((Open)) ~Romania~ I've Missed Home

[within7temptation]

Seventine years had passed between the last time she had seen the castle and its estates, nestled deep within the Carpathian Mountains of Romania, and now, the moment she first steped onto it. It was roughly about eleven thirty at night with the moon only half full. Not that the moon could be seen, given that the sky had been covered in thick, dark clouds for the past week. And currently, it was raining. The water fell in small, bone-chilling dropplets, a slow and rather depressing rain. This was surely not a extravigent and fearsom entrance of a romanticised queen coming home to her new covenant for the first time. No, this was a sad home-coming. The return of a sad and lonely widow who sought reassurance and comfort of the ones that she had called her family for almost seven hundred years. This night reminded her of the night that her once-beautiful life had changed.
She nudged the horse she was riding into a swift trot, sending him to the head of the line. Three of her coven, the oldest of her coven, had met her the previose night at ten thirty and had driven her in a rental car to the nearest village. From there, they had had to take horses to reach the estates. Duskarie's chosen mount was a Friesian stallion named Korbaste, a hansome creature of solid black and of an age of seven years. Of course, their horses were immortal. Vampiric Mounts. Demon Horses. So, in actuallity, the horse was almost as old as Duskarie. Six hundred and fifty-one years. He was her favorite horse.
The rain began to fall heavier as they picked up their pace and she was thankful that she had chosen her outfit wisely. She had chosen clothing that looked as though it would have been worn by a warrioress from the Early Days. Long sleaves and pants that fit her form, but were of thick cotton and leather with tall boots and thick gloves of buckskin. An oiled, water-proof cloak covered her, and Farrera who sat behind her in the saddle and formed an odd lump in her black cloak.
Soon, they were at the front gates. Yes, it was indeed a castle. "We recently put in electricity, My Lady." the youngest of the three Elders, a man named Silvio who looked to be in his late twenties, spoke. There had been contraversy within their house-hold on wrether or not to modernize the castle as they had the mansion, which sat about thirty miles north and five miles west of the castle. The Elders had wasnted to go along with Tradition, but they also needed to blend with society. Need, as always, had been concidered over want. But to Dusk, it was quite irrelevent. If the mansion was technilogicaly updated and everything was running smoothly, what did it matter if they did the same with the castle? Oh well. It was done, the money was gone, and at least she could take a hot shower. That had been seen to as soon as plumbing, and then heated water systems, had been invented.
Though, tonight, it would probably be a nice, long bath in lovely, hot water and surrounded by candles scented with lavender and lilac and rose... Wild rose. And there would be bubbles, again lavender and lilac and wild rose, with milk. And also there would be wine the color of fresh blood, wich would also be there. She would require her favorite pair of glasses; the finest of crystal set with silver bands around the rim. Inset in the silver was amythest. Her late husband had given her the set for her twentyith birthday, her third year as a Vampire, and their third annaversary. Yes, she loved those dainty, crystaline goblets.
Eight of the much younger members of their family came out to greet them. Four of them helped the Elders down from their steeds and led them inside and out of the rain while the other four took charge of the horses. Once she was within the dark gray walls of stone, she began to softly cry --Thankfully the black-and-gray make-up she'd chosen this night was water-proof. The interior was so beautiful. Dark and rustic. Almost Gothic, and very romantic. Above the large, walk-in fire place was a painting of the original twenty members of the coven; Marques and Duskarie were standing right in the midle and wearing their finnest and, at the time of the painting, favorite clothes. For Marques, it had been a silken dress shirt of a French design in deep sapphire blue, to match his eyes, and black pants with boots of deeper black and lether that reached almost to his knees. And for she herself, a corset of brilliant purple with electric blue roses to accent it. Her skirt had been black with a slit from her ankle, all the way up to her hip, on the left side. Lether corset, silk skirt. Her hair had been left doawn and her make-up had been blue-tinted purple.
Finally she looked aound. There were one hundred and twenty-three vampires in the room at the moment, and that included herself and the four men that had tended to the horses. "Thank you all for welcoming me home time and time again. I know that I do not return often, but there are so many memories that leave me filled with sorrow. I know that you understand, for the same kinds of memories are often what pushes our kind to join a coven that is far from our home and the families we knew. I shall try to remain here for longer than I normally do, but I am not going to make any promises. For tonight, loves, I wish to be alone." She turned to a man named Gabriel, the oldest vampire in the coven and Marques's best friend. "Please, brother," it was a special title used among the Elders, to refer to each other as siblings, "have Rosaline bring blood and wine in my favorite glasses. And have Maria ready my bath; She knows how I like it."
