Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

[BlueSlime]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

Her companion was uncouth, either naturally or deliberately, Vezina did not know. Possibly one of the low Clans? It seemed most likely.

"Such odors are common where the kine congregate," Vezina concurred. "I do appreciate the wilds and the woods of my homeland, where the air is indeed fresher, and the dangers are more plain, honest, and feral. So from where do you hail, and whither dost thou roam, Anabelle? Are you a nomad?"

 

[Sinfulwolf]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

A short bark of a laugh fell from the shadows of her hood and Anabelle leaned forward.

"Scotland. Don't tell these bastards though. I might have to kill them sooner than I want to," she whispered quietly, before carefully leaning back in her chair, gaze sliding over to the inn keeper for just a moment.

"I suppose you could call me nomad. I move, I hunt, I live. And all the meanings that come with that word," she said, turning to face the other across from her.

"And what of yourself?"

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

"Your origin is safe with me. I wouldn't want things to get messy around here." Vezina said, smirking at the thought of the feral Cainite laying about the place with fang and sword. That would certainly be one way to make an entrance in a new city. Not a smart way, but certainly a spectacular one.

"As a mortal I lived in Romania, in the region of Banat. It seems a while ago now... my Sire brought me with him to this land, to escape the local troubles. Now I concern myself less with mortal politics, only in so much as they pertain to my continued existence. I suppose you could say I am a nomad looking to settle down, and I've come to see if London is to my liking."

 

[Sinfulwolf]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

"Full of English. Good enough soldiers I suppose, but they're still English," Anabelle said then laughed.

"I've had enough English friends, they're not all bad... mostly," she continued and slapped the table. She felt herself pouring out information, it had been such a long time since she'd talked to anyway that she felt she had to.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

Vezina raised her eyebrows momentarily as Anabelle slapped her hand mightily down on the wooden table in emphasis. She was vaguely aware of storied animosity between the Scots and the English, but in truth this had not been a subject she had studied deeply whilst learning the tongues of this land.

"Aye, as you say. So you wear a sword at your hip and speak of English comrades who were soldiers. Have you been engaged in the wars these mortals wage upon one another?"

 

[Sinfulwolf]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

"When I was mortal myself. A long time ago by mortal years," Anabelle said, leaning back and looking amongst the nobles in disgust.

"I don't suspect you've seen much fighting. Don't know of many women who do,"

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

"I have never waded into a melee before but do not take that to mean that I have not been properly tested. There are some battles where a sword does one no good."

Indeed, Vezina could rightly argue that the whole of her mortal life had been a test, a battle to survive and prove herself worthy of the gifts of Cain. She had suffered unnumbered cuts, both mentally and physically, to become the creature she was today. She did not consider herself a weakling, even if she did not know how to wield a blade. With the power of the blood, she didn't need to.

 

[Sinfulwolf]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

"Perhaps. Still, all these... nobles, look down on people like me. I can see the disgust in their eyes, they reek of it. Without people like me though, where does that leave them? No armies to beat their hands against their thrones with and lands that slowly dwindle away," Anabelle said leaning forward in the chair as she scanned the room, wondering if she'd be able to get one of them alone to feast upon.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

"There will always be a schism between the rulers and the ruled, such is the nature of the beast. Yet why should you care about these mortals' disgust? You are something far more than they. If they were anything other than mere deluded animals, blissfully ignorant of their own precarious grasp on life, then they'd be scurrying away at the sight of you or bowing and scraping at your feet to beg for the mercy of another insignificant day in their meaningless existence."

Vezina sighed. At her own mentioning of the word 'beast' she could feel the Other within her stirring. She had perhaps let herself go too long without a meal.

"You mustn't concern yourself with their feelings or their prejudices - not anymore than they would consider how the cows feel about the farmer or the butcher."

Now this was of course only true to a certain extent and Vezina knew this. If one was interested in manipulating and ruling over the kine, then a certain knowledge of their predilections was necessary, but this Anabelle seemed very much a soldier and less concerned with such matters.

 

[Sinfulwolf]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

"The two world's are not so different from what I've seen. Just longer times for plots to thicken, one world is a mirror of another," Anabelle said. She wondered if the woman across from her was trying to manipulate her, twist her mind to her own ends.

"What is your clan?"

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

"I trace my lineage from the Eldest of Clan Tzimisce. And you?"

 

[Sinfulwolf]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

"Sire said I was Gangrel. To be honest, I'm still unclear as to most of the clans and their agendas," came the reply with a short and simple shrug.

"Nor do I entirely care to,"

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

Vezina showed her teeth. If this Cainite did not care about understanding clans, then why did she ask in the first place? Her words did not match her actions.

