A Question of Intent

[Clara E. Verne]

At two minutes 'till midnight Clara entered wearing a pale red sundress and yellow slip-on sneakers. The meeting room was much more sparse. More Spartan. More Lina.

Clara's eyes found the Priscus of Clan Daeva waiting her arrival. The Bacchante curtsied and dipped her head in Lina's direction, "Priscus Moretti. Apologies for keeping you waiting." The Dragon had only just arrived and climbed to Priscus of the clan. Clara had to respect the capability even if she never suspected Lina had the ambition.

It was an interesting new dynamic, especially here in Elysium: simultaneously a haven and the most dangerous place to err. "Are we having anyone else? Shall I wait or take my seat?" Clara had the sneaking suspicion Lina might use her position to leverage her into the Ordo Dracul. It's a smart move on paper, but she didn't think that was necessarily Lina's style.

[Clara E. Verne]

Clara shut the door as she was asked. She took measured steps as Lina explained her situation in deciding Whip. Alluding to Clara's own capabilities. So the carrot comes before the favor, she thought as she listened.

Then Lina pointed out John. And Clara's own repeated endorsements of him. Ah. That. She settled into her chair as Lina asked her pointed questions and then left room for Clara to speak. She waited a moment before saying, "Cousin Clara talked me out of a dark pit. She is alright in my book. I'd wrestle an albino crocodile to protect her from final death. John said that. To me--not for boasting or accolades or his usual obnoxious bragging but to me."

She paused and closed her eyes remembering the latest words he said, "A true supporter of family, regardless of their condition. John said that just recently." She leaned forward in her chair and rested her hands on the edge of the table. "The words may not mean anything to the Domain or anyone else, but they're sincere. You ask what John did to deserve my praise. He trusts me. Far as I'm concerned, keeping him from getting ripped apart by the Court is the least I can do."

The doll-like stillness of Clara's face contrasted with her eyes; alive and feeling and locked with Lina's. "And building him back up is more of a challenge than dog-piling on a cousin when he's down. He'll benefit the Clan in the end, Priscus Moretti. He'll take on risks you don't have to and has proven his mettle against the Hunter threat. The only question is how you want to apply him, if you'd choose to do so."

[Clara E. Verne]

Clara gave an acquiescent nod to Lina's statement. Insulting your new Priscus wasn't the smartest way to go about your nights.

Then Lina pointed out Clara's own status in the Clan. It didn't not sting that she wasn't at least Recognized by her cousins. "I can't control yours or my cousin's assessment of me, Priscus Moretti. I simply weigh each cousin's worth as I see them and work to show my own when called on. Now Davis' Recognition. I can think of one moment in particular that illustrates his worth: When we first encountered the vaguest notion of the Hunter threat Davis had a hole shot clean through him. Most other whelps would have cowered and ran. Davis stayed true and delivered a shot in kind and put down the threat."

"I see a certain resolve and possibility in him worthy of Recognition, Priscus Moretti. I am not discounting his faults or his numerous stumbles, as you well know, but those deficiencies don't discount what value he has to the Clan."

Even as she spoke, Clara began to suspect a trap from Lina. Get her to praise Davis and then Lina might announce him as her Whip. But to back down from her word would be worse. Words and Boons were the currency of the Damned, after all.

[Clara E. Verne]

"I'm not doing the damage justice--it tore clean through." Clara said, but couldn't quite express how painful it must have been.

  Express failure

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2018-08-20 19:11:55		Clara E. Verne rolls 4 to explaining how severe the damage was (Pre + SL + Exp) (10 Again)		4, 4, 5, 5		failure

She then listened to Lina's question and leaned back in her chair. Her memory of the night had her eyes darken slightly. "One of the hunters, the one that Davis had been talking to, lashed out first. Shot him like I was just explaining. It was the first shot taken of the night, actually. I never got the chance to ask why he attacked, but we all had to act to protect the First."

[Clara E. Verne]

Clara sighed as Lina pinched her nose. Well there goes any chance of me getting ahead. Still, the Priscus was asking her to explain her point.

"It's not getting shot that I praise as worthy of Recognition, Priscus Moretti. It's resisting frenzy, enduring his rightful condemnation from Court, and staying in Sacramento when it'd be easier to run away. I apologize for not illustrating that clearly."

"And in my view his fool slights are the thing to focus on. But that doesn't mean that his merit and potential should be ignored. There's value in him, and yes, worthy of Recognition as you Recognized me in the Domain. You and I are still becoming familiar but you spoke out on my behalf in the Domain. You can't tell me you believe potential is worthless, Priscus Moretti."

She then thought on merits. Her own and John's. "It's on me to display my own merit, Priscus Moretti. I don't measure his against mine and dole out praise accordingly." Her uncannily still gaze glanced towards Lina. "I don't think his outweighs mine, though. I suspect you don't agree with my assessment of him, but do you disagree with my judgement on Recognizing him, regardless of my own status in the Clan or the Domain?"