A proposition (Private)

Oct 19th, 2013 02:13 PM

Opportunity presented itself in many guises, and Callum wasn't one to wait around for things to just fall into his lap. So it was that within an hour of court finishing he was pacing around the library of the Ordo Dracul Chapterhouse awaiting two specific guests.

Aileen McFarlane went through her nights almost unnoticed by most of the Domain, but in Cal's eyes she was one of the most talented individuals he could think of for solving the problems of the regency treasure hunt. Whereas Teodor Raluca was rather well known, for better or worse, and his mentor in the Dragons. He was sure that he could rely on Aileen's support, but needed to hear Teo's thoughts on the matter as well.

His hands twitched restlessly as his mind went through the clues given by the Grand Wyrm. He had some ideas about what it all meant, but discussion with his allies would be a big help.

**Aileen McFarlane** · Oct 19th, 2013 03:38 PM

Even though she cared little for politics or power, Aïleen cared for those few people she called friends. Or what passed for it in the Danse Macabre. If Callum expressed interest in the hunt, she would help him as best she could.

He had called for a meeting as soon as possible after Court, and she indulged him. Walking into the Library she knew so well, the Mekhet doubted it would be there she would find clues aobut the meaning of the Herald's sentence.

"We once protected from the terrors of each street.
Alack! In such a state we were crudely shackled. Bound to the earth's asphalted ore.
Rejoice! For now our alchemical resurrection is complete,
and it is upon flashing, argentine, shod hooves that we now soar!

Woe to those who's minds think only of stone.
Kindred with truer and Elemental Questing vision will see the heart
and reach their thorn crowned throne."

She was rehearsing it once again, when she spotted the Daeva.

"Callum." she said with a nod.

Oct 19th, 2013 10:59 PM

Racula did not race back to the Chapterhouse. It was a nice, pleasant ride back mulling over the riddle. It would undoubtedly take a number of nights for anyone to unlock given it's author. Rushing would be undignified. Besides, if he raced over from the Avalon, wind whipping might damage his suit. And he so loved this suit.

Of course the topic at hand was the Regency. He had his own thoughts on the matter. In the end though all of them came down to one simple position. The Regent had to be a Dragon and Feeding Rites had to be extended to the entire Covenant. Which Dragon and whether he received Tenancy was secondary.

Parking, he entered the Chapterhouse but did not immediately go upstairs. Instead he went into the downstairs library and grabbed a notepad from the cabinet in the room. Martha frequently handed them out for various gatherings so the Castellan made a habit of collecting the unused or discarded and put them aside for future use. Standing at the desk, he jotted down his thoughts on the riddle thus far before heading up to the private library. "Ah, I am the last one? Or perhaps there will be more?" he asked as he closed the door behind him. In either case, why not?

Walking over to the table Teo tore out the sheet of paper with the notes and placed it on the table for Aileen and Callum to read at their leisure. "Some thoughts I had driving over."

OOC

Oct 20th, 2013 11:02 AM

"Aileen, thanks for coming." A warm smile greeted her while the pacing stopped. "Thought I'd put the team back together... How do you feel about this treasure hunt?" A raised eyebrow revealed a slight hint of mirth that reflected his pleasure at seeing her.

"I think a Dragon should be the Regent, and it's going to take a team with a variety of talents to figure all of this out. So I thought of you, and then..." The door to the room opened. "Here he is." Cal gave his master a grin and walked over to look at his note.

"The last of the first. How's that for an answer?" The Daeva casually read through the note and nodded.

"I think I might have figured out the first part. Before we chat about that I was hoping to get your thoughts on the regency matter itself. Obviously we want a Dragon to win, and any team should have that goal in mind." He looked from Teo to Aileen and folded his arms. He was thinking that Supplicant Redfill and Supplicant Drake could be brought in as well, but wanted his friends' opinions first.

**Aileen McFarlane** · Oct 20th, 2013 03:06 PM

Aïleen smiled back at Callum, pleased and honored that he would appreciate her enough to call upon her. They had very little in common, actually, apart from a will to Change. For this hunt, it seemed it would be for the best. She answered him with her usual soft, composed voice.

"I agree it should be a Dragon of course." though obviously not her. She had other things to attend to before even thinking about such things as a Regency, and she doubted that even then it would hold any interest for her. She wasn't about to elaborate, though, and it was a good thing that Brother Raluca came in at that time, before an awkward silence had time to settle. "Brother Raluca" did she say as a greeting, though it was followed by a genuine smile that left little doubt that it was a pleasure to see her Cousin.

As the Daeva repeated himself on his stance that it would be in their best interest that a Dragon should win, she didn't feel the need to elaborate, and instead merely nodded her assent.