"My Sire has told me about the Gangrel. Your clan and mine, we are well acquainted, and on good terms with one another - at least in my homeland. The Gangrel and the Tzimisce there fight together against many common foes - notably the lycanthropes that stalk our woodlands and try to raid our havens."

She shrugged. "My understanding is that the Gangrel do not have much of an agenda, outside of individual desires. A preference for privacy, not unlike the Tzimisce. We merely wish to be left alone to our domains, to take the scholarly path and to rule over what is ours without question. There are other clans who contend with us. My own sire has no great love for the Ventrue, but I will reserve my judgement until I actually meet one."

 

[Sinfulwolf]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

"That is usually the best course of action. Taking on the prejudice of another has led to dark roads before... and it will again," Anabelle said, drumming her fingers on the table. She glanced down at them and frowned, wishing she had an ale, or at least a mug of something, in her hands. Just for the old sensation.

 

[dmronny]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

A hand gingerly sets three mugs of ale down on the table, likely startling the two Cainites as they talk. A familiar voice reaches Anabelle's ears as Jourdain pulls the third chair and sits down with a smile. He's still dressed much the same as Anabelle last saw him, though his hospitallar tunic has been replaced with one she doesn't recognize.

"Here pretend to drink something your making some of the kine nervous. It has been a long time old friend, though I hardly expected to run into you here of all places."

He turns and nods his head politely to the unknown Cainite with the same smile before picking his mug up and pretending to drink. His eyes look over Vezina curiously though not rudely.

"A pleasure, milady. I hope you'll pardon the intrusion but I felt I should greet my old friend. You may call me Jourdain, or if you're the type to put stock in such things, Sir Jourdain De Mont St. Michel."

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

"You need no pardon for an act of charity, good sir, and may call me Vezina. Mortal titles should be left for the interests of the kine. Hold you a place in the Prince's court here, or are you another traveler like your old friend?"

Vezina took the glass in her hand and brought it to her lips as well, pretending to sip at it.

 

[Sinfulwolf]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

Anabelle gently took hold of the mug, and raised it up, sniffing at the ale before letting it slide across her lips, and settling the mug down.

"It has been quite awhile. How has the world been treating you?" Anabelle said with a gentle nod towards her old mentor, a hand raising and pulling down her hood. Should the kine in the tavern take offense to her gender, she felt comfortable enough with Jourdain at her back.

 

[dmronny]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

Spoiler

I think I'm in a silly mood today. I can't stop laughing at picturing Vezina as vampire Yoda. "Hold you a place in the prince's court, here."

"You could say I'm a traveler, though I am familiar with the domain of Lord Mithras having been here long ago." Jourdain said as he nervously surveyed the room. Anabelle likely remembers his nervousness before, so it doesn't likely alarm her much. Pushing the nervousness away with another false sip he says. "Much the same as it always has. Though I've moved onto things other than killing in the name of god. I'm now more concerned with my own affairs after these many years."

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

Vezina did not have too much to say about the Crusades. She was aware of them, but having never been a Christian, she did not have much to say on the issue of the Holy Lands. Those concerns were past her at this point anyway.

She took another false sip.

"Tell me more of this Lord Mithras. I am new to this domain and would know of its keepers."

 

[dmronny]

Re: Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

"Lord Mithras, you could probably fill a tome with his history but I'll mention only the main points. Mithras is not only the Prince of London but the Lord of the all the Baronies of Avalon. Everything from Aquitaine, England, most of Cambria, and even a portion of Alba is ruled by the Princes who serve him as Barons of their individual cities."

Taking another false drink he look towards the door as if he's waiting for someone to arrive before he continues.

"It's difficult to say how much of his commonly known past is true but from what I know, he was born a very long time ago in Persia. He was one of their best generals and after destroying all but one of a group of rebels he disappeared. When he returned he took the name of Mithras, the Persian god of war and set himself up as a god-king.

Many years later, close to the time of my own embrace, he awoke from torpor here in England. How he got here from his distant past I don't really know, though I remember him conversing with my sire about the times of the Romans. He became Prince about the same time as William became the King of England and no one has yet to successfully challenge him try though they might."

He takes another worried glance at the door before continuing once more.

"That is his history in a very condensed form, though it really only hints at his power. It's rumored that Mithras is a childe of Ventrue himself, and with his centuries of unlife. Well you may be able to imagine what he might be capable of. He keeps his court in a palace near the Tower, though he isn't often seen. Most of the day-to-day affairs are handled by the seneschal Valerius and if you haven't yet asked for acknowledgement he is the one to speak with."