Meeting at the Funeral Home

[Chris Wooding]

For Chris it feels good to be on his way to meet Emma French. She's someone he has known for quite a time, but he has never really known her. It is too bad they never got to meet more often, but there's no time for everything.

All our Requiems, so busy.

He arrives at the Cedar Fields Funeral Home, in a relaxed mood and dressed in his casual attire. He wonders if he can just walk inside, it is still early in the evening. If no one else is around, he saves his blood, casting no blush upon his cheeks.

If possible, the Mekhet makes his way inside the building, looking for the right office.

[Emma French]

Emma watches Chris walk up the pathway to the door and opens it. "Good evening." She smiles warmly. She opens the door widely to an entry room with warm polished wood. Glass shelves line the walls with samples of urns, flowers, memory books, and other funeral type of stuff. Off the room are various doors leading to different viewing rooms. Emma leads Chris down the center of the room past gathering areas to a door in the back. The door leads to the stairs. "We have offices and conference rooms down here as well as the embalming room and storage areas." She explained as they walk. Down stairs she opened her office door. Her office was a comfortable room with a desk and book shelves in the back. Up front was a low coffee table type table with two red chairs on either side. On the table were red tulips is a decorative vase. Next to the vase was a pitcher of iced tea with mint leaves floating in it. "Would you care for some refreshments?" She indicated for him to have a seat.

[Chris Wooding]

'Good evening, Dr. French.' Chris replies with a smile. He shows a remote interest in the urns and other stuff. For vampires, things related to death always have a certain appeal. He nods as she introduces him to the place, it's not strange for a funeral home to have multiple rooms where people can meet and discuss things. 'It's an interesting business, I imagine.'

When Emma offers him a drink Chris shakes his head, 'No, thank you.' A normal refreshment is not necessary, so he respectfully declines. He sits down.

'How are you? I hope all is well?' He asks with sincere interest, in her, but naturally also in any Domain affairs. 'I understand that you're a Deputy now, I hope it's not decided too long ago - so I can still congratulate you.'

[Emma French]

"The business is interesting, especially for me. I can study social interactions here. It get very interesting at times when the kindred need me." Emma smiles sweetly. "And it wasn't too long ago when I was made a Deputy. Thank you." Emma pours a glass of tea for herself. She brings it to her lips but instead of sipping she sniffs it deeply. The heavenly smells of mint mingled with the astringent tea helps her mind feel relaxed and at peace. Taking a small sip the mint lingers on her tongue. Then she sets down the glass. "So what brings you here today?" Emma would love to know where he has been, perhaps it would add to the knowledge base of the disappearances but it is information which is better given when he is ready and probably not to her.

[Chris Wooding]

The Mekhet grins and nods, he hadn't even thought about that aspect of a funeral home, in combination with the Kindred society. Faking deaths and all that.

'Simply curiosity really. I'm not sure if you're aware that Seneschal Villiers listed you as an acolyte of the Circle? An honest mistake, perhaps, but you probably understand that caught my attention,' he chuckles. He is not going to deny that he would like the idea of another Acolyte. But every member of any group wants his of her group to be the largest, right? 'I was never aware of your interest in the Covenant, or any Covenant, for that matter.' He shrugs lightly.

[Emma French]

Emma thought about this for a moment. "Well, basically what happened was... Wow it was kind of complicated. I was asked to join by, excuse my informal use of names, Claire. She was fairly convincing and actually the first person to ever ask me to join their group. Then Swift followed that up by asking me to at least come to a ceremony. Before I ever got to go to a ceremony Claire left for the invictus. Then both she and Swift left the domain. When Swift left he asked that I be left in charge of the Covenant. After they left Edwin came to the domain and was interested in the Covenant. I had assumed he would have become in charge, but I guess I am still the keeper of it so to speak." Whew, that was a lot to say but she figured he deserved to know what had happened, or at least as far as she knew.

[Chris Wooding]

'Ah Claire, I remember her.' A bit. 'And please, you can be informal with me.'

He gives her a thankful nod. 'It's good to know the details. It may be surprising no one asked you earlier. But on the other hand, no one wants to appear to be too eager. At least you don't have to worry about new arrivals anymore, I have returned to my position as Hierophant. I hope that the Seneschal will change that tiny detail on her presentation as soon as possible.' Chris pauses to think about that.

Maybe I should tell her that I'm the leader of the Circle again... wauw.

[Emma French]

Emma eyed Chris for a moment as she considered. After all why should she care, she hadn't even joined. But then she had been left in charge of the well being of the circle. "So what are your plans with it?" Emma realized that sounded a bit vague. "I had been doing some exploring and was thinking of moving the Circle into a more natural arena. I have to admit not getting too far into my research on it, but there seems to be some elements of nature... magic for a lack of a better word. I had been thinking that perhaps some outdoors ceremonies would be good. I realize there are special time of the year for celebration that connect to nature. But there must also be ways that the Circle could benefit the domain with maybe some sort of protection?" Boy-o-boy she needed to find time for more research on the matter so she made more sense.

[Chris Wooding]

It seems like Emma has given several matters serious thought. Chris thinks about what she says now, while cocking his head to one side - with a friendly smile. This is a curious situation.

'The Circle has moved back to the farm that we used before I became Hierophant. I thought it always belonged to Dirge, which is why I didn't use it when she disappeared to the Necropolis. Now that she's back the farm and the surrounding area are indeed more fitting for our rituals. This only proves how good your ideas are.' He chuckles, what a coincidence. Or a sign that Emma has a better connection to the Circle or its philosophy than her unaligned-ness shows.

About the second thing the doctor mentions, Chris has to think for a moment. 'Yes, of course the Crone offers us unique gifts - they can protect the Domain, and I have protected the Domain with them. I once openly offered my "services", or however I should call it, to some official... but I suppose the letter got lost or it wasn't worthy of a reply. However that was a long time ago.' Maybe he should try something like that again.

[Emma French]

Emma gives Chris a warm smile to show her pleasure in his understanding what she meant. "Wonderful!! I am so glad that the circle is using a farm instead of the cold sterile environment of a temple." Not to mention she seems to remember giving someone permission to use the temple for something else. But her memory fails her in remembering who and why. Oh well. Beast starts to get a little growly deep inside as she forgets to maintain the tight hold on the leash. Pulling beast back down Emma then looks at Chris again. Damn he is cute she thinks, her smile turning into a smirk. "I believe I once over heard the Prince suggesting it might be beneficial for the domain to have the circle give some extra protection. So I think he would be open to it. I would try again and maybe go directly to him." Emma said in an encouraging manner.