Acknowledgement: Claire Tunt

[Martha Villiers]

In the cellar vault beneath the Avalon nightclub, far away from the press of dancing Mortals, the lights are low.

Down in the cellar vault of the Avalon, away from the sweaty press of people and the nightclubs' bright lights it is quieter.

Here a calm atmosphere prevails.

Recessed lamps cast a soft glow and the bright and rich scent of freshly made lemonade and squeezed lemons fills the air.

Tiny Martha sits alone on a leather sofa in the Common area of the Court and is quietly and carefully looking over maps and various official looking folders from Californian State government.

There's a simple coffee table in front of her along with notes, printed out copies of maps of Sacramento and copies of many US newspapers and various academic periodicals.

A top hat and cane and tail coat. White tie, white waistcoat vest...her hair dyed raven black for the evening...a hint of ruby red lipstick...a generous sprinkle of lavender scent...minty toothpaste added to the neat presentation with a crisp white blouse...white gloves...the fishnet revealed the tone of her single muscular leg. A leg well suited to a dancer or athlete...her other was a metal C-Leg from high up her thigh.

[[ http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/3...aaszatanna.jpg ]]

Though working hard at the maps, Martha knew she had to be attentive to her environment so looked to The Stairs which descend into the covert Elysian Field from the nightclub...just in case...

[Claire Edmonton]

Her Attire.

Casually strolling with the sharp clack of high-heeled shoes announcing her passage, Ms. Claire Tunt makes her way down to the cellar she'd been made to understand might be expecting her while her pet waits with her car outside. A simple but exquisite purple silk dress, black leather gloves, black stockings, and patent shoes intimate the sort of prestige that her facial expression is clearly convinced she has as she surveys the decor, rather pleasantly surprised at the tasteful calm upon leaving the hustle and bustle above. This was supposed to be a formal affair, she thought. Well, I suppose it would make for a certain convenience, compared to more staid arrangements.

After no more stairs lie between her and the fresh new face apparently busy with paperwork, she pauses before proceeding further. A slight rustle is emitted as she makes sure the dress is smoothed properly. "Hello. I'm here to present myself. I am Claire Adelaide Tunt, Ventrue, Acolyte of the Circle of the Crone." Her tone is polite, but firm. Firm in the sort of way that implies expectations.

[Martha Villiers]

Martha watched as Claire made her way towards the table and couch area. More correctly, she watched the shoes and Claire's legs...then Claire herself.

With some effort tiny Martha steeled her Beast and calmed down before any...ugliness ensued.

A small and gentle, almost playful, smile was offered to the firm and polite new arrival.

Once Claire had announced herself and fussed over her dress Martha made a show of adjusting her own spectacles and her top hat before saying anything.

"I see!" she began cheerily, "Welcome, Miss Tunt. Welcome. My name is Miss Martha Villiers. I have the honour to serve His Majesty, the Invictus Prince of this Domain, Alder Duke Clarke, as his Herald, Acting-Seneschal and Mistress Keeper of the local Elysian Fields..." she makes a small hand gesture, as if to encompass the Court, "of which this location is one. You are welcome if you come in peace." she smiled and made a small gesture with a gloved hand, as if inviting Claire to be seated at the chair opposite. "Please, Miss Tunt of Clan Ventrue...do be seated." she smiled warmly and happily.

Emitting no Beast herself, tiny Martha might easily pass for a Ghoul or other servitor.

"Have you travelled far, Miss? Might I tempt you with some lemonade?" she asks happily. Taking care to once again gesture with dainty gloved hands, almost as if presenting the lemonade which is in a large glass carafe on the coffee table with matching tumblers to a game show audience as a prize.

[Claire Edmonton]

Claire did her best to seem unphased by the confusion. What she'd come to think of as the "Runner/Ripper" response was entirely silently inside her as she came face to face with someone claiming to be the Seneschal. They were certainly dressed eccentrically enough to be an elder, but something is quite off. Some sort of trick I'm not familiar with yet, if she is telling the truth. I've never seen any insolence that bold from a favorite ghoul, before...

Speculation and contemplation of that issue are shut off with a practiced proficiency - "Yours is not to question why." She takes a seat with a polite nod of her head to acknowledge whoever this person actually was - were they lying, this was a matter that someone else would deal with. It's also entirely possible she was just forgetting something.

"I'm fine, thank you," she says, first addressing the matter of the offered drink. That was among the utmost rules of import in manners common to New York and Old England, from what she understood from personal experience, that proper decorum insisted upon greeting everyone with beverages. But sadly, she wasn't the type for soft drinks, so she politely deflected before proceeding.

"I've come from Manhattan. I understand that there is a a presence of fellow New Yorkers here?" she asks, hoping to confirm perhaps just a smidge of intelligence in the midst of friendly banter.

