Satis House

[Vikteren]

+Rotting Lunacy+

A bare little sigh escaped from Antha as she rested her chin on her fisted hand. "There's nothing to be sorry for," she began slowly, "Do what you must. I don't quite understand it, but I won't argue with it I suppose." A brush against her leg caught her attention momentarily as Amadeo, the fickle creature, traced a path several times around her. She didn't pick him up simply because he was too much of a hassle to deal with at the moment but a little smile came to her lips again, the slightest, softest laugh emerging as she took a moment to scratch his ears before her attention was turned back completely to Vikteren.

He stroked the kitten gently. "I suppose you would not. It does not matter." He looked down, examining the inquisitive creature at his feet. "What is his name?" Vikteren inquired.  

[XCandy and LunacyX]

"Amadeo," she said softly, which he considered an invitation to hop into her lap, "It means 'one who loves God'. My brother Nicolae named him." The memory hit her like a powerful wave, one which she made no attempt to keep hidden. Antha, a small and very sickly looking child, had only recently been released from her attic prison and lived for the time being in Mayfair Manor with her family. Nicolae, intrigued by his little sister and frustrated that she was terrified of him (as she was with everything that moved), had taken her out to play in the garden. After a moment Antha, who had kept her eyes glued to the ground, realized suddenly that she was all alone; her brother had left. Just as she began to enter panic mode, he came traipsing back around the corner of the house with a big pink box locked in his little arms. Reaching her, he had sat it down and ripped the top off before reaching in and seizing a frantic little fuzzy black thing. 'His name is Amadeo,' he had announced proudly to her as he held him up at eye level, letting her see the heart shaped silver tag with the name engraved upon it that hung from a pink ribbon around his neck. 'And you can have him all to yourself,' he added quickly as he handed the kitten over. She remembered how proud he was, how utterly happy, when she had given him the first smile anyone had ever seen from her at that moment as she stood with Amadeo locked in her arms.
Ten years had passed since that faraway day, more or less. Things had taken dramatic turns at every possible chance: Nicolae had become a blood child, uncle Stefan was quickly approaching his deathbed, aunt Emaleth had perished (a joyous occasion for Antha indeed) as had many cherished relatives, the Talamasca had begun a more persistent campaign to discover the secrets of the Mayfair family, and Antha had become a cunning, devious, and overly powerful character, amid many other things. But Amadeo had stayed the same over the years, the same kitten now as she had played with so long ago.
"I think he likes you," she said finally with a little smile as Amadeo stood unsteadily on her knees and leaned forward as if he would reach out and touch Vikteren.

 

[Vikteren]

+Rotting Lunacy+

"Amadeo," she said softly, which he considered an invitation to hop into her lap, "It means 'one who loves God'. My brother Nicolae named him." The memory hit her like a powerful wave, one which she made no attempt to keep hidden. Antha, a small and very sickly looking child, had only recently been released from her attic prison and lived for the time being in Mayfair Manor with her family. Nicolae, intrigued by his little sister and frustrated that she was terrified of him (as she was with everything that moved), had taken her out to play in the garden. After a moment Antha, who had kept her eyes glued to the ground, realized suddenly that she was all alone; her brother had left. Just as she began to enter panic mode, he came traipsing back around the corner of the house with a big pink box locked in his little arms. Reaching her, he had sat it down and ripped the top off before reaching in and seizing a frantic little fuzzy black thing. 'His name is Amadeo,' he had announced proudly to her as he held him up at eye level, letting her see the heart shaped silver tag with the name engraved upon it that hung from a pink ribbon around his neck. 'And you can have him all to yourself,' he added quickly as he handed the kitten over. She remembered how proud he was, how utterly happy, when she had given him the first smile anyone had ever seen from her at that moment as she stood with Amadeo locked in her arms.
Ten years had passed since that faraway day, more or less. Things had taken dramatic turns at every possible chance: Nicolae had become a blood child, uncle Stefan was quickly approaching his deathbed, aunt Emaleth had perished (a joyous occasion for Antha indeed) as had many cherished relatives, the Talamasca had begun a more persistent campaign to discover the secrets of the Mayfair family, and Antha had become a cunning, devious, and overly powerful character, amid many other things. But Amadeo had stayed the same over the years, the same kitten now as she had played with so long ago.
"I think he likes you," she said finally with a little smile as Amadeo stood unsteadily on her knees and leaned forward as if he would reach out and touch Vikteren.