Farrera the Familiar jumped up to ride on her mistress's shoulder as the red-haired woman made her way to her room and disrobed. Her bath was already waiting for her, so she stepped right in and laid down. The tub was set in black marble and could hold ten people. Lieing as she was, the water reached her chin. The tub was only two-thirds of the way full. The fire in the hearth let off a warm light, as did the candles. The bathroom was all marble with walls of dark cherry wood. The one window, facing North, was stained a deep red with a black Friesian Stallion Rampant in the center.
'Gods, I've missed Home.' she thought as she drank deeply of her first glass of wine and looked at her cat, who slept curled up before the fire. "I've missed it so much."
~~~~~~~
It was an hour till dawn when she finnally finnished her bath and went to her room. Lush, crimson carpeting covered the floor and contrasted sharply with the dark purple bedding. Canopy, curtains, sheets, confertor, and quilts were all silk or Egyptian cotton. Chiffon and thick velvet covered her windows and the glass doors to her balcony in royal blue. Oaks and Cherry woods dominated. She remembered all of it, the nights with her husand, the nights without him. She slept, bare of clothing, soundly throughout the day. And as the sun began to set, she began to wake.
There would be others ariving tonight, if any of them had decided to accept her invitation and join her ever-growing covenant. She could give them the protection they needed, money for their schooling and clothes. 'Gods, sounds like welfare.'
But it wasn't. More like species preservation. It was getting so hard for Immortals to live undetected.
Duskarie dressed quickly in a dark blue blouse of the peasent style with a very modern, and extremely gothic elegance touch. Her pants were black skinnies and tucked nicely into her thigh-high boots -much like those she had worn the night before in the rain, but made more for walking and looking good. She finnished the night's look by braiding her hair and tieing it off with a sapphire ribbon with a silver-and-sapphire belt around her hips.
Then she decided she did not like the shirt. Too dark and too modest. Instead, she chose a top of electric blue, maybe a shade or two darker, with a midnight blue lether corset. Her brests were pushed up a bit, shown off by the un-buttoned v-neck of her long sleaved, though off-shoulder, blouse. Also, the low back revealed her pentacle tattoo. Now she looked the part of Queen of the Manor.
Gently, she lifted Farrera from the bed and walked down stair into the Entry Hall. The hardest part of the evening would be waiting for her guests to arrive...

[casey]

Casey's first time in Romania, sites to see, Casey wondered what it would be like. She was new to the whole 'Being a Vampire' thing. Recently Casey was living in a small apartment, just for the mean time. Oddly, she had mail, and the tenant who took care of delivering it delivered her piece of mail. Opening it with her nail, she got a slight paper cut, just a bit of blood came out. Licking her finger, she tore open the rest of the mail, it was a letter. Directed to her from where? From who? And why? Reading it, it informed her about a cab arriving later on for her. She was apparently taking a trip to some castle-like place.

Sighing that meant she had to go get ready. Quickly, Casey took a shower, she was out in about 5 minutes. Dressing quickly, she did her make-up, and decided to wear something dark. Applying her make-up, she slipped on some flats. She did NOT feel like wearing heels, around a castle-like place where she could slip at any time. Grabbing a pouch, she slipped in her wallet, and other things. Oh! Her hair! Quickly, she blow dryed and used mousse and hair spray to curl her hair. Heading to her window, she looked outside to see the moon hanging high, and to see a cab outside her building.

Clutching her pouch, she paced to her door, grabbing the letter on the way out. Locking her door, she went down the steps, and outside to the cab. She looked well... "Sexy" to herself she thought. She had let the cab driver read the letter, which on the very bottom of it, was an address. It took an hour, to get to the castle-like place. It was fancy, very fancy. Paying the cab driver on the way out, she grabbed the letter and stepped out near the stairs of the huge castle-like place. Breathing evenly, she stepped up to the doors, and knocked loudly, that was just so someone could hear it.

"Well... Casey, keep calm."

Total Word count; 343.

