Office Hours (3): Herald Martha Villiers - Open for Acknowledgements, etc

[Martha Villiers]

Down in the cellar vault of the Avalon, away from the press and bright lights of the nightclub, it is quieter.

Here the lights are low and a calm atmosphere prevails.

Recessed lamps cast a soft glow and the scent of lavender fills the air.

Tiny Martha sits alone on a leather sofa in the Common area of the Court and is quietly and carefully reading to herself from "Revolutionary Europe: 1783 - 1815" by Dr George Rude. A college style notebook rests open in her lap and she makes the occasional note into it as something strikes her worthy of remark from the book. The coffee table in front of her is piled with notes, maps of Sacramento and copies of many US newspapers and periodicals.

Martha sits meekly and sweetly attired in an English school uniform: a neat straw boater, a black blazer...a pair of scholarly spectacles are perched on the end of her nose, she wears a long gymslip shows her legs to mid calf...her blond hair is tied into neat twin tails, each with the red ribbon bow. She wears a white kneesock on her flesh leg and a pair of carefully polished Oxford pattern shoes thanks to her C-Leg. A crisp white blouse is obvious where the gymslip reveals it, as is her red necktie tucked neatly into her gymslip. A satchel and a simple metal walking cane rest at her side are propped against the couch.

Looking up to check up on The Stairs, she also glances around to see where the noble and stalwart Deputy Connery had wandered off to and tried not to feel alone.

[Dillon Connery]

Dillon is finally visible, several minutes later, as he makes his way around from the offices. He's been on an ambling security round, that probably took much longer than it should have. It took so long, because he is also reading to himself. He just looks up and around every few paces to be sure nothing is amiss. Which makes him have to read things over and over again, because he is paying only cursory attention to the book.

He looks up again when he comes within view of the stairs, smiling to Martha if she looks his way. Or even if she doesn't. The friendly Herald has always had that effect on him.

Closing the small volume in one hand, with an index finger holding his spot, he crosses over to the couch where she is sitting. ”Where are there not savages, and in any case, are those that you call savages any worse than the others?” He gives the book a little bit of a wave. Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. He does like to read the occasional adventure. The smile is still on his face as he continues. "Quiet tonight, so far, ma'am?"

[Lexi]

Alexei makes his way down the stairs again, hoping to find Madam Powell again, but also following the advice that perhaps there are some people he should meet in the city before he does much of anything but sleep. Tonight, he is dressed a little less flamboyantly, in a loose white poets vest, left unstrung at the top to display the very light dusting of fine red hair that would feel silk to the touch if you were to put a hand there, and a pair of tight black velvet pants that rise and cover a simple pair of black thin leather boots. His flaming hair is arranged in an almost perfect looseness as it hangs well below his shoulders, straight as a line.

His eyes settle on the two in the room, and he slowly walks his way towards them, offering a polite, but courteous bow, with one arm behind him. "Good evening, madam and sir. I believe you are the ones that Madam Powell told I should meet?" He slides back to standing, in a smooth motion, and offers a smile of those pristine teeth. "I am Alexei Lazarev, newly arrived to your splendid home."

[Martha Villiers]

Tiny Martha was about to offer some cheery reply to Dillon to add to the smile she'd already given. Clearly pleased to see him.

The sound of footfalls on The Stairs made her smile hesitate for a moment as she turned to look to the stunning Alexei.

Placing her book in her lap, she offered Dillon a wide eyed glance. As if asking: I wonder what you make of this remarkable gent?

Noting the lack of a Beast to react to, Martha reached for her cane. Taking the handle in a gentle grip she spoke to Alexei in a friendly manner;

"Ah! A good evening, Mr Lazarev. I do hope you are well." Martha smiled. Seemingly her hope was sincere. "You are passing through the city...or do you hope to dwell a little longer...and, might I ask, what did Madam Powell suggest you ask of us, Mr Lazarev?" as she spoke, her free hand waves gently. Beckoning Alexei slightly closer. She begins to playfully peer at him over the rims of her spectacles.

[Lexi]

Though there was no outward show, the things inside him hissed and sputtered as Dillon gave in to recognition of him. The little one was pleasant enough though, and of course that outfit was adorable. "Ah, jez, Madam Powell suggested you were one of ze people I should talk to since I will be staying here." He steps closer, hands behind his back, at her gesture, and it almost looks as though his hair flows around him. Every step he makes is balance to a fault.

"As Deputy Connor has informed me, you would be Madam Villiers? Or Herald Villiers, as ze case may be. He did not disclose that you were such a beauty up close, however." That smile never leaves his face, though, and if the light hits it just right, there's a matching twinkle from his eyes that travels down and responds from his teeth.

[Martha Villiers]

Martha found herself offering a bashful giggle at the praise of her beauty. One hand rubbed hard for a second at her prosthetic knee but was hastily then put to work twirling playfully with one of her twin tails in a gesture just as bashful as her giggle.

