here, I shall inform her of your arrival Ms. Stone, Ms. Portier."
He then turned and slowly staggered towards the Meeting Room, leaving the two newly arrived NightWorlders there in the enterance hall of the Tower.
As he stepped nervously into the Meeting Room, his eye's instantly went to the floor. There he stood, awaiting until Pandora finished speaking before he would request a moment of her time.
Pandora Pandora had been listening to the woman speak with no indication that she actually heard, or approved, of what was being said. The small nod of her head at the end of every detail was the only indication that she was obsorbing what was being provided.
When Symphony finished, Pandora settled back into her chair, her right hand slipping under the table to join her left.
"I am pleased to hear all this, De Madrid. There are certain laws in which you must be made aware of before I can even consider allowing you reside within my home, as I am sure you understand."
Her eye's then travelled to Tathar and she struggled not to actually smile as she continued speaking to Symphony.
"We all have had to endure the law speech."
She had almost added something else there, her mouth opened but no words came. Her eye's had locked on William and her eyebrows arched.
"What is it, William?"
Her right hand gestured him forward before returning to her lap under the table. As William whispered in her ear, Pandora's expression changed from casual businesslike to surprise, and then anger.
"Very well, show them both in."
She then turned her eye's to Symphony once more.
"It seems we have another new arrival. She is being shown in now, and to save myself from having to repeat, we shall go over the laws then. I expect you have nothing better to do but wait."
She made no reference to the old aquintince whom was also being shown in, simply because she couldn't think of a nice way of putting it. While William backed out of the Meeting Room to fetch the women, Pandora turned to Tathar.
"And what of you, Lycan? Have you come bearing toys?"[/b][/u]
Hajia She blinked at the woman. Pressing her lips to a firm line she stepped back saying not another word to her. Her orbs glossed over. Perhaps being nice was over-rated. She thought she would try. However it was foolish of her to try to be helpful. The girl would soon find out what happends. But none the less she focused straight ahead. Biting on the corner of her mouth impatiently until the door was unlocked and opened. She stepped t hrough ahead of the rude Vamp. Finding her almost annoying. She had alot to learn Hajia didn't need to fear most. She had a few close calls, but her line of work caused her to have deathly encounters on more than one occassion
Making her way through to the Tower's meeting room, she stopped short just before and let the other girl go first. Leaning against the wall she waited. She would follow her in. Twirling the Cross between her index finger and her thumb she stood straight again and followed on in. Knowing full well, this could send Pandora off the edge. But she had proven her normal instincts correct. Generosity, and kindness bear nothing but redicule and rudeness. Making her way into where Pandora was...she could smell the Lycan too. This was proving to be even more appealing. Handsome Toy..where did you run to?! She chuckled quietly.
GemmaGemini only looked at the woman from a sideways glance,not particularly interested in her at all...she was not here to make "friends" she was here to see if her information proved true, so that if it didnt...she could try and get most of the way home before death called her to its side once more. She watched as the door opened and she followed in behind Hajia to the entrance hall. She didnt take the time to look around, as she watched the man who had opened the door go right on through and enter into another room. When Hajia hung back to let her slide past she shot a glare at her, her nose wrinkling again. She slid past her, entering into a big room that housed three others who had seemed to be in the middle of something. Two women sat in the middle of the room and a man sat off to the side. Her eyes slid from one to the other as more smells drifted beneath her nose...She followed the man to where the women were seated...she kept silent waiting for them to adress her first.
Tathar Well...apparently the vampire was either understanding of the construct's manner of speech, or she chose not to notice the words chosen, either way she did not react the way he had thought she would, showing even further that she must have been in a much better mood this evening. At the mention of the speech about the laws he merely nodded, suppressing a slight grin himself....Long and droning and boring monotoned stuff, of which he would have to sit through once more....Maybe that should be deemed a punishment...It was certainly mind numbing enough to serve as a fitting one. And he looked up as William entered...He had no difficulty listening in on the whispered words, even though he chose to act as nonchalant as possible so he wouldn't be accused of eavesdropping, though she surely had expected him to overhear, and her expressions were noted, and it would seem that yet again her temperment turned for the worse...She didn't stay in good spirits for very long...And at her question he reached into his coat pocket, withdrawing the scrap of parchment, a smug expression on his face as he slid the thing accross the top of the table to her "Well, I would, but you have not yet supplied me with the necessary....materials....as of yet. Instead of showing up without productive results, I chose to see how you feel on the design before I implement it." The design itself was bold...crude....cruelly so, the tip of the blade wide with the front half hooked and the back serrated, this particular one with a full and thin and sharpened hand guard which would cover the entire set of fingers wielding it, the trademark P large and emboldened in the center of this. As the others entered, there was one of which he chose to blatantly ignore...the irritating one from his shop earlier, but this time he showed a great deal more control over himself, showing not the slightest sense of tension about his form. The other....another vampire it scented like, he offered a small nod before returning his gaze to Pandora once more.
PandoraPandora kept her eye's on the Lycan as he spoke. When he withdrew the sketch of her request, she reached out with her right hand and lifted it, her eye's sliding from him to the parchment. She remained studing it as the two women entered. She kept them locked on the drawing still so, as they approached. And still, her eye's remained on Tathar's design as they stopped.
Finally, she tore her eye's away from the design and back to Tathar, still pointedly not looking at the two women whom had arrived.
"It will serve it's purpose. I shall have William fetch you the required materials."
She turned her eye's to the doorway where William had stopped at after showing the guests in, and gave a brisk nod in his direction. When he backed from the room once more, Pandora turned her eye's back to the sketch for a moment before she lowered it, too flipping it over so no one else could see it.
"Well then."
Finally, Pandora turned her eye's to the two new arrivals, or rather the one new arrival and the one who finally returned.
"Let us see here."
Pandora gestured with both hands for Tathar and Symphony to rise from their chairs. She didn't wait for them to obey, instead she continued speaking as if she fully expected them to obey.
"The Lycan will sit here, directly on my right. Symphony, if you will politely trade him seats, you will be seated on my left."
Without looking at the two new arrivals, she addressed them as well.
"Portier, kindly take a seat three chairs down from the Lycan. And you, miss. Likewise from Ms. De Madrid here."
Undoubtedly, Portier would not like these arrangements, for once a long time ago, she always took the seat directly to Pandora's right. A lot of time has passed since then. A lot of thing's have changed. The seating at the table was done purposly. The two new arrivals will be there, on her left. The seat to the right of her was reserved for her Second in Command, but seeing as he was recently deceased, the Smithy would occupy it, a nice little snub to Portier, whom would take a seat next to him.
"I do not offer biscuits and tea, thus if you are hungry perhaps you should simply gnaw on the inside of your own mouth until you are excused. Now, if you will get a move on, it seems we have much business to discuss before I can move onto more personal matters."
Her gaze flashed to the paper infront of her that held her requested design, then back around the room once more.
"Portier, I shall deal with you later. As you can see, I am in the midst of something here. You can either sit where I assigned you, or you can show yourself out."
It was clear Pandora knew the woman, but no one could seem to gather if that was a good or bad thing. Business first.
Hajia She had entered the room. Her lips calm, pulled into a flat emotionless line. Upon hearing instruction and taking a strong dislike for the idea to sit next to Tathar. But Chuckling to herself she slid into the seat. Nodding to Pandora and not saying another word. It was worth the wait.
Sliding into the spot next to Tathar she slid him and smooth glance, and winked. Trying to hold back the entertaining laugh she felt. It was sadistic in a way. Leaning back in the chair she remained silent.