[within7temptation]

A younger member of her house-hold, a woman, opened the doors. She was dressed in a sparkeling, translucent black top with a flowy black skirt that reached just past her knees. Green eyes, thankfully for Duskarie thought that blue-eyed blonds were just too generic, with her long hair pulled back into a lovely messy bun. Emera. Duskarie had turned the girl herself a little more than eighty years ago and had come to cherrish the witty girl as a much younger sister. Of course, the girl had had very little problem in proving to the Elders that she was perfect for a part of their Second Councile. First Councile was reserved specifialy for the Covenant's Elders. "Thank you, Emera." The woman with the red hair smiled and stepped forward to greet their guest as the younger girl stepped back to join the assembly before the fire place.
"Casey North, I take it?" Duskarie's voice was mixed with the lilting accents of Ireland, Brittain, Spain, and Romania alike as she watched the young bruenett and waited for her to enter. "Come. I fear that the night shall not remain so clear and lovely for long, and I doubt that you would not be pleased to have your pretty hair and make-up ruined by the rain."
Her nails had been painted such a dark shade of blue that they semed to be black, though they shimmered an electric blue. Her eyes flashed from blue-gray to silver in an instant, only to slowly darken the a dark blue-gray. She hoped that the child would not feel intimidated by so many vampires living within the castle, all of them being older than she.
"I am Duskarie Abigail Mysteria, Queen of this coven." She reached up to swipe a stray lock of hair back and out of her eyes. "Please, do hurry." The lightning was unseen, but she could hear the thunder in the distance. The ancient vampiress held out her hand to Casey. She could feel the girl's nervousness and was hoping she would calm down.

[casey]

"Casey North, I take it?" She heard an older woman ask.

"Yes, um how do you know my name?" She asked her in a soft voice.

Stepping a bit closer to the door, she took two quick glances inside the castle-like place. It was REALLY big, and maybe it looked quite spacious, but that was just a thought.

"Come. I fear that the night shall not remain so clear and lovely for long, and I doubt that you would not be pleased to have your pretty hair and make-up ruined by the rain." She heard the woman speak again.

"Your right..." She walked inside and looked around, Casey guessed right, the castle-like place was HUGE!

Nervously she bit her lip a bit, noticing they're a lot of Vampires inside, they looked a lot older than her too. "I am Duskarie Abigail Mysteria, Queen of this coven." She heard Duskarie introduce herself.

It was nice for Duskarie to introduce herself, she looked absolutely beautiful, much much prettier than Casey did. She noticed Duskarie's hand was waiting, taking her hand, she followed Duskarie, to where ever they were to go next...

Looking around just a bit more, she saw it was surrounded by servants and what not. "I wonder if I'll get to be introduced to any of these Vampires... Since I am myself really new to all of this." She thought quietly to herself. Casey noticed that some of the Vampires looked at her, not being rude, she gave them a quick grin, and went back to paying attention to Duskarie, as for all she is the Queen of the Coven.

"I wonder, if Duskarie could teach me about this whole 'Being a Vampire thing'?" She had quickly thought about that idea, not being sure if Duskarie would actually take her in. Sighing, Casey bit her lip harder, making it bleed a bit.

Total Word Count: 304.

[within7temptation]

"Casey," the woman lead the young vampiress to the center of the room and held her hand out to indecate a seeminly young man. When he stepped forward, his round-about age was apparent. Born of the late sixteen hundreds, his demeanor gave away his station in his mortal life. Aristocrat. His hair was light brown to the point that it looked like it was almost blond and slicked back to form a nice horse-tail at the name of his neck. His eyes were a lovely golden hazel. The man was tall, roughly six feet and four inches, and looked to be in his early thirties. "I doubt that you remember Jonathin Corvas, but he is the one who sent you the letter. He had been watching you for several months and decided that it was time for you to have a home. He is the reason that I know exactly who you are."
The man extended his hand, taking Casey's and kissing it before stepping closer and offering his arm to her. Duskarie resleased the girl's other hand and nodded to the others of her coven. Half of them were to remain and wait for other new-comers, should they choose to arrive, while the other half were to escort Duskarie and Casey about the castle. An even taller man with black hair, also slicked back into a horse-tail, and blackish brown eyes came up to escort Duskarie. They did not touch, but it was clear that they were close. One of her late husband's closest friends, Antonio.
"This way." She led them all through the castle and out into the night air. "Casey, darling," she looked at the girl over her shoulder, "This is only one third of my extended family. The rest are dispersed throught Europe. An estate in Ireland, soon to be two estates, I hope, one small one in London, and one in Spain. There is another a ways north of here, but there are only seven men there at the moment." Needless to say, she would never be alone and she would have plenty of homes to choose from.