She quietly walked to the table, and started looking at the notes from the monk, though she refrained from commenting just yet.

Oct 20th, 2013 04:27 PM

"The Regency must be in the hands of a Dragon so the Ordo can enjoy Feeding Rites as whole." he addresses them both. "Winning Florin and then it's lose following Scribe Heinz's sudden departure was blow. Something we must rectify." Teo pulls out a chair and sits down at the table that dominated the library. "The next question would be who wants to be Regent? I believe is the next question?" he looks between the two other Dragons.

"I have agreed to work with Supplicant Redfill and Ms. Tunt. While I do not distrust Ms. Tunt as general opinion, her interests do not involve the Ordo. I have no doubt she is considering working with someone behind myself and Dr. Redfill's back just as I am working behind hers." Not particularly Christian but Kindred have to feed. "The terms I am working with them is Rites and Tenancy and the three of us are supposed to vote amongst us who should be Regent. I assure you neither myself or Redfill will be voting for her." he shrugs. "As to working with the two of you, I would be delighted. It will only help the Ordo and the Work." He pauses before continuing. "As to do I wish to be Regent? I do not have compelling drive to be. However if others wised it or it proves the most benefit to the Ordo I would not refuse." He glances at Aileen. "I hope I am not too bold in assuming you would be more interested in Tenancy and Rites than being Regent Supplicant McFarlane?"

The Monk turns his attention to Callum. "That would leave myself, you and Supplicant Redfill as people would to one degree or another accept being Regent." He holds up a qualifying hand. "I am excluding Supplicant Drake for the moment because he is occupied with the Placerville affair and I have not spoken to him on this matter." Racula did not know the man well enough to make such an informed decision. "My question for you Supplicant is, do you believe being regent would interfere with your duties as senior Deputy and possibly interfere with the chances of you succeeding to Reeve if Mr. Connery were to step down as Mr. Grayson did and Scribe Heinz before him? It is true Mr. Grayson was a Regent while Reeve, but he did share his Regency with Ms. Donovan."

Oct 21st, 2013 11:12 AM

Later he could not be sure if it was intent or accident that led Teo to ask the question the way he did. Maybe in his kine days Cal would have taken the time to think about it more carefully, but those days were rapidly disappearing into the long night of his requiem. All he knew for sure was that the question made his soul, or whatever passed for it these nights, itch...

"Not for a moment." The answer came easily, with the nonchalance that only a Daeva could pull off without the appearance of arrogance. "It'll be a challenge, sure, but isn't that the point? We're Dragons, we don't do things because they are easy." His eyes moved between his two allies. "If we pull this off I'll rise to the occasion. You can count on that."

The pride-fueled response felt soothing, and Cal felt as if he had just finished a three hour session of the Iron Wire pattern. "As for working with Ms. Tunt? I don't know the woman, but she's a Lord so I'd expect her to stack the deck in her favour somehow." He wasn't so sure about playing two groups, but Teo was Teo, and if anyone could it was him.

**Aileen McFarlane** · Oct 21st, 2013 04:11 PM

Sharing the spoils of war before it had been won did not sit well with Aïleen, but she knew too well that some men had to feel something was within their reach to try their best at grabbing it. So she didn't pipe word, except when addressed to.

"You're not too bold, Supplicant Raluca. That is indeed correct." she agreed when the monk enquired about her interest in the matter.

And she likewise encouraged the bold Callum with a smile of her own, and a kind, shy word. "I'm sure you'd be great."

Mrs Tunt was a mostly unknown quantity to her, so she refrained from commenting, instead mentally checking her recollection of the riddle against the text written by Teodor, and finding it matching perfectly. Good. It was a trick she had truely mastered, and could indeed rely on. Change, and Progress. That mattered, and helped grow more confident by the day.

Oct 21st, 2013 09:10 PM

Teo nodded at Callum's enthusiastic self-assurance at being capable of handling Regency. It was not a huge surprise. Hopefully it would all work out in the end. In all honestly Callum would probably be better suited to the task anyway. He had the social grace and personal power to enforce his will.

"Well then, shall we begin?" he asked, looking between the two.

Oct 22nd, 2013 10:45 AM

Aileen received a grin for her trouble and Teo a nod. "Yeah, let's work this out."

Cal looked at the paper again then at Aileen. "Do you agree with this? I can see where that's a possibility but I've a few ideas of my own. May I?" He took the paper and wrote down his own interpretation of the riddle. There really weren't all that many other options, so perhaps there was some blend of all of these ideas but he had a feeling they were at least on the right track.

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A proposition (Private)

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