(1903)Ale and Company

[Alessandra]

Nodding, “Hearing good things is always nice. I hope it lives up to what you’ve heard.” She liked that he kept his answers short and to the point. “Can’t say I’ve made it very far into the Southwest, a place worth exploring at some point?” she asks, “Do you belong to any Covenant?” always good info to know.

Her Beast takes notice of a weaker one approaching, as did Caine. While her Beast wanted to rip apart the Daeva, the Savage simply smiled.

“Miss Verne, good evening.” She acknowledges the Daeva. And then had to bite her tongue at the bullshit praise. When it’s that