[casey]

"I doubt that you remember Jonathin Corvas, but he is the one who sent you the letter. He had been watching you for several months and decided that it was time for you to have a home. He is the reason that I know exactly who you are."

"No, I don't remember him, Really? Oh, well that's nice."She asked.

Casey smiled, as the the man took her hand and placed a gentle kiss on it, than she watched as he offered his arm to her. Taking it, she stepped foward, closer to Duskarie. Taking a big guess, she guessed that they were going on a escort trip.

Following Duskarie's lead, "This way." She led them all through the castle and out into the night air. "Casey, darling,"

'Yes?" She answered, while looking around the Castle, but nearing her eyes to Duskarie's. "This is only one third of my extended family. The rest are dispersed throught Europe. An estate in Ireland, soon to be two estates, I hope, one small one in London, and one in Spain. There is another a ways north of here, but there are only seven men there at the moment."

"Really?, I mean that's great, the place seems huge, but I still have a lot to learn about being a Vampire and all... Everyone here seems so friendly, it's nice to finally fit in a place that I actually feel like I belong."/Color] She smiled, and still had Jonathan's arm, in hers. As she noticed, he was most likely gonna keep it there for some time.

Atleast now Casey wasn't alone, around her old family, that now aren't in danger, and can live a normal life, now that she is gone on living her unnormal life as well. Sighing, she glanced at Jonathan, maybe he knew what it was like. Maybe he didn't? Shaking her head, she looking around some more, seeing that they weren't much Vampires, from where they were in the castle now. But still, there were servants,maids,butlers, and what not.

Total Word Count; 331.

[tatianacross]

OOC: Tried to follow the events and timeline as best I could.


It'd been at least a week of hiding and preparing since she'd met Duskarie. Ever since she was able, Tatiana had gathered all she could from her apartment: clothes, money, small essentails and packed it all into a duffel bag. She sat in the plane, nervously tapping away the hours until surise. When the plane finally landed in Romania, Europe--she grabbed her luggage and her mind scrambled to figure out the address of Duskarie's castle. Mortal blood sang in thier cages of human flesh, but Tat had long since become numb to the tantalizing scent. She'd been in a constant state of silence, of empty smiles and short, clipped replies. Too tense to notice, she had supposed. Once she was on solid ground again and out of the airport, she had time to relax. It began to rain thenn and humans hurried for cover. She didn't mind.

She looked for the escort that Duskarie hopefully had provided but found none. Maybe I'm to find her on my own? She laughed and shouldered her bag, glancing at a tourist map. It held no useful information, so she tossed it.
A young, cultured voice called her name behind her. "Are you Tatiana Cross?"
She turned to see a young woman who looked to be in her early thirties. "Yes."
"Good, Queen Duskarie is expecting you tonight."
Tatiana looked at her plain white blouse, the black jeans and the brown trench coat and wondered if she'd packed something nice to wear.
The vampire took her arm and led her to a sleek black rental car. "Don't worry about your clothing, Miss Cross." The woman smiled. Tat just listened and looked out the window as the woman tried to make small talk.
"Anything bothering you?"
"No."
There was an awkward silence after that. Tat watched the clock: It was just after one in the morning. They had almost 5 hours until dawn.

The car slowed down. Tatiana was confused until she saw the two powerful mounts that stood waiting, slick with rain. The other vampire already had her bag. "Hey--" She nearly stumbled out of the car. "Hold on that--" The other female laughed and mounted one of the horses.
"Come on. It's a bit of a ride til we get to the castle."

Clumsily, Tatiana mounted. It'd been a long time since she'd rode a horse. Her muscles were sore but she could feel the familiar heat of the horse beneath her and she grinned. Feeing her enthusiam, her horse stamped its hooves. Soon, they were off, galloping through a maze of paths and thick trees.
Both vampires slowed their mounts at a pair of ornate gates. A a signal, they opened and rode inside. Tatiana dismounted and two male vampires came to care for the mounts. Shouldering her pack again, Tatiana gazed at the enormous estate. Lights could be seen from windows and as the rain gradually turned to a light drizzle. The female led her inside.

"Come on, you're soaked!" It was then that Tatiana hadn't even asked for a name.
While the female vampire, pushed her into an elegant bedroom and passed her a warm towel, Tat turned to the female. "What's your name?"

