(1610) Alice and Asa

[Asa]

"Thank you."

Asa was well aware that few, if any, would have refused the request. The salve on the conscience of his undead heart was also being well aware that few, if any, women would refuse the request even if he hadn't been Prince and they a Vampire of the Domain.

"Don't be nervous, we're just going to sway. 'Like a flower bending in the breeze, bend with me, sway with ease'," he added and finished by singing softly as he moved them into an A-frame with plenty of distance between them. "My mother lost her sight to a fever. She didn't mind people helping her, even if she didn't need it, but she never got used to them touching her without warning her first."

The words were as soft and gentle as the motion of their swaying. He was an excellent dancer, using the slightest of pressure with his fingers to lead.

"And please don't be self conscious. I'm actually watching Reeve Cross rather than staring at you. I find you both quite curious." It was doubtful he would have stared anyway. The porcelain little Haunt was off-putting in various ways. "It's important to understand people's priorities, wouldn't you agree?"

[Alice Hart]

The Prince's 'thank you' startles the Doll.

Not many Lords had ever thanked the Haunt before. Especially not for agreeing to dance with them.

His drawling voice telling her not to be nervous, seems awkward. Or at least when it's aimed at the Doll. The streamline way his drawl changes to a few words of a song. Singing to her, before moving them into a proper ballroom form.

The only knowledge the Blind Doll had of any kind of formal ballroom style dancing came from TV.

The surrealness of this moment keeps striking her.

"Your mother?" slips out before she can help it. She wondered how many he told that to, and if it was just her, if it was only said to put her at ease.

More words to stave off her nerves, "And just what is Robert doing?" she asks, imagining the Burned Man off at the edge of the dance floor, looking like a surly though silent protector. Trying not to eye the Prince. 'Is it a good thing or a bad thing that he find us both curious?'

"I certainly think so. Without that understanding there can be...surprises."

[Asa]

"Yes, I had a mother."

Asa laughed softly.

"Contrary to popular belief, Ventrue Princes don't simply emerge in the night with a flash of fire and brimstone as they are disgorged from Hell." He spun Alice slowly, evoking an image of china dancer figurines that graced the mantles of mothers everywhere. "And Reeve Cross is studying a new arrival."

He'd been a newly minted Priscus, once. Prince Freddrick had danced with him as well -- but more figuratively and with far more malice.

"Speaking of, and of my own curiosity, I assume you are Priscus because either he trusts your judgment, cannot refuse you, or affords you the protection the title provides -- or any combination of the three. And so I find myself curious what the priorities are of the one that holds such sway over my new Reeve."

That 'Robert' would prioritize Priscus Hart over his duty or Asa was a given. Spinning any given narrative as he'd just spun her was a privilege of the Reeve's office.

[Alice Hart]

Maybe it was the continued reassurances, or maybe it was the surrealness of the situation, but as she's spun, she speaks, "Strange as it seems, I'm not one of the many who subscribe to that notion."

"Is he now? Is this new arrival a ne'er-do-well? Or is he just being nosy?" But as Reeve, Robert now had a free pass to scrutinize the denizens of the domain.

When it was apparent that one of them needed to step up and into the role of Priscus, it was almost like drawing straws. That there was any thought of undercurrents, or subtle machinations confounded the Doll. It shouldn't have, considering their very nature, but it did.

"My priorities?" Alice echos, half to buy more time, and half because she thought they were clearly known. "Are to protect my Family, keep us and what we've created strong so that we can keep the Domain safe."

It's the truth, but would anyone believe that's all the mocking Marionette prioritized?

[Asa]

"More like a ne'er-stay-long. They're leaving now and he's speaking to another fairly new arrival."

The archaic term brought a smile to Asa's lips even as he carefully edited the genders of those that had caught the other man's attention. Unlike Velma Star, he wasn't one to jab at someone else for sheer amusement.

"Perhaps he's simply curious about new arrivals." Much like himself and the genesis of this conversation. "And that's quite the mission statement you have there. Did you rehearse it?"

Hopefully there was enough humor in his tone to not seem like mockery.

"It's understandable, though, given what your Clan has managed to create. Quite unlike the previous Necropolis. I myself tend to view Kindred as either Builders or Destroyers; while each has their place, it is refreshing to know that the Priscus of the Nosferatu is a Builder."

Unless they were simply building a fortification to prepare for Destruction. Asa wasn't the sort to discount any possibility.

"I couldn't help but overhear that you had joined the Crone. Will you be keeping Mr. Gilroy's temple or converting it?"

