Of Roman Sleep

**Aileen McFarlane** · Dec 28th, 2013 03:16 PM

The Beast would be trapped with - trapping ? - the Genius at the Embrace... Aïleen wouldn't know. It sure felt Alien to her, and she feared to acknowledge it would be a part of her. But it would be dishonest to wave it off merely because it is an inconvenient thought. If she had learned something in the Ordo, it was the scientific method. "I am not experienced enough in matters of the Embrace, or the Beast, to speculate further. I can't even think of experiments to prove or disprove those theories, because you'd have to be able to feel the Beast, or its potential, in a mortal, if you really wanted a definite proof..." she paused, and wondered for a short while, but quickly dismissed the train of thought. Too unlikely.

Turning back her focus toward David, she commented once again on his words. "Regardless, our... Situation, precarious balance between Lares and Lemures is indeed well known, and it aptly describe ou condition. It is a safe assumption, at least." Though mankind had beasts of their own within their ranks... Nero, Caligula, to name but those of Roman times.

The female Mekhet was even more embarrassed when she saw the state of David after her remark on filial piety. She nearly extended her hand to pat him, and comfort him, but refrained. Physical contact among their kind was usually frowned upon. So instead she tried to lift up his spirits again.

"Ah ! I see !" as if the added explanation changed dramatically the situation. It was somewhat forced, of course, but she still found that perspective unexpected, and interesting. She hadn't considered it that way, and started toying with her hair as she considered it again. She kept to herself the ideas stemming from the relation between Torpor and love. Would her Dreams come from a lack of love ? It made no sense. Did it ? No...

She instead clarified what she had meant in the first place, hoping to appear less cold and unsensitive. "It is true that families still mourn their relatives. It is the feeling of constant proximity, closeness, that has dwindled. Except for the All Saints Day, the departed are often forgotten, in my experience."

"But I can certainly see how, in our case, your family's work has its full sense !"

Dec 28th, 2013 04:50 PM

“I'm not experienced in the Embrace or the Beast, either,” David explains, “but I find it helps to throw any idea, no matter how strange, out there.” After all, it was strange that they were a pair of Vampires. Creatures that before their Embrace, were only myth, legend, and thought of as an allegorical tale. That Rubicon was already crossed.

He was trying to cheer himself up, but his attempts were a mite forced.

“Although” the Mortician admits, “it is difficult to know for sure; how would all of this relate to a Roman Kindred's beliefs of Torpor?” His eyes were still downcast as David mused, “Did they believe that the Genius remained with the body? Or, did it leave? When a Roman Kindred decided to Sleep, how did they go about it? Did their practices filter into the mortal populace or did the opposite occur?” There's a pause as he questions himself and Aileen, “Perhaps, the myths of heroes entering the Underworld and returning, originated with a Roman Kindred?”

Far more questions than there were answers and David's thoughtful look deepened.

Aileen's words still stung, but he wanted to tell her that it was fine. He knew that she didn't have the thirty-years of tutelage beneath Johan's thumb, nor the years of breathing Death as he did growing up. He wasn't sure why it stung as it did, though his Companion had an idea. An idea it kept tantalizingly outside of David's purview.

“Perhaps,” David ventured off of her statement that the departed are forgotten. As he said that, he internally fought with himself with revealing something at that moment. “In my experience,” he says, “today's remembrances and today's grief take on different forms. I...” he starts and stops, confirming with himself if he wanted to say it, “My mother died when I was very, very young.” There, it was out there and it wasn't going to be retaken, “Personally, I never forgot her and brought her resting place flowers when I could. But,” David valiantly tries to rectify everything together, “the grand displays have long been paired down by changing times. We resurrect them for our Kind.”

Did this hurt today's Torpid Kindred, who's blood's race memories longed for those grand displays of remembrance?

David let silence reign over the pair of them for a moment. He even tried to smile and glanced up towards Aileen. “Hopefully, our work sets those we assist at ease.”

**Aileen McFarlane** · Dec 29th, 2013 02:08 PM

Tossing strange ideas amon peers, and having a chance of a fair review was part of the Ordo Dracul, and Aïleen nodded in approval at that. She then voiced some more musings of her own. "Perhaps, if we could get the cooperation of a Roman Kindred, we could use various methods to try and pierce the Fog of Ages..." which methods, of course, would still have to be found. She pondered if Dominate, Dreams, or perhaps other methods known to the Libitinarius could help in that respect.

The second, more personal and sensitive part of the discussion made her start, stop, and then carefully resume her talk after yet another soothing breath. Obviously, David's feeling of loss was still very real, and she was inexperienced in those too. So much inexperience...

"I... I am sorry for your loss." There was an awkward pause as the Mekhet, not the greatest conversationalist herself, wondered how to go on.

"But yes, that's what I meant. The decorum has been lost through the ages. But the feeling is still here, intemporal, and you are assisting those around you." The dead, the undead, and the living...

Dec 29th, 2013 03:04 PM

“The question then, is how to contact an Elder of that degree and verification of their age.” At least, for those still awake. Waiting on those still sleeping, would potentially side-step that issue. There were abilities David was studying that could possibly assist but the permission needed might be an issue. These were only far-off scenarios. “I wonder if there are interviews of Elders we could see?”

David second guessed himself if it was in his best interest for him to have revealed his loss. It was a futile gesture, the words were out there and the statement could not be put back into its proverbial box. The only thing David said in response to Aileen's expression of her condolences was, “Thank you.”

In the beat of silence after that followed, David ran his fingers through his hair again.

“That's what I'd like to do. To help,” David notes, “The Sleep can be terrifying. If what I do assuages that fear in some way … then I've done something worth doing.”

**Aileen McFarlane** · Dec 30th, 2013 11:32 PM

Aïleen quickly dismissed the talk about getting the help of Elders. Even if some could be reached, and were willing to cooperate, it was most likely the resulting cost would be tremendous. Now, reading second-hand interviews of said Elders seemed much more doable. "I don't know if there are any such things as you describe readily available, but that is worth looking for, I think. Both Romans, and Egyptians, have left us written texts, after all, so there just might be a chance." and she smiled at the other scholar. Her whole body was somewhat stiff though, an external expression of her internal doubts.

Letting the awkward and sensitive moment about his loss pass quickly, she instead replied to his last comment. "I can easily udnerstand the feeling of wanting to help. And all the more about things like... the Sleep." she said, refraining from shivering at the last moment. "I have no doubt that your work is precious, and appreciated." did she finish, a firm nod reinforcing her point. "At some point, we'll have to talk in depth about it." she even finished with.

OOC

Dec 31st, 2013 07:58 AM

“Neither am I,” David accedes quietly. “It couldn't hurt to ask and see what might turn up.” Looking around the library, David wondered if the stacks around them might have the research materials they might seek. If not, David reasoned he might have to call Johan. Which brought up the tangential question of, 'Is Johan still Awake?'

“In the meantime,” David tells Aileen, looking up towards her finally, “it might help to compare and contrast the two belief systems. By doing so, we can see the group memories, group think, and common memes that are at their core and compare notes later.”

Aileen's firm assertion was met with a fleeting Mona Lisa smile of his own.

OOC

**Chrisie** · Jan 2nd, 2014 12:29 PM

Fantastic work you two!

Of Roman Sleep

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