[within7temptation]

The woman led the small group across the courtyard and back into the castle. She took them up the stairs an down the very laong and rather wide corridor until they had reached a large door that was painted maroon. She lifted her delicate left hand and knocked lightly. There was a soft smile upon her soft lips as the door opened and she stepped in. "I do hope that the Lady Tatiana Cross is well, Malina." She reached out to hug the new vampiress. "Welcome, dear, to my home. I am so very glad that you decided to join us." She made her way to the wardrobe and fished around within until she had found a pair of simple, though elegant, jeans to go with a black blouse of silk. "Here, Tatiana. You're clothes are soaked through." She signaled for the others to follow her out of the room so that Tatiana could have her privacy.
"We will wait for Lady Tatiana to freshen herself up before proceding. Casey, we will teach you what you need to know about being a vampire. I have a... Friend, who was recently turned. He will be here within a few days. You two will get along, I hope." She did not say that her friend was actually her lover and her fledgling. But there was a hidden warning deep within her eyes that spoke of just how dangerouse it would be for the new-comer to get too friendly with the newly turned male without consulting with Duskarie first. The Queen was not interested in marrying again, but she was not paticularly interested in sharing her lovers with every female in the coven.
Morgan, her fledgling, was an exceptional male. As was Gabriel. Morgan was so full of life and had an old-world air about his twenty-one-year-old persona that so few mortals could dream of. As for Gabriel Cross, he was older than Duskarie. She was hoping that he would decide to join her as well, but she had yet to hear from him. So few vampires lived as long as she did, so the elder male was quite the find.
The perfect trio... A wise fledgling, a lively and very passionate elder, and an equaly lively queen. 'Tatiana needs to hurry. The Covenant will not like waiting for too long.' Only thoughts.

[tatianacross]

Tatiana quickly changed into the offered clothes, feeling the silk glide along her skin. Very nice. Combing out her hair with her own brush, she hoping that it would be presentable. Tat looked at herself in the mirror and found herself smiling. Things here would run smoothly, the vampires seemed quite welcoming. She gazed around the lavish bedroom at the cherry wood furniture and silken sheets and gilded mirror. She knew she looked very plain, and would seem simple among those who were used to the aristocratic lifestyle: The life that her former husband had enjoyed and thrived upon. Fine wine, money, power...security She rolled her eyes--that was more then 219 years ago. Tatiana checked herself in the mirror again and changed from her running shoes into black heels. If there was something she learned from Ian Thorne, it was to appear that you knew this life from your very first mortal breath. She touched her neck and wondered if she'd packed some jewelery--pearls or earrings. Digging in her bag, she found nothing but a small bottle of perfume. She dabbed some of it on her neck and wrists and tossed it back into the bag.

I'll have to look for a job around here if I'm to stay. Tomorrow night she would try and make it back into town, see if they had any clubs or good bars that would hire a bartender or even a waitress. Couldn't be that hard, could it? Tatiana could feel her confidence returning. She could stay for however long that Duskarie allowed, find a job and rent an apartment if things were good. The cops would never dream that she'd fled to Europe or if they had, she could hide and, if things got worse, she could always turn herself in. Or travel someplace else...be on the run.

But she liked the warmth and kindness of Duskarie and Malina and the acceptance they had shown her. Banishing those thoughts, she opened the door to meet the world, feeling sexy and proud of herself. Remember what Ian told you: subtlity does the trick. Don't let it get yourself into a fix--keep your head.

[within7temptation]

"Tatiana, you look much better now!" Duskarie turned and began to lead them up another flight of stairs, then down one more long hall and then one more flight. Floor three. The door she opened was not painted. Dark oak was carved with Celtic designs and roses and vines. The interior was lavishly decorated with dark woods. Silks and satins and velvets of many varying shades of blue accented in silvers and grays and blacks. The fire was already set alight within the gray marble hearth and there were goblets of blood and red wine set upon a long table carved of dark mahogany. The wood work of the table and chairs matched that of the door. "Please, ladies and gentle men, sit."
