Asa stands in the cool night atop the Sterling Hotel, the wind strong and biting at this height.

The city twinkles below, streamers of lights marking streets, and the Tower Bridge visible in the distance.

The service door is unlocked for Arnold.

Arnold had, as was the usual case, pushed everything aside when he'd learned that the Prince desired a meeting. A quick drive from the Sundown later and he enters the Sterling via the unlocked door. He climbs each flight of stairs, dead flesh never tiring, and emerges out into the night air.

Seeing Asa he walks over. He pauses to take in the sights of Sacramento at night before speaking, his tone friendly and informal, a smile on his face "Nice night. Hello, Asa."


"Hello, Arnold... it is, isn't it?" Asa asked, turning as he spoke. As he turned, Arnold could see that he held a pair of dark objects. Offering one to the Nosferatu, it turned out to be a spear.

Long, wholly wooden, and whittled to a razor-sharp tip.

"Have you ever whipped apples?"


Arnold takes the spear - immediately testing its balance and sharpness. Seeing that it was made of wood he could only imagine a few practical uses for it.

Looking from the spear to Asa he shook his head "I can't say I have, or maybe I'm just unfamiliar with the term."


"It's easiest to show," Asa replied, shrugging out of his jacket. He wouldn't be surprised if the large man knew what it was by another name, given what he'd seen in the dream... this was a fairly 'rural' past-time.

Leaning down, he reached into a duffel bag and pulled out...

...an apple.

He took a bite, chewing, tasting the sweetness, and then spit the mouthful out, letting the wind carry away the chewings.

"That's not part of it, I just like to... remember," he commented absentmindedly.

Taking the apple, he firmly speared it upon the lance, and took a few steps away from the Reeve. Gripping the wood like a baseball bat, he brought it up and over in a fast overhand arc, snapping his wrists as it came forward.

A few long moments later, a car alarm sounded.

Asa turned to Arnold, grinning.


Arnold laughs loudly. He had seen similar games played once or twice before, though not for a very, very long time now.

He looking at the sharpened stick in his hand with renewed interest. He puts a hand out, grinning like the Prince "Toss me one."


Asa laughed and reached down and lobbed an apple at Arnold, then swung the duffel around between them.

He pointed his lance at the glittering black snake of the river.

"River's about a mile away," he said. "Twist can hit it."

In the wind, it was hard to tell by his voice if he were simply making a comment, or a subtle challenge.

If Arnold wants to try, it'll take an e-suxx of STR+STA or STR+ATH.

Arnold catches the apple, tossing it up and catching it again a couple of times as he followed Asa's gaze to the river.

"Oh she can?"

He spears the apple, making sure that he's satisfied with the way it sits on the stick, and then lines up with the river. His muscles bulge with Vitae driven strength. He considers going all out, but this was just a game.

Maybe Needs Some Practice

He swings and lets fly with the apple, but frowns at first as he knows the angle on the swing was off.

Maybe I'm trying to hard.

"Let me try again." he says quickly "That was a practice run."

Leaning down he picks another apple out of the bag, spearing it. He lines back up for a second try.

Still aint got it

Arnold shakes his head as the second shot goes the way of the first one. Laughing in spite of himself he looks over at Asa and concedes "Maybe after some practice, right?"

"Absolutely," Asa answers. He spears his apple and swings again, in the same direction as the first. Arnold can see that there's a parking garage that Asa seems to favor two blocks over.

Amber lights flutter in the night, suddenly brought to life by a grannie smith.

"I wanted to talk to you about something; I was going to the other night, but you brought up the possibility of a Childe," he said, turning to watch Arnold.


Arnold nods, turning to face Asa "Yes, I remember. Sorry if I derailed you with that, but I want you to know that I'm growing more and more confident about that. I've set up a test for her that I'm sure she'll pass and then I'll be sure."

He pushes his hat down onto his head as the wind threatened to take it from him "What was it you wanted to talk about?"
Asa fitted his lance with another apple as he spoke, "Eventually one of the Millarrs will succumb to the Eclipse. We have decided that we should begin preparing for that day by choosing Members who will contend for the final Successor position, the most worthy to be raised as that Successor when that Eclipse comes."

He spoke quietly, finding the subject distasteful, already having endured Ishani's brief Eclipse. Looking at the river, he considered taking a shot at himself, wondering if the Reeve had understood what he'd been trying to tell him about Twist.

Despite appearances, we complement one another.

Asa chose a distant billboard instead, whipping the apple towards it, and frowning slightly as it veered left and missed.

"We have all agreed, and I am here to extend the invitation for you to become the first Member for contention," he said, turning back to face Arnold.

Arnold doesn't answer at first. Just takes another apple from the bag, and aims a shot at the parking garage Asa seemed to like. He gives a small smile when he's rewarded by the distant sound of a blaring car alarm.

He was not surprised at the Prince's invitation, in fact he had somewhat expected it might come - someday. Maybe not so soon, though.

Arnold had strong feelings of loyalty and respect for Asa and Ishani. Twist he knew less well, but she had thus far proved every bit as capable as the other two and he felt that the same respect could come just as easily.

This, and perhaps a few other things, causes him to have no personal qualms or doubts about turning to Asa after a moment and saying with all seriousness, despite their apple game, "I would be honored to accept the privilege to be considered for Succession."

Asa didn't reach for another apple, and his face grew serious. "You'll want to give it some thought, Arnold. You would become privy to... knowledge... that no one else has, or has had, about each of us, as well as resources. A Bloodbond to each Successor would be required."

"Please be assured nothing will change -- in the Invictus, or the Domain, if you find the requirement distasteful," Asa added.

I remember when Zoe first told me... no one will blame you.


The inclusion of a Bloodbond in the matter does complicate things somewhat as Arnold goes silent for a moment, pondering the Asa's words.

"That is if I am chosen as the Successor, correct? The Blood Bond, I mean. As you said it will first be a matter of contention between myself and other worthy applicants, if I understand correctly."

And who might those other applicants be, I wonder.

In truth Arnold didn't like the idea of a Blood Bond. Not at its face value. Such loyalty to someone maintained through the mystic properties of The Blood smacked too much of slavery for his sensitive tastes pertaining that matter.

Still, such a situation as this would be a choice rather than a coercion and slavery, as Arnold knew it, was never a matter of choice.


Asa simply shook his head in the negative. It was the price for the chance.


Of course not. They could not consider someone they they didn't already feel the necessary connection to

Arnold was torn. On one hand he felt very little qualms about being Bound to the individuals in question - truly the idea of becoming part of such a close knit group held some measure of appeal to the stoic Nosferatu. The Blood Bond was a serious thing, however, nothing to be taken lightly or in stride.

"Do you require an answer tonight?" Arnold asks plainly


"Of course not," Asa replied. "Take all the time you need," he added, being quite serious.

He picked out another pair of apples and tossed one to Arnold.

"What we really need, is to find out what the Carthians in town drive," he mused, loading his spear.

Arnold snickers, relaxing again somewhat though his thoughts weighed heavy on his mind.

Grabbing the apple out of the air, he replies "Yeah. They sure became scarce in a hurry. I guess Democracy doesn't work after all."

He lines up for one more shot at the river and makes a final swing..

WHAM!

This time Arnold gets the best of it, and the apple sails up into the night. As it flies through the air Arnold quickly heightens his senses to watch its trajectory, though he can already tell that he's made it to the river.

"Third time's the charm." Arnold declares, grinning triumphantly.