The World of Darth [ON HOLD]

[MacPere]

Rolias politely waited for Emilia to finish, raising an eyebrow at the mention of their meeting, not to mention the amount of questions. Never had he met the woman... Surely she was mistaken? "How do you do, m-my name is Dr. Rolias Allen... I'm afraid to say I cannot place your face though, my lady... Are you sure I wasn't mistaken for another?"

His brow knitted in concentration as he thought over the answers to each question, walking to the foot of her bed and taking up the papers on her treatment.

"The young mistress is doing fine; thus far, no complications have arisen..." He flicked through the sheets, scanning over and picking details.
"I'm afraid that her healing has slowed to a near-catastrophic level... Around 5x slower than standard humans. The projectiles used were silver, as proves obvious, but usually, even silver doesn't damage this severely in a spread area. And finally..." He placed back the papers and looked up, to Emilia's eyes. "Yes. They would have taken her... half-life if not for the prompt surgery."

His head turned at the sudden call from a nurse whose voice he recognised, murmuring a quiet "If that will be all, excuse me..." and walking to the door, opening it and asking her to lead the way.  

[Miss McNinja]

Kristoph hadn't returned home since he had departed with Angelus the previous night before. The man sat on a high wall near the center of the city, deep in thought. He hadn't even realized that the most part of the day had already passed by. Kris hadn't even slept a wink. He just couldn't. There was an air of uneasiness about him, as if something was seriously wrong. The human just couldn't return to normality like everyone else had seemingly done. He didn't feel safe anymore, even when armed.

The events of the last day or so had shaken him. It felt like something was amiss, though he couldn't quite pin down what it was that unsettled him. He was sure that the higher authorities would be investigating what was going on, but his trust in their abilities felt shaken. Coming from him, that was strange. He didn't agree with them on alot of things, but he at least trusted them enough to keep the citizens safe and free from harm. The man was sure it was something even beyond their own control, that they were just as clueless as he was. He let out a heavy sigh, softly running a hand through his blonde locks of hair, trying to brush out some slight knots with his fingers. Kristoph's eyes gazed outward, but they seemed empty. He was totally out of it today.

"'Ey, Kris!" A male voice called out to him. The blacksmith looked around to discover the source of the voice. It was his younger sibling, Markus. Kristoph smiled warmly, reaching down to pull his brother up beside him. The two sat awkwardly for a few moments, before their silence was yet again broken. Like before, it was Markus who had taken it upon himself to speak up. "Alice came to find me today, y'know. Said you'd not gone home since last night. Why not? I can't imagine staying out here like some hobo is very.. comfortable. You have a wife and child to return to.. Why not go see them?"

Markus was only met with silence, which prompted him to take his older brother by the arm. "Look, I'm freaked out too. But you can't go giving up on things and moping about at the first sign of danger. We've got to carry on as normal, it's all we can do." This infuriated Kristoph, who roughly yanked his arm out of Markus' grasp. "Running away? You're the ones running away by acting like nothing's happened! Something's happening, something bad.. And you all pretend like everything's fine as ever! Can't you feel it? Everyone's trust in each other is unravelling, very slowly. Whoever did this wanted that to happen. Our society is going to collapse on itself and your highest priority is handing out grapes and potatoes to the next bloomin' customer! Yes, I have a wife and a child. But they'll be no use to me if they end up six feet under because I was too busy making gates and candleholders, instead of looking out for them and making sure that this city remains safe!" He shot his brother a disgusted glance, before jumping down onto the ground below, storming off into the nearby crowds. Never had he felt more insulted in his life.  

[Ale Posselna]

Even having departed from the castle a bit after the other rider, and even keeping a safe distance to avoid rising suspicion, Ria was quite sure she could follow the man quite easily. At least, such was the plan until her horse reached the town square.

"Dammit!" Ria cursed under her breath, as she glanced again at the crowd around her. It was past noon, and the daily activities were at their peak, which explained why there were so many people on the streets. The carriages, the artisans in their workshops, the merchants, the women carrying groceries, the men carrying tools... how was she going to find the rider among that mess?