The Lady of the Covenant sat at the head of the table in a chair that was slightly larger than the others and smiled as she took a goblet in hand. Simple goblets of basic crystal, not her favorites. Her favorite crystaline goblets were for very private affairs. "I shall tell you something about Covenant Vontair, my dears. We were started by my late husband, Marques Vontair. Naturally, after his death I took over. He is the one who turned me, taught me, and loved me. Though, you may wander why I still go by Mysteria. The name Vontair was suposed to have died out. And it is safer to allow others to beleave so. Hunters have been after us for as long as we have been a coven, and to go by my maiden name is to keep myself and the entire family safe." She sipped from her wine and was silent for a moment as she looked out the window onto the balcony. "We are funded by charrities and variouse companies that we own. Government as well. Our main purpose is to keep all vampires alive... Well, all smart vampires." Her eyes flicked over Tatiana for a moment and lingered before flicking over each other member of their escort.

[tatianacross]

Tatiana held Duskarie's gaze, before looking around her at the other vampires. Many were dressed in fine silk and leather garments. Some vampires peered at her but she kept her tongue in check. She could feel their questions burn into her skin like tattoos and folded her hands on the table. Could they see the scars of the Second World War, the callouses? Tat distracted herself, sipping her glass of blood delicatly as Duskarie went on to discuss affairs around the world, plans that she'd made. Queen Duskarie treated them with such respect, her whole being seemed to command respect.

This whole place seemed to be reminiscent of the times she and Ian used to spend time over books and scrolls--candles lit, a roaring fire in the hearth. It was like stepping back into a simpler time.

But she knew that it was not the case. Tatiana stared into her glass, swirling the blood around. She tuned out once Duskarie plunged into a discussion of politics. An elbow met her side and she turned to find a young male vampire looking at her. "You should pay attention to this, newcomer."
She sighed and heard the vampire chuckle. He's probably thinking I need lessons on how to act around his type. She sipped her wine again and tried to pay attention--but politics had never been in her best interest. Tat spread her hands across the polished table and stared at its immaculate shine. She didn't realize that the vampire beside her was speaking to her until a hand appeared with the bottle tipped over her glass. She watched the blood flow into the glass and sighed. "Thanks." She felt a small smile appeared on her face.

The conversation moved from politics to pleasentries, but Tatiana did not know how or when to join in. It had been a while since she had been this confused or felt disjointed from all that was happening.

[morgandubhbraon]

Morgan had only just arrived in Romania. It was a beautiful country and he already felt a kinship with the land. Perhaps that was the call of Duskarie's blood in his veins. The call of the remnants of her husband, Marques' blood. Whatever it was pleasant and made it feel like more of a homecoming than entering a foreign land as a foreigner. He felt a strange confidence and he carried himself nobly as he walked across the train depot. It had taken nearly no time to get on the dusk train from Ireland and cross in the dark to the station. He had swiftly made his way to the hotel, and did not even bother to book a room as he knew it was Alexander Varquain waiting there near a pair of sleek stallions as surely as he knew his own staff at home.

Morgan had only brought a small carry bag; as he had taken the precaution to have most of his belongings sent ahead the day prior to his departure. They would be waiting for him when he arrived. Tonight he had chosen a simple pair of body hugging denim jeans tucked into comfortable knee boots; and a simple yet elegant travel shirt of brushed egyptian cotton. He wore a travel cloak that hung to his midcalf and was a deep navy blue as his eyes when full of emotion.

He greeted the other Vampire cordially with a firm handshake and nod. He required no direction and slipped on his horse; a broad stud that was inky black with silver mane and tail. He rather liked this mount, it had fire and charisma. He murmured to it softly and it heeded his gentlist nudge. It was almost as if he could communicate without speaking, and the horse knew his needs. As a result the ride to the Castle was swift and steady, yet comfortable.

He noticed with a touch of surprise that the Castle was exactly as he expected it to be, as if he had been here before. It dawned on him that he had glimpsed it in Duskarie's memories. He was truely coming home. His face lit in a joyful grin and his boyant spirits prodded the horse to trot faster to the carriage house. Both men dismounted as groomsmen came to take the horses, and Morgan followed Alexander inside the magnificent building. He offered a casual nod of greeting to all who he passed, he didn't speak but he met every eye and smiled politely at every questioning gaze.

He was led up several beautifully carved stair cases until they arrived at the seventh floor. There was a reverent air in these halls and a quiet sense of power in the furnishings. They were beautiful without being opulent. They fitted his tastes perfectly. There were three doors situated some paces apart; two on this wall and one on the far wall. His room was to the right of the centered door. He caught a whiff of that unforgettable fragrance, musky, floral, sweet and totally hers. He closed his eyes and breathed it in as if it were a beautiful boquet.