"Goodness me...thank you, Mr Lazarev..." the praise from one possess such an ethereal, if slightly disturbing, beauty had an apparently high impact on her.

"Yes...yes, sir, I am Herald Villiers..." she says, recovering her friendly poise now, though one dainty finger still plays with a twin tail as she speaks, "It is also my honor to serve His Grace, the Duke of this Metropolitan Domain, as Mistress Keeper of this Domain's Elysian Fields, of which this building is one!" she offers a friendly and humble smile. As if she genuinely believes it to be an honor. "The stalwart gentleman here..." she offers a smile to Dillon now before glancing back to examine the odd beauty of Alexei, "is Deputy Connery. One of the Reeves cadre of Deputies. Please..." with a gentle gesture of her twin tail twirling hand Martha invites Alexei to sit in the high backed leather upholstered chair opposite her own couch. "You are welcome to sit and stay if you come in peace!" another happy smile. "How may the Deputy and I help you this evening?" she asks, all wide eyed, as if she genuinely does wish to help.

[Lexi]

Alexei bows just slightly again, and then makes his way towards the leather chair, sitting down, his back straight as an arrow against the cool fabric, one leg crossing gently across the other. His hair settles down across his shoulders, a red sheen that falls across the sides of his chest and down his back, and he smiles back at Martha. "I simply wish to settle in zis town, at least for a while. I haff been traveling for some time, looking for a new home, and ze little I haff seen here makes Sacramento...you would say...homey?"

"As I understood it from Madam Powell, zis requires for the City's Court to knowledge me as a citizen, no?"

[Dillon Connery]

Dillon's opinion of Alexei, along with the man's automatic injection of flattery that he obviously put zero thought behind, is written plainly on the Gangrel's face when he turns his chin toward Martha. Whatever the expression is, it's gone when he takes a step back, allowing a conversational circle for the three of them.

"I felt that Herald Villiers' charm and allure was obvious enough that I shouldn't have to explain it to you when I pointed her out the other night." Dillon's smirk is light, lopsided, and friendly. "But since you failed more than once to give me a surname with which to address you, Mister Lazarev, let's call it even?"

Once Alexei seats himself, the Deputy joins Martha on the couch. He crosses his leg lightly, sliding one arm along the back of the upholstery. A brief sideways glance ensures that his hand doesn't invade the tiny Herald's personal space. Animated, he may be, but Dillon always gives the impression that he is in complete control of his surroundings. There is no anxiety or fidgeting, only calm, confident observation.

[Martha Villiers]

Watching the exchange with interest, Martha offers a shy smile to Dillon and watches Alexei's gestures too.

"Indeed, Mr Lazarev. You have come to the correct place to be Acknowledged. I am empowered, as Herald, to award that." a shy smile as she fiddles briefly with her gymslip. "The procedure is simple enough. First I offer a presentation to supply information about the Domain. Secondly I offer the opportunity for you to ask any questions and lastly, should you feel you find yourself in an agreeable situation, then you will be offered the opportunity to swear an Oath of Fealty. If you agree to all these then Acknowledgement is awarded and you are then usually directed to speak with your Priscus and that ordinarily concludes the Acknowledgement!" she smiles cheerily. "Now, in my capacity as Keeper I must advise you that I am now, as a security precaution, about to observe your Auric Emanations. This I bring to your attention as a matter of politeness. I do not require your permission. The process shall not be felt by you in a physical sense and should take only a moment or two...do please hold still for a moment, sir!" another shy smile is offered as she then daintily adjusts her spectacles with a finger tip gesture so as to peer at Alexei over their rims as her exploration of his Aura begins.

Tonight seemed as though her skills were sharp. His aura is completely revealed to her.

  

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2012-06-17 01:58:17		Martha Villiers rolls 6 to Aura test Alexei (Int+Ausp+Emp - Resistance - 1 for hues = 6) (10 Again)		1, 8, 2, 10, 1, 10, 10, 10, 6, 4		5 successes

[Lexi]

"I apologize most profusely for that, Deputy. I did reveal such information, but later in ze conversation. I have not been amongst a large number of our kind for some time, niceties did escape me for a short period." He offers a similar, but much more conservative smile to Dillon, before returning his attention to Martha.

"That is quite an...efficient?" he says it with an almost querying tone, "method. Some cities can make ze process of becoming known and welcome quite grueling." He leans back in the chair, and let's her power sweep over him.Alexei's Aura is no match for the Herald, and a swirl of colors starts to form around him. Muted, but vibrant at this close range, light blue overwhelms most of his body, with white streaking through it, as though clouds are simply swarming over a warm day. As day falls to night, however, she can find traces of brown settling in through the blue, tinged with silver as though a deep, riches laden vein was cut open. The entirety of it, however, as she ends her perusal of his innermost demons, explodes in a cascade of pink, covering the colors completely before fading away.