[Martha Villiers]

Manhattan! Martha was tempted to ask after Ariana. Her eyes widened at the news. But, fearing that there may be no news at all, she held her tongue and simply blinked happily. Adding a nod for good measure.

"We've had our share of New Yorkers." she smiled cheerily and rubs at where her prosthetic meets her flesh stump. Sneaking a swift look to Claire's legs and shoes.

"This Domain attracts a very international crowd! We have lots of Germans...some Russians around the place...many people from the United States and some from Europe. We have also had one or two from South America."

There's another friendly smile.

Martha sits back a little and rests her hands meekly in her lap. Watching Claire with care and kindness.

"I daresay, Miss, if you are planning on staying in the Domain a while, that you shall require Acknowledgement! His Majesty has empowered me with the privilege of enabling that!" she smiles modestly, "If so, there is a Presentation I can provide. However...were there any questions you had immediately for me?" she asks with seemingly genuine interest.

[Princess]

"I had indeed intended to stay, if this is agreeable to the Domain. I imagine this might likely be in your presentation, but I'd like to be sure there are no issues of territoriality. I've found a reasonably unassuming temporary accommodation already, as well as..." she hesitates a moment, pondering her diction, "Kine with no apparent associations here, one of whom I've brought. I hope to cause no issue and don't wish to run into, or supply, any surprises."

She moves her gaze as she speaks, but only in a vertical axis - polite eye contact, up to the ceiling, back down to Martha's face. She knew better than to stare, but apparently it was in her nature. Her posture remains flawless and her hands stay neatly on the clutch she brought with her and has now rested in her lap.

[Martha Villiers]

Martha watches and listens and smiles. "Splendid! I can see you shall go far here, Miss!" she giggles merrily. Seeming sincere in this.

"Quite so! The Presentation covers that." another happy smile. "I always enjoy a little chatter before getting to the business of the Presentation though, Miss. Unless you are in a frightful hurry, would you indulge me that?" she asks cheerily.

"I should enjoy hearing about your skills and accomplishments, Miss! Might I please ask about those and also...about the things that interest you beyond your professional talents?"

Martha is very keen to hear all about Claire and, for the present, her gaze remains contentedly on Claire's face.

[Claire Edmonton]

"Certainly," Claire says, allowing her posture to become a tad warmer and less formal in a manner that might convey this was something practiced, as well. "I wouldn't dare to treat a matter such as this trivially with haste. My schedule is clear and I can offer as much time as you have." She cracks a smile at her own speech, and it might be either or both of warmness and self-amusement with the upward shift of her eyes that accompanies it.

"I suppose I could lead by saying I work in Finance. I've a Masters in Economics from Princeton. My higher pursuits include, as you might imagine, matters of the Occult Sciences. I also enjoy spending time with animals - Horses and Dogs, mostly, though I am passingly familiar with falconry - and I am something of a fencing enthusiast. And might I ask about your own interests, Ms. Villiers?"

[Martha Villiers]

Martha was clearly impressed. "Princeton!" she exclaims, "Fascinating!" the talk of horse and hounds also seemed to fascinate.

"Very impressive, Miss Tunt." another happy smile. "Well...for myself my interests are music...I teach the piano, you see...and I too study the occult...also, I try to keep with matters of history, current affairs and economics too. Ah, but it had been far too long since I took a horse for a gallop..." she smiles softly and meekly adjusts her top hat.

"I have a keen interest in a wide range of things, Miss. I find it best that way." she giggles merrily.

"Falconry...now that is a fine art indeed! You should be aware...we have a regular martial arts class, Miss...fencing is often part of the instruction in this Domain too! I should be interested to watch you duel one evening!" she sneaks a swift, very swift, look to Claire's legs, then back to find her eyes.

"Ah! We have several fine fencers here. Did you compete whilst at University, Miss?"

[Claire Edmonton]

Claire nods pointedly at the most emphasized points in Martha's speech, giving the Herald and Seneschal entirely devout attention. This was certainly someone to be on good terms with - and doubly so if they were actually potentially pleasant companionship.

"I did compete a bit, yes. Though I fear I had too many other priorities to give it my full attention. I do hope I can provide you some entertainment, regardless, if I do compete." Honesty was the best policy when speaking to someone who could probably kill you just for fun regardless of what you say, so why not just be vulnerable? And admitting that she wasn't an utmost master of a task was her personal equivalent of vulnerability. Six feet of only passably murder-capable, vampiric vulnerability. And just the slightest flinch went through her spine as an unwelcome contemplation of what the Seneschal might be capable of surfaced and was pressed back from her conscious mind. Not that it was this fine and friendly woman's fault - but they were a pair of dead people chatting in a basement, after all.