His hands froze mid-movement. Vampires understand the way a cat's mind works. The hunt, the prey, the cruelty... And the dried blood on his hands came sharp into focus. "Perhaps it is only that my scent is unfamiliar to him," he said, outwardly unperturbed. It was doubtful that Armando had been in Antha's company this long without encountering a vampire, but it was unlikely that aforesaid vampire had been encountered with blood coating his forearms. He opened his palm, turned it towards her. "Is there anywhere that I might clean my hands?"  

[XCandy and LunacyX]

For a moment reality was lost on Antha as her own pointless, abstract thoughts swallowed her whole. It was only when she heard Vikteren's voice---his question to be exact---that she was jarred back to full consciousness. Not taking the time to notice his disdain concerning the matter, Antha took the very hand that was held out to her and stood straight before leading him across the library and out into the long dark hall. "There are stairs at the end of the hall here," she began as she outstretched her arm and gestured into the nothingness before her, letting go of his hand finally. "The last door on the left before you reach them is the bathroom." As she spoke, her accent was carelessly revealed in it's full form, she not paying enough attention to realize she wasn't successfully hiding it any longer. "Careful of the water---it's like ice." With this last little caution she turned and took a few steps towards the opposite end of the hall. But almost immediately she stopped again, looking down at her open palms only to see that one had acquired traces of half-dried blood, certainly rubbed off of Vikteren. But still she paid no mind. Rather, she wiped her hand against the skirt of her dress until relatively clean and continued on down the hall and around the corner until she came to the door that was her room. The moment the door was pressed open she instinctively reached for and flipped the little plastic switch on the wall that triggered the electric chandelier. The light was ridiculously dim; only a few ancient light bulbs atop fake, plastic candles set into what had once been a perfectly good chandelier. Mary Beth, Antha's mother, had thought them outrageously clever and had installed the things in nearly every room. Antha just thought them tacky.

 

[Vikteren]

+Rotting Lunacy+

For a moment reality was lost on Antha as her own pointless, abstract thoughts swallowed her whole. It was only when she heard Vikteren's voice---his question to be exact---that she was jarred back to full consciousness. Not taking the time to notice his disdain concerning the matter, Antha took the very hand that was held out to her and stood straight before leading him across the library and out into the long dark hall. "There are stairs at the end of the hall here," she began as she outstretched her arm and gestured into the nothingness before her, letting go of his hand finally. "The last door on the left before you reach them is the bathroom." As she spoke, her accent was carelessly revealed in it's full form, she not paying enough attention to realize she wasn't successfully hiding it any longer. "Careful of the water---it's like ice." With this last little caution she turned and took a few steps towards the opposite end of the hall. But almost immediately she stopped again, looking down at her open palms only to see that one had acquired traces of half-dried blood, certainly rubbed off of Vikteren. But still she paid no mind. Rather, she wiped her hand against the skirt of her dress until relatively clean and continued on down the hall and around the corner until she came to the door that was her room. The moment the door was pressed open she instinctively reached for and flipped the little plastic switch on the wall that triggered the electric chandelier. The light was ridiculously dim; only a few ancient light bulbs atop fake, plastic candles set into what had once been a perfectly good chandelier. Mary Beth, Antha's mother, had thought them outrageously clever and had installed the things in nearly every room. Antha just thought them tacky.

"Thank you," he said, a graceful nod in her direction. He turned, each movement eerily fluid and was gone, not bothering to move slowly enough for human eyes. In the small room, he plunged his hands into the stream of freezing water, numbing his hands. The vampire might have raised his body temperature to warm it, or closed off the nerves in his skin as not to feel it, but he didn't. He watched the blood of his fellow damned flake off his skin, turning the cold, clear water rust-red. "Gods and angels," he murmured, starting at the blank mirror in the darkness. "We're all monsters, aren't we?" Silence. "If you were here, you'd say it was what made us strong, wouldn't you?" he said softly, but no response came. Vikteren withdrew his hands, turned the water off and dried his hands. "If you were here, you would laugh for what I've become." He left the room and followed Antha's scent.  