Sighing, Ria let her mind wander a while. Around her, everything seemed to have returned to normal... if she didn't know better, she could almost say that the death of Queen Charlotte had little to no effect on their lifes. And also, the conversations showed such a lack of interest in descovering what exactly had happened. Even the Unit had been sent to investigate the explosion at the funeral, diverting the attentions from the murder. Ria couldn't stop wondering if the two events were related. "I have to admit, it was clever for the murderer to do such an action... more little pranks like this, with the Unit sent to investigate them, and the murder will end up being forgotten. And if the assassin remains unpunished, he'll strike again. And succeed. Again" Ria concluded. Whoever he was, at this rate, he was sure to wipe out the rest of the Triumvirate in a short period of time. Who would be the next target?

Distracted by the gentle step of her horse, Ria barely noticed a blond man storming from the crowd and passing near her, a frown on his face. It was not a pretty sight, but Ria found it strangely conforting. It seems she wasn't the only one around who was displeased with the current order of things.  

[Valentine Valtieri]

Erik looked at the substance cautiously. "Ugh." He took a small sip, it was worse than he thought. "I'd better do this fast then." He downed it in one gulp and scratched at his throat, it was disgusting all at once, or maybe it was just him. He was thankful when the pain subsided though. He was almost sure that it wasn't gone completely, just enough so he wouldn't fall on the ground in pain. He was surprised at all the power it held, it wasn't anywhere big, but it hurt like crazy. Erik sat down and toyed with the guantlet strap on his hand. He loosened and tightened it until he was sure he could do it with his eyes closed. With was most likely going to be the case, the pain was bound to come back eventually. He cringed and snarled a bit, but quickly got hold of himself as he heard approaching humans.  

[Miss McNinja]

Kristoph quickly wrapped his scarf around his neck, trying to give himself something to fiddle with in order to calm down a little. Though that feeling of uneasiness quickly caught him once more, making the man stop in his tracks. Someone was watching him.. The lady on the horse. He must have just been a few paces from Ria as he called out to her, his tone harsh and blunt. "You!" He paused for a few moments, realizing that he'd just blurted that out loud instead of keeping it to himself. It was clear the man was now trying his best in attempting to curb his foul mood, though he wasn't very successful at it." Uh.. I'd appreciate if you didn't stare at me from up there. It is... Unsettling, to say the least. I know I stick out like a sore thumb in my worst moods."

After a few moments of silence, he turned back to face her, stuffing his hands in his coat pockets. "Hm. I'm sorry, I'm being rude. Calling you out like this without even introducing myself. I'm Kristoph Rosenbach, a local Blacksmith. Apologies for snapping at you just now. I should have carried on and ignored you. I'm not in a good place lately. That's not really a good excuse, but it's all I have. I beg your forgiveness, Ma'am. I'll be on my way. I know it's not very wise to be starting pointless arguments out here, with what's been happening lately." The man's face softened up a little, his sky blue eyes giving off an almost sympathetic gaze. He was all too aware how embarrassing it was to be on the recieving end of somebodie's anger, let alone a complete strangers.  

[Ale Posselna]

At first, Ria widened her eyes in surprise. Father was the only one she allowed to speak to her in that tone, and only in the rare ocasions she admited to have been wrong. How dared this man adress her in such a fashion? Even if he seemed stressed about something, such rudeness was unnecessary. Furthermore, she hadn't been staring, simply glancing.

Ria was about to reply as sharply, but as the man continued talking, and apologizing for his outburst, Ria decided to also calm down and choose better words. Plus, she had recognized the name. She stepped down from the horse to adress him.