Which might be interesting given who had first captured Cross' attention.

[Alice Hart]

"Ahh." she breaths, as a jerking nod moves her head.

"Most likely. And with his new duties, he needs to make sure he keeps a finger on the pulse of the Domain, yes?" the light banter and ease Alice was completely chalking up to how surreal this moments was.

"No...?" it sounds like a question. As someone now, with a hollow, mocking voice, Alice quickly became aware of the difference between mockery, and wry humor. "Does it sound like I did?" Alice tries to keep her hollow voice infused with her own humor, though as always, she's sure she's failed.

"It's nice being able to have a place to build something. But I haven't heard much of the previous Necropolis..." Alice trails off, if the Prince wanted to answer her, then he would. And if not...maybe in time they would be able to dig up the collapse and hopefully see what remained of Greenberg's efforts in the Bleak Annals.

"Mister Gilroy's temple...?" she echos, "For now? I'm leaving it. It is his. In time, if it's proven that he's found a place for himself elsewhere, then I might take it for myself, but most likely I will carve out my own place for my own worship."

[Asa]

"One would hope, even if it can prove difficult at times."

Most people would say his greatest weakness was a beautiful woman. The beautiful women who knew him the best would say it was inability to pass up the opportunity for a joke -- however bad. That this woman spoke in modern, living metaphors might indicate her age.

"I thought you might have," he continued. "It was an awfully good answer. As for the previous Necropolis, it was mostly formed by extended areas which we discovered through various... altercations. I'm under the impression that the intent was different as well. It mostly served as a refuge for those whose Curses threatened the Masquerade and the few who had difficulty adjusting to Domain society."

Some might take the explanation as a warning, but they had probably never seen the likes of Sunshine or malcontents like Kara.

"But it was also a fairly private undertaking. Clan Nosferatu has never been overly cohesive until recently."

She wasn't the only one with questions formed by leading statements.

[Alice Hart]

Alice makes a humming sound of agreement.

"I'm glad it's a good answer then." Alice fumbles, nothing else coming to mind, even as she nods, her mind following the words that the Prince spoke, "That makes sense...I've met several of my cousins who's Requiem have been...trying." Remembering the monstrous Gus that was once her charge, hunted for his appearance, and mistaken for a Draugr. "Because of their...Curse." the words tastes wrong on her tongue, she didn't like thinking of the ways the Blood affected her family as a Curse.

"Perhaps there hasn't been a vision and a guiding hand to ensure Clan Nosferatu's cohesion until recently." Alice begins, "Mister Gilroy made it very clear that he had a vision, and that he expected his Family to participate in making it a reality. Everyone was given a project to oversee, and goals to meet, with the expectation that they meet them." she says answering the unspoken question.

[Asa]

"It can be difficult for some," Asa agreed softly.

And not just Nosferatu. More than once he'd reflected upon whether he should have spoken with Josephine Sterling after the Marco Fernandez challenge. But then what? If he'd seen her Blood boiling with madness in her eyes, would he have staked her? Banished her? Done his duty to the Masquerade?

"I think it is a difficult thing, to provide a singular vision to a Clan," he mused. "More often than not, it's the Covenant goals and philosophies which are either pursued or come into conflict."

Asa withdrew his gaze from Robert and studied the sunglasses.

"Do you think Mister Gilroy managed it because several of you were Unaligned at the time, or was he simply able to inspire each of you to simply put the Clan first?"

If the second, a dangerous man.

"And will you use the same methods?"

[Alice Hart]

Another nod, and another humming sound of agreement.

"I'm the head of a Clan of two, and I can already imagine the difficulties ahead of me." Alice admits, not seeing anything wrong with doing so, thinking it was plain for everyone, and especially the Prince, to see.

"...A combination of the two." Alice begins, "In the beginning when the plans for the Necropolis were getting off the ground, most of the Clan was Unaligned. At least, until Mister Carriagan, the Carthian." Thinking back on Jack the hungry eyed haunt, and wondering if now, without eyes would his Curse affect her so, "But he was...agreeable." that was one way to describe a very pushy yes-man. "Until Mister Greenberg arrived. That's when the arguments began. Expected of course, and Mister Gilroy worked around them." the results of Gilroy's leadership the Domain had seen for itself when the Family hosted a Formal Court.

Invisible strings slacked so that the Marionette's head can tilt.

"Honestly?" she asks as she orders her thoughts, "I don't know. I'll try to the best of my ability, and trust that I was placed onto this path for a reason."