[XCandy and LunacyX]

For several long moments Antha simply stood there, staring at the old room. "Ashes to ashes..." She took one small step forward into the room, eyes searching every shadow thrown on the walls. "Bloody hell," she softly cursed to no one in particular as she wearily closed her eyes and put her hand to her forehead as if to support it, "My head hurts..." It was only then that she noticed how cluttered her mind was, how many thoughts were being processed. Quickly she took measures to rid herself of them all, standing still until she could think clearly again. That first thought came to her several moments later as she stared at her faint reflection in the glass panels of the doors. And of all things, she found herself wondering what Khayman or Sleet would say if they saw her now, dried blood clinging to the skirt of her dress, graveyard soil plastered to various parts of her, and even a few singedspots on hert sleeves and the hem of the skirt. She could see them now, Sleet cackling like a madman and Khayman mourning the loss of the sweet, innocent child he had once known. Quite honestly, she sickened herself at times like these.

 

[Vikteren]

+Rotting Lunacy+

For several long moments Antha simply stood there, staring at the old room. "Ashes to ashes..." She took one small step forward into the room, eyes searching every shadow thrown on the walls. "Bloody hell," she softly cursed to no one in particular as she wearily closed her eyes and put her hand to her forehead as if to support it, "My head hurts..." It was only then that she noticed how cluttered her mind was, how many thoughts were being processed. Quickly she took measures to rid herself of them all, standing still until she could think clearly again. That first thought came to her several moments later as she stared at her faint reflection in the glass panels of the doors. And of all things, she found herself wondering what Khayman or Sleet would say if they saw her now, dried blood clinging to the skirt of her dress, graveyard soil plastered to various parts of her, and even a few singedspots on hert sleeves and the hem of the skirt. She could see them now, Sleet cackling like a madman and Khayman mourning the loss of the sweet, innocent child he had once known. Quite honestly, she sickened herself at times like these.

He approached her silently, then stopped, a few feet away. The distance didn't seem large enough, somehow. Almost as if he sensed her thoughts, he asked, "Are you alright?" His tone was no longer quite so inflectionless--there was a trace of concern in his voice. Perhaps he should be so concerned. He was the source of her corruption, after all.  

[XCandy and LunacyX]

The moment the sound of his voice reached her ears Antha gave a startled jolt and spun around to face him, her fingers clasped tightly to the Mayfair emerald around her neck. "I'm fine," she replied softly, a fragile smile playing on her lips, "Just...thinking." The urge to look over her shoulder at the window panes was irresistible and so she did, if only to prove to herself there was nothing peculiar reflected in them. "I'm sorry," she began again as another smile surfaced, perhaps a bit more sincere, "But you startled me. I'm not quite used to having people in this house."

 

[Vikteren]

+Rotting Lunacy+

The moment the sound of his voice reached her ears Antha gave a startled jolt and spun around to face him, her fingers clasped tightly to the Mayfair emerald around her neck. "I'm fine," she replied softly, a fragile smile playing on her lips, "Just...thinking." The urge to look over her shoulder at the window panes was irresistible and so she did, if only to prove to herself there was nothing peculiar reflected in them. "I'm sorry," she began again as another smile surfaced, perhaps a bit more sincere, "But you startled me. I'm not quite used to having people in this house."

A brief pause. "Understandable." he acknowledged. "You have...lived here, alone, for how long?" It had been much the same when he had returned to his estates. He had lost time there, wandering the halls for years without realizing how the world changed around him. Certainly if someone had approached him then, he might have had the same reaction. But no one ventured to the d'Argnet lands any longer. Too much myth surrounded it for comfort.  

[XCandy and LunacyX]

Antha had to stop and think at this, though she frequently counted the months and years in her head. "Nine and a half years," she replied softly, turning and walking forward until she stood perhaps an inch from the doors leading to her balcony. "This house...it likes people to be alone. I was born here, in a room right down the hall. After my birth my father took me away and my mother died alone. For nine years I lived alone in the attic, locked away from civilization, while my father lived alone in these rooms. When he died here, he was alone. And for another nine and a half years since I've lived alone here." She had said this of the house as a child, confided it to her brother Nicolae in whispered words as if it were something secret. For most of her life, Antha had feared the house would keep her locked up and alone as well. Honestly, she had barely been able to force herself to think otherwise.

 

[Vikteren]

+Rotting Lunacy+

Antha had to stop and think at this, though she frequently counted the months and years in her head. "Nine and a half years," she replied softly, turning and walking forward until she stood perhaps an inch from the doors leading to her balcony. "This house...it likes people to be alone. I was born here, in a room right down the hall. After my birth my father took me away and my mother died alone. For nine years I lived alone in the attic, locked away from civilization, while my father lived alone in these rooms. When he died here, he was alone. And for another nine and a half years since I've lived alone here." She had said this of the house as a child, confided it to her brother Nicolae in whispered words as if it were something secret. For most of her life, Antha had feared the house would keep her locked up and alone as well. Honestly, she had barely been able to force herself to think otherwise.