"It's alright. I am sorry if I made you feel unconfortable in any way. It's just... this climate of uncertainty is not the best for keeping our emotions in place, and you seem to be one of the few who really cares about it." Ria let out a hand. "I am Ria Mizumi, I'm a scholar at the Royal Academy. I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Mr Rosenbach. I've always been a great fan of your father's work." she said, trailing a finger along Spring's shape under her dress. Bringing the conversation to everyday topics would not get her any information regarding the murder, but she was convinced it would be easier to speak to this man man if he were in a better mood.  

[Miss McNinja]

Kristoph gently took her hand, giving her a courteous bow. At this point, he seemed terribly embarrassed about his previous behaviour. He had certainly recognised her name and position by now, and he was ashamed that he'd made an awfully bad first impression. "In that case, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance too, Ma'am. Again, I apologise for being so rude. I don't know how to shut my mouth sometimes. You didn't need me yelling at you like that. I'm so embarrassed." He let go and stood up straight, seeming to relax a little now that she'd accepted his apology. "I see you've noticed it too.. How everyone is carrying on like nothing's happened. It makes me a little angry sometimes."

When the subject of his father came up, the blacksmith seemed to cheer up a little. Kristoph was certainly pleased to have someone remember his father, and went along with the change of subject with some enthusiasm. "Ah, so you knew of my Father! It's a shame he's not around today to hear things like that. He'd be dancing about if he were here." He grinned, almost imagining the old man dancing about in his grave. What a silly thought. "In any case, thank you. I'm proud to be his son, even if I do let him down at times." He blushed slightly, twisting a strand of hair between his fingers.  

[Ale Posselna]

"Come now, don't say such things." Ria asked. " I remember your father, yes, whenever he came to the castle to deliver weapons, he always spent some time talking to me. I liked him, he never used that paternalist tone that most adults use when speaking to a young child. He showed me a lot of things, told me about metals and its properties... you know, I believe he's to blame on my interest in Alchemy." She pulled out Spring from the folds of her dress." When King Christopher gave this to my father, I recognized his work immediatly." She paused for a moment. " Wherever he is now, I'm sure he's very proud of you. Not only did you continued his work, providing to the Royal Household, you also seem to care about what's around you." She said, displaying a rare smile. " Yes, I've noticed. You and a vampire lady on a white horse recently went to the castle with a crate. That's why I was staring, I was under the impression I had seen you before." Ria really couldn't help noticing these things. Even if she got in trouble later.

"But you are right." she then added, in a more serious tone. "Despite a few people, everyone seems unaffected by the previous events. Either they just dont' care, or they have a lot of faith that the Triumvirate will protect them." She sighed. "I'm not sure if I share their beliefs." Ria added, in a low tone. It was a very unworthy thought, she was aware of that, but regarding what had been happening, Ria just didn't feel so protected anymore.  

[Miss McNinja]

Kristoph looked to her with a pained smile. She really had known his father, her description of the old fellow being exactly how Kristoph remembered him. "He was certainly kind, and extremely skilled. I hope that someday I can craft things at such a high quality like he did. I make sure all my work is of the best quality, but there was just something so special about Father's work." He paused, rubbing the back of his head with a bashful grin. "I'm happy that he inspired your interests. I'm honored to continue his work under the family name. Hopefully, if things don't get messed up, I'll pass everything I know onto my son.. Well, if that's what he wants."

He chuckled sweetly, certainly appreciating her company. "Anyway, I believe it's important that I care about what's happening around me. My family is all I live for. If something damages them, I'm nothing. They're everything to me. So it irritates me when people act like everything will sort itself out. It used to feel that way, but just lately my trust in the Triumvirate is shaken.. Something is different, and I have to do something about it if I want things to be the way they once were. Yes, Vampires and Werewolves are always risky to be around, but we had a mutual respect for each other. I feel like that trust and respect is slowly falling apart, but I don't want that to happen."  

[Angeles Valentine]

Angeles remained silent in her corner, her arms folded, she had apparently been forgotten, it was no matter, from her standpoint it was better that way, in both her mind and instincts. The hunter does not like when it is noticed by the prey, but from a more human perspective it was easier to gather information when one was going unnoticed. But really, they should have been speaking to the child, not the doctor. She would wait though for her turn. Whatever the werewolf did not address Angeles would bring up herself.

She looked outside at the sun which was high, her powers would not return for several more hours. Then she would be able to read the child’s mind and gather information form there. Then she would have a lead, whether she would share that lead with the unit was another matter. She had rejected their invitation to join their ranks for a reason their sense of duty seemed to diminish their sense of morals, and she didn’t like that, it borderlined the monstrous stereotype that the humans had put on their kind.  

[Zulma san]

Emilia had smiled at the doctor. "I am sure I am not. Thank you Doctor." With a short bow, she had opened the door and disappeared in the hallway with a nod for the vampire as she passed her. The werewolf knew that the vampire would probably speak with the child, but she did not care.

She soon was away in the street and feeling happier about it than she had expected. Emilia did not have the strong sense of smell which some werewolves had, yet, she could smell much more than a human and the place reeked of diseases, blood and death, she hated that smell.

She hesitated for a while and decided to head for the meeting point, even if it was barely 1pm. She could always relax or train, depending on her mood. The woman moved silently towards the woods.

--------

The nurse led the way to the doctor Rolias. She opened the door of the room where she had let Erik with the potion against pain.

"I gave him some powder of dandelion to calm his pain." she informed the doctor as she trotted away, leaving the doctor alone with Erik.  

[MacPere]

Rolias nodded alongside the nurse's words, already observing the wound to his new patient's forehead with a hum of curiosity. "Thank you, nurse, I think I can handle it from here..."

Walking to the sink at one side of the room, he thoroughly washed his hands before drying them and walking back to the patient before him, still looking to that cut... "May I be provided with your name and race, sir?"  

[Ale Posselna]

"I agree with you." Ria said, surprising herself. She was not the kind of person to take into account what others thought. Nor had she expected that man, who clearly hadn't benefited from a higher education like she had, to be so perceptive about things. And to share the same beliefs as hers. There was something about Kristoph that Ria found appealing, something that kept her pride aside. The same thing his father had. And she was pleased to see that once more, whatever it was.

"Trust and respect, those are the values that the Triumvirate defends, even if it has problems defending itself." The image of Queen Charlotte rose to her mind again. And her mind sparkled, how silly of her, she had been adressing the issue the wrong way. The best place to look for answers wasn't the castle. Nor King christopher the best person to question. She looked at Kristoph again, smiling for real this time.

"You are absolutely right, you must grant your family the best world they can live in, werewolfes and vampires included. We're all God's creatures, after all." She paused a moment. "Whatever it takes, whatever it costs, they sure are worth it. So we must keep alert, and be ready to fight for it, if needed." Ria pulled her horse's reigns gently, as telling the animal they would be departing soon. " I apologise, but I am forced to leave you, Mr Kristoph. I also have a family, and in order for them to rely on my strength as I rely on theirs, I must tell them of my resolutions. I am glad we have met. Trust and respect still have their place in this kingdom, and I believe that with your help, they will prevail for a long time." Ria made a small bow and started walking towards her parent's home. Father was still at the castle, and due to his work there were things he couldn't share with her, but Melissa wasn't bonded by those restrictions anymore.  

[Valentine Valtieri]

"Erik Nerevar, werewolf." He said pleasently. The aftertaste was even worse than the first taste. "I'm surprised you couldn't tell." He said with a slightly wide eyed expression. It was funny to think that this man didn't care what his patients were, but then, he was human before, he understood.  

[MacPere]

"Werewolf... I thought so. It is always good to make sure." Rolias took up an oil lamp and lit it, bringing the flame's light up for him to observe the wound clearer.

"It is nice to meet you, Mr. Vanlen. Now, would I be right in guessing that this scar upon your forehead is the problem? If so, I would love it if you could tell me how it happened and whether anything has reached it in order to spread infection, damage, et cetera..."