When he opened them again Alexander was waiting in front of his door for him to enter. He grabbed the polished brass handles and threw open the double doors to reveal his chambers. A wide grin settled on his face as he glanced around. It was tastefully done in dusky purples, navy blues, silver tones and onyx. The wood was deep mahogany buffed to a polished black sheen from age and wear. he loved it immediately. In the entranceway stood chippendale tables with vases and other treasures to please the eye. There was a sitting area with bricade velvet settees facing each other and wing back chairs grouped casually for resting or conversation. He paced through to the antechanber and smirked at the bed. A lovely carved four poster with canopied draperies of damask silk and matching curtains. They were woven through in the purple and blue with silver accents. There were silk sheets on the bed and the damask comforter was drawn over the pillows with a dressing gown laying in easy reach at the foot.

He passed on to the nook door and into the lavish bathroom with a huge clawfoot tub and pedestal sink. He rinshed his hands and face drying them on the blood red crimson towels and sprinkling rosewater over his cheeks when he was done. He pulled his silver brush over his hair and tied it back on his neck with a silver brocade clasp. He knew Alexander was waiting outside so he hastily threw open the amoire doors and pulled out an appropriate pair of lightweight flannel trousers in a deep grey and a silk blouson shirt that matched his dark blue eyes. After dressing fastidiously yet quickly he slipped on a pair of low heeled dress boots and sauntered out of the rooms.

Thank you for your excellent company, Alexander; I quite enjoyed that brisk ride. His warm smile revealed the sincerity of his words, spoken in his lilting Irish brogue as he was led back down several flights of stairs to where the scent he waited for grew stronger. He knew Alexander watched his animated features and his face flushed slightly. He paused just outside the door he knew she was just within. Then with a soft smile, and a breath to compose his face lest he give too much away, he pulled the door open and stepped confidently into the room. His eyes instantly locked on her form, commanding and regal in the assembled company. He did not hesitate but strode directly to her side, a cheerfully whispered, M'Lady trailed behind him.

[tatianacross]

Tatiana glanced at the doors as they were opened and saw a male vampire enter. He confidantly strode in, his face composed and yet revealing a boyish charm as he looked at Duskarie and greeted her in a distinctly Irish vernacular, going to her side. Tat avoided meeting his gaze and contented herself with her second glass of blood. It'd been a while since she'd been to meetings like this. The coven that she'd belonged to post-World War II had these types of gatherings, but they were usually in abandoned buildings or in someone's home--very informal.

The newcomer seemed like a very charasmatic fellow, one who could easily flow into thier ranks like a fish in the ocean. From the way he drifted close to Queen Duskarie, Tatiana guessed that she must've been his Creator, and he a fledging. She wondered how old he was, how long he'd been a vampire. She glanced at him and--in the firelight--his eyes looked so blue, almost black, that she felt suddenly wary. Looking for an excuse to stretch her legs, she got up and bent down at the hearth to tend to the fire, poking at the embers and adding another log. Ignoring the strange and puzzled looks that others gave around her, she met their eyes with a smile, brushing off her jeans. "There. The light in here was getting a bit dim."

Light laughter was scattered in the room and Tatiana quickly found her seat again and took a sip of wine. She could feel the fire's heat in her skin and wondered if doing that was such a good idea--especially considering the company she was surrounded with. Maybe stooping as low as--what would be considered a servant's job--wasn't the best idea. She tried to keep herself distracted by reading the wine bottle. She didn't recognize the brand name but she could tell by the taste that it was old and a possible vintage.

[within7temptation]

The click of the handles on the door and the soft brushing sound of wood gliding against lush carpeting caught her attention. She had watched as the large stallion with the silvery crest and banner, hand-picked by herself, trotted through the gates. And now here he was... Her dear consort. "Morgan..." She stood slowly and stepped up close to him with a soft and pleased smile. "My dearest Morgan." The lady reached up and graced the tips of her fingers over the male's cheek bone. "Come, love. Sit." There were two empty chairs, one on each side of her. They were fashioned in the same designes as Duskarie's, save for that they were decorated in silver velvet rather than black velvet while all others were dark blue. She guided her friend to the chair on her right. The same chair that had once been her own, in a time before the death of her beloved Marques. The seat on her left would have belonged to her dauhter... Had their only child lived long enough to be born.