"What keeps you here?" This time, the not-quite-toneless voice rose in a question. He could well understand the ties of family, but those dissipated quickly after death. After his turning, he had not been able to bear to walk his ancestral halls for many decades over. Perhaps it was different for those born sooner.  

[XCandy and LunacyX]

There was a brief pause following his question, a few moments where Antha stood silently trying to piece together the words and the only sound to be heard was the shudder of the wind outside. "I'm not really sure. I suppose it's just---" there was another even smaller pause before she continued, "---Mayfair Manor is a place for abandoned Mayfair kids, Mayfair orphans. I may be an orphan, but I don't want to be one of them. And except for Mayfair Manor, this is the only place I have. Besides, for all its flaws I suppose I am fond of this house." It was true; Antha simply loved the way people would shiver and run off when they were unfortunate enough to come upon it. After all, Antha's privacy was a priority when it came to wandering humans.

 

[Vikteren]

+Rotting Lunacy+

There was a brief pause following his question, a few moments where Antha stood silently trying to piece together the words and the only sound to be heard was the shudder of the wind outside. "I'm not really sure. I suppose it's just---" there was another even smaller pause before she continued, "---Mayfair Manor is a place for abandoned Mayfair kids, Mayfair orphans. I may be an orphan, but I don't want to be one of them. And except for Mayfair Manor, this is the only place I have. Besides, for all its flaws I suppose I am fond of this house." It was true; Antha simply loved the way people would shiver and run off when they were unfortunate enough to come upon it. After all, Antha's privacy was a priority when it came to wandering humans.

A little silence, and then he moved. Slowly, taking care not to move like a vampire--like a predator, he circled to her side. "Is it not a lonely place?" he inquired. He had thought that all humans--even the Mayfairs--would wish for company. "What of your brother?" Referring to the man in the catacombs. "Does he also reside here?"  

[XCandy and LunacyX]

"Nicolae?" She gave a shake of her head, causing the locks of her hair to sway hastily around her face and finally hang still like a veil for her to hide behind. "He resides with Khayman and the rest of his coven. He has little time to waste on his family nowadays." Antha felt bitter at the very mention of it, bitter at Nicolae in particular.
For a moment she considered mentioning Zero to Vikteren. This, however, she decided against. After all, he was there for a few days every several months before vanishing without a trace again; it was hardly worth noting.
"I suppose---" There was a pause, a thin sigh that emerged from her as if to convey hopelessness, frustration at herself for the network of lies her mind was forming, before she continued very calmly and carefully, "I suppose it is a very lonely place, yes. But what does that have to do with anything?" She tilted her head back only slightly so that her hair slid back and left her view open again. "It's the way I've been for as long as I can remember. Why go around making changes like that now? There's absolutely no point in it."

 

[Vikteren]

+Rotting Lunacy+

"Nicolae?" She gave a shake of her head, causing the locks of her hair to sway hastily around her face and finally hang still like a veil for her to hide behind. "He resides with Khayman and the rest of his coven. He has little time to waste on his family nowadays." Antha felt bitter at the very mention of it, bitter at Nicolae in particular.
For a moment she considered mentioning Zero to Vikteren. This, however, she decided against. After all, he was there for a few days every several months before vanishing without a trace again; it was hardly worth noting.
"I suppose---" There was a pause, a thin sigh that emerged from her as if to convey hopelessness, frustration at herself for the network of lies her mind was forming, before she continued very calmly and carefully, "I suppose it is a very lonely place, yes. But what does that have to do with anything?" She tilted her head back only slightly so that her hair slid back and left her view open again. "It's the way I've been for as long as I can remember. Why go around making changes like that now? There's absolutely no point in it."

He did not answer at first, merely considered her words. They had some merit--some warped sort of merit, perhaps--but it was not one that he could agree with. It was an odd sort of view for an immortal to take, but he had been taught that without change, nothing could heal. Nothing could be born anew. It was one of his sire's regrets that any new fledglings must be forced into their immortal life. But he did not voice any of this aloud. Merely, "I was under the impression that mortals preferred the company of their own kind."