The Talamasca Motherhouse

[XCandy and LunacyX]

Don't worry about it. She smiled faintly, casting her gaze on him for several short moments and thinking that it really didn't matter. "Do you still not like David?" she asked with a light little laugh. "I wish you would try to like him. He's going to be around a lot." She paused, figuring she might as well begin warning him about the people that he would be forced in the company of as long as he was around her. "And Claire...I really do hope you like him. He's around a lot. After all, Claire and I are...well, I suppose we're going to be married someday, so he tends to glue himself to me." She laughed smoothly at her thoughts when she had finished her sentence, her mind reflecting. "Then there's Zero. He lives with me sometimes. I'm not entirely sure what he is---neither of us do actually---but he's sweet." Again her eyes shut wearily, the mind behind them working furiously. There was no one else to mention. What a lovely distraction, she told herself silently, It actually worked for several minutes too, didn't it?

 

[Rynn Calais]

Halfway across the room, Rynn glanced around at the other four present, and decided, after a few seconds of internal debate, that it would not be considered unacceptable to take a seat at the moment. He was becoming tired of merely standing around, in any case.
He settled down on the chair he had previously been occupying, while he and Singe had been speaking, crossed his legs and laced his fingers together, prepared to be patient. Dimly, in his mind, he could still feel Liesse's presence. She was sleeping at the moment, in the front parlor. No need to rush just yet.  

[Vikteren]

+Rotting Lunacy+

Don't worry about it. She smiled faintly, casting her gaze on him for several short moments and thinking that it really didn't matter. "Do you still not like David?" she asked with a light little laugh. "I wish you would try to like him. He's going to be around a lot." She paused, figuring she might as well begin warning him about the people that he would be forced in the company of as long as he was around her. "And Claire...I really do hope you like him. He's around a lot. After all, Claire and I are...well, I suppose we're going to be married someday, so he tends to glue himself to me." She laughed smoothly at her thoughts when she had finished her sentence, her mind reflecting. "Then there's Zero. He lives with me sometimes. I'm not entirely sure what he is---neither of us do actually---but he's sweet." Again her eyes shut wearily, the mind behind them working furiously. There was no one else to mention. What a lovely distraction, she told herself silently, It actually worked for several minutes too, didn't it?

"He seems...trustworthy." Vikteren replied, carefully skirting around the question. He didn't exactly like David--that is, he doubted they would become fast friends unless by some miracle of circumstances. "Is Claire your fiance?" he asked, noting her discomfort and diverting the subject along some seemingly trivial path.  

[XCandy and LunacyX]

"David's a very good person," she commented lightly, smiling just slightly, "Please just give him a chance." When he mentioned Claire her eyes seemed to dim and sharpen. "No, not exactly," she said softly, leaning against her fisted hand, "It's just something they're negotiating. It's basically a business proposition. You see, it's tradition for the Designee of the Legacy to marry outside of the family, and oncle Julien thought Claire was a perfect candidate." It was hard to tell if she cared at all about this subject. On one hand Claire was truly dear to her, and on the other she didn't care one bit for marriage. "You were an aristocrat, correct? Didn't your parents ever try to marry you off?"

 

[Vikteren]

+Rotting Lunacy+

"David's a very good person," she commented lightly, smiling just slightly, "Please just give him a chance." When he mentioned Claire her eyes seemed to dim and sharpen. "No, not exactly," she said softly, leaning against her fisted hand, "It's just something they're negotiating. It's basically a business proposition. You see, it's tradition for the Designee of the Legacy to marry outside of the family, and oncle Julien thought Claire was a perfect candidate." It was hard to tell if she cared at all about this subject. On one hand Claire was truly dear to her, and on the other she didn't care one bit for marriage. "You were an aristocrat, correct? Didn't your parents ever try to marry you off?"

He glanced away. "Yes. Or at least, my father did. We had several fights over it, to be truthful. Pyrus often told me that I should be grateful that I was not trapped in an arranged marriage, that I could be free instead. Although the 'freedom' he offered was little better."  

[XCandy and LunacyX]

"Well, that's pretty much what it is with Claire and me. Only, I can't fight against oncle Julien or uncle Michael. I...can't fight the entire family over this. My only other choice would be to take the same path as Nicolae." She paused for several long moments, pressing her back into the chair with her jaded eyes staring off into space, and conjured up a mental image of her older brother for Vikteren to see, a figure much like the angel Gabriel (or so she imagined) immortalized in the cursed blood, streams of it running from his grinning mouth. This image she had carried with her for a very long time---even before he had vanished and been taken to the other side. "Khayman offered the blood to me, but I refused. I fought with Sleet to reject the blood from him. If this ordeal becomes a wreck, I'll live with it. After all, what kind of person would it make me if I just abandoned everything?" Her eyes focused again as they turned to him, the strong traces of a smile touching her lips.

 

[Vikteren]

+Rotting Lunacy+

"Well, that's pretty much what it is with Claire and me. Only, I can't fight against oncle Julien or uncle Michael. I...can't fight the entire family over this. My only other choice would be to take the same path as Nicolae." She paused for several long moments, pressing her back into the chair with her jaded eyes staring off into space, and conjured up a mental image of her older brother for Vikteren to see, a figure much like the angel Gabriel (or so she imagined) immortalized in the cursed blood, streams of it running from his grinning mouth. This image she had carried with her for a very long time---even before he had vanished and been taken to the other side. "Khayman offered the blood to me, but I refused. I fought with Sleet to reject the blood from him. If this ordeal becomes a wreck, I'll live with it. After all, what kind of person would it make me if I just abandoned everything?" Her eyes focused again as they turned to him, the strong traces of a smile touching her lips.

He lowered his eyes, not wanting her to see the vulnerability in his gaze. The vampire wanted to flinch away from the grisly image she offered, but he forced himself to remain perfectly still. And he could not truthfully claim that he had never seen the like of it before, in the bloodlust of myriad fledglings, in the fury of many elder vampires. "It would be the easier way, I suppose. I would not know. I did not choose my method of...escape...willingly. I did not have the choice offered to me." He was careful to keep his mind guarded, not allowing any trace of the memory to slip across. Then, looking back up, he asked, "Who is Khayman?"  

[XCandy and LunacyX]

At the very mention of this her eyes lit up quite suddenly and the sweet, excited smile he had always inspired in her appeared on her lips. "Khayman is one of the three coven masters of Osiris City. My brother Nicolae serves him. He's not like other vampires---he's very old world, unfortunate enough to hate the present, and he's very kind. Khayman teaches his followers that this war is pointless, that witches and vampires should support each other rather than randomly kill one another. You know, when I first met him---" her smile became a little more subdued, perhaps bashful even, and a faint blush came to her cheeks, "The first time I saw Khayman he had been injured and forced to take refuge in the attic where father kept me locked up. He was the first creature I had ever seen close up besides my father and the only at that time that I had ever held a conversation with. I took care of him while he was vulnerable and helped mask his presence. In turn, he helped me escape when he was better. He's taken care of me ever since. He even used to call me little sister, but when he started watching me around David and Aaron he started calling me princess like they do." She laughed faintly, her head falling to the side just slightly as she looked at Vikteren. "You would like Khayman, I'm certain of it."

 

[Vikteren]

+Rotting Lunacy+

At the very mention of this her eyes lit up quite suddenly and the sweet, excited smile he had always inspired in her appeared on her lips. "Khayman is one of the three coven masters of Osiris City. My brother Nicolae serves him. He's not like other vampires---he's very old world, unfortunate enough to hate the present, and he's very kind. Khayman teaches his followers that this war is pointless, that witches and vampires should support each other rather than randomly kill one another. You know, when I first met him---" her smile became a little more subdued, perhaps bashful even, and a faint blush came to her cheeks, "The first time I saw Khayman he had been injured and forced to take refuge in the attic where father kept me locked up. He was the first creature I had ever seen close up besides my father and the only at that time that I had ever held a conversation with. I took care of him while he was vulnerable and helped mask his presence. In turn, he helped me escape when he was better. He's taken care of me ever since. He even used to call me little sister, but when he started watching me around David and Aaron he started calling me princess like they do." She laughed faintly, her head falling to the side just slightly as she looked at Vikteren. "You would like Khayman, I'm certain of it."

He couldn't help but smile at seeing Antha back in her good mood. "He must have some good qualities, I suppose, if you speak so highly of him. I cannot understand why he would hate the present, though, I shall admit. It has it's own peculiar set of values and morals, but one must learn to live with it. It is self-defeating to despise something you must coexist with. And 'tisn't as if by hating it, he can make it go away, yes?"  

[XCandy and LunacyX]

"He seems to think so. That's his one tragic flaw. He seems to think that if he hides away in his crypt and broken old houses like Satis House then eventually all the accomplishments and consequences of the past few centuries will vanish." Her mood calmed, she let her gaze wander about the room as she spoke. It was only here, however, that it became focused again and her tone dropped subtly. "He went to sleep for a good number of years recently. He couldn't take the bright electric lights and moving pictures and excess of cars zooming along the streets. Atticus told me that when they woke him up back a few years before I met him and he found out that it all hadn't gone away, he had a nervous breakdown. He came to his senses though, of course, but it still pains him I should think. Atticus tried to get him to join the Talamasca because here he can lock himself away from the world for good---which happens to be Atticus's method---but Khayman said there were creatures left struggling in this city who needed him. I guess that's how you would describe Nicolae and me." If there were only one word that could be used to describe the expression on her face at the moment, it could only be starstruck. Her idolization of him was as clear as day.

 

[Vikteren]

+Rotting Lunacy+

"He seems to think so. That's his one tragic flaw. He seems to think that if he hides away in his crypt and broken old houses like Satis House then eventually all the accomplishments and consequences of the past few centuries will vanish." Her mood calmed, she let her gaze wander about the room as she spoke. It was only here, however, that it became focused again and her tone dropped subtly. "He went to sleep for a good number of years recently. He couldn't take the bright electric lights and moving pictures and excess of cars zooming along the streets. Atticus told me that when they woke him up back a few years before I met him and he found out that it all hadn't gone away, he had a nervous breakdown. He came to his senses though, of course, but it still pains him I should think. Atticus tried to get him to join the Talamasca because here he can lock himself away from the world for good---which happens to be Atticus's method---but Khayman said there were creatures left struggling in this city who needed him. I guess that's how you would describe Nicolae and me." If there were only one word that could be used to describe the expression on her face at the moment, it could only be starstruck. Her idolization of him was as clear as day.

Vikteren gave a noncommital shrug. "I expect that if you did leave it alone for long enough, civilization would become so convoluted and twisted up in itself that it would have no choice but to collapse. But that would take far too long for my tastes. Even if he slept until that occurance, upon waking, he would be surrounded by the ruins of the old civilization. This world can never go back to the way it was." He tilted his head to one side. "You know, watching you talk about him is making me feel quite envious. It must be nice to have someone to admire so completely. It is rare to find an idol whose character stands up to close inspection."  

[XCandy and LunacyX]

"Quite true." Her smile softened, though the pure happiness was still present, and she seemed to untense finally as she sat reminiscing. "On both accounts, you're right. No matter how spectacular of a person Khayman is, he can't bring himself to let the past go. He was a happy person when he was truly alive and he loved everything about his era. To try and leave every bit of that behind...I can't even begin imagine. And sometimes I wonder if he's so eager to turn me because he really wants me to understand." She leaned forward a little after this remark, grabbing hold of Vikteren's hand and motioning for him to come in closer. Her words weren't for David to ever hear in his entire life. "I know that one day I'm going to be a vampire. Four vampires have sworn on their honor that they will turn me one day whether I want it or not. That's the simple fact of the matter. But I'm afraid that when it happens I'm going to become like him, hiding away from the world as it changes. I don't think I could be like big brother or Sleet or even like you, Vikteren." She stopped here, letting go of Vikteren as her great eyes looked up at him, watching, a hint of admiration for him showing in them for the first time.

 

[Vikteren]

+Rotting Lunacy+

"Quite true." Her smile softened, though the pure happiness was still present, and she seemed to untense finally as she sat reminiscing. "On both accounts, you're right. No matter how spectacular of a person Khayman is, he can't bring himself to let the past go. He was a happy person when he was truly alive and he loved everything about his era. To try and leave every bit of that behind...I can't even begin imagine. And sometimes I wonder if he's so eager to turn me because he really wants me to understand." She leaned forward a little after this remark, grabbing hold of Vikteren's hand and motioning for him to come in closer. Her words weren't for David to ever hear in his entire life. "I know that one day I'm going to be a vampire. Four vampires have sworn on their honor that they will turn me one day whether I want it or not. That's the simple fact of the matter. But I'm afraid that when it happens I'm going to become like him, hiding away from the world as it changes. I don't think I could be like big brother or Sleet or even like you, Vikteren." She stopped here, letting go of Vikteren as her great eyes looked up at him, watching, a hint of admiration for him showing in them for the first time.

He raised one eyebrow, surprised despite himself. "I wasn't aware that anyone should wish to become like me." He knelt, so that their eyes would be even, and asked, "But let us pretend. If you were to be turned, how would you find your personality conceivably altered?"  

[XCandy and LunacyX]

She smiled just slightly, feeling a minor sense of joy with him at eye level, yet the traces of secrecy and anxiety lingered in her expression. "I think I might go insane. To watch years and years go by without changing, generations of Mayfairs come and pass, and to see civilization as I know it fade away and give birth to a new era---I don't think I could handle it. Otherwise, I fear I might be more like Sleet. He toys with people like the entire world is the setting for his game and once he's bored of them, he likes to watch them suffer before he kills them. Atticus and Siren say he wasn't like that before and directly after he was turned." The severity of her worrying had a childish quality to it, though she knew quite well that these were very real fears.

 

[Vikteren]

+Rotting Lunacy+

She smiled just slightly, feeling a minor sense of joy with him at eye level, yet the traces of secrecy and anxiety lingered in her expression. "I think I might go insane. To watch years and years go by without changing, generations of Mayfairs come and pass, and to see civilization as I know it fade away and give birth to a new era---I don't think I could handle it. Otherwise, I fear I might be more like Sleet. He toys with people like the entire world is the setting for his game and once he's bored of them, he likes to watch them suffer before he kills them. Atticus and Siren say he wasn't like that before and directly after he was turned." The severity of her worrying had a childish quality to it, though she knew quite well that these were very real fears.

"The secret," he said lightly, "lies in entertaining yourself. Sleet's way is one. Mine is another. And should you choose to take what is offered to you, I suspect that you would make your own. You seem like you would not fall prey to your own mind as easily as you believe." He reached out, brushed a stray ringlet back from her face, let his hand rest--for only a second--on her cheek, comfortingly, as an older brother might.