"My friend. My family. This is Morgan Dubhbraon; One of my best friends and my Fledge." She was still standing, her elegant hand resting lightly upon the other vampire's shoulder. But as she began to sit, another voice chimed in; "You mean your lover. How many of them do you have, my Queen? Two? Three? Your Morgan is here, but what of this Gabriel Cross you told us about? Another of your dearest friends...?" Gods that woman could be so stupid... She looked to be in her fourties with eyes the color of pale onyx and hair of much deeper shades of black, though there were stray hairs of silver and brown and white. Christina, born and raised and turned in Romania. She had once been like a mother to Duskarie, until she had begun to loose her wisedom and cunning.

Duskarie's eyes turned a deep and depressing gray. She had hoped that the mention of her other companion would not come up until after the two men had met one another; Then the three of them could work something out. The woman was frozen in place as her mind began to race as it searched for a way to stear away from the dangerouse topic and avoide any further questions. Fear. Her gaze slowly moved to rest upon Morgan, meeting his eyes. She was no coward and she was not ashaimed of loving two men and sleeping with the both of them. But for the news to come at such a time, and from Christina! It was rather embarassing. And how would Morgan react to such truths? Would he leave? Would he put it aside for now? Bring it up later? Would it cause the two of them to fight? She finnally sat and gave a heavy sigh.

"Gabriel shall arive when he pleases and if pleases. He is old enough to where he does not need a coven nor any one to guide him. He is, after all, older than I am." If looks could have killed, the raven-haired bitch would have already been burned down to a pile os black ash. "As for who I consider my friend and who I take on as lovers, you should all be used to me having multiple partners." Anger had turned her eyes a brilliant teal with a ring of dark blue-green on the outer edge of her iris and a ring of sapphire edging her constricted pupil. She was tense: Her fangs had come into their full length and, even in the sitting position, she seemed to be about to pounce over the table and rip out the other female's through. The woman was sitting on Duskarie's left at the far end of the table. The Queen's hand slid over to rest on top of Morgan's. The closest appology he would recieve until they were out of ear-shot of the Councile of the Covenant Vontair.

[morgandubhbraon]

Morgan remained where he had entered. He stood strong and proud as his own lineage demanded. He might be a fledge, but he was a Lord by birth and nobility was thick in his veins. Her softest touch and the flames in the room combined to heat his skin. He would have remained at her side until she took her seat; but just as she began to sit another woman spoke. Morgan needed no one to tell him that this woman was malicious and spiteful. Her words rang in the silence and he made careful note of her position and her face. He even went so far as to sniff the air to trace her unique scent from the gathered assemblage.

Then satisfied that he would have retribution, when the moment was right and the time presented itself, he settled into his seat. He felt Duskarie's hand on his and he turned to her and smiled. Gabriel Cross, another lover? A challenge, and a puzzle. I will begin to unravel the situation later. Thoughts in his mind settled into peace as he resumed to find out more when they were alone. For now he had an appearance to keep, and he was seated in the right hand seat of honor at the table's head. His gaze never wavered, his eyes bloomed brilliant blue fire dareing anyone to say another word against Duskarie's choices in the present company.

He knew enough of politics to understand such matters should be dealt with in private. The woman at the end of the table had spoken out of turn, she would be reprimanded, by him personally, of her position. The room seemed tense, and he closed his eyes momentarily but when he opened them his face lit into the charming smile that had thawed many a cold boardroom. He leamed closer to Duskarie and looked past her to the server for a goblet of blood, signalling only with his eyes.

He smiled politely offering a murmur of thanks and taking a slow drink. Finally fortified he turned his smiling face to each person of the assembly. Let them see him united with Duskarie and standing strong. He wanted every person to be marked in his mind as they sat with the expression on their face, but what was really there revealed in their eyes. He would ask for proper introductions as they came up, but for now he marked each with the regal gaze of a superior; there was no malice in his gaze, but he wanted them to know he knew his place, and to remind them of theirs.

His final gaze was saved for Duskarie. The room was settled now, and he felt glad for it...but he wanted her to read in his eyes that he held no disregard for her, and he loved her the same. There was a flicker of question, but it was softened by his warm smile reserved just for her. M'Lady he said again with a glint in his eye of possession, and desire. He was there because he loved her and he wanted to be there, and because he knew she wanted him there. He couldn't wait to hear about this Gabriel...perhaps it was a gift in disguise. He loved Duskarie, but she was the first woman in his life in a long time; he had always been more attracted to men...as such he was certain he could make the most of this situation. He could not hide the humor that affected him at this certainty, it shone in his eyes and through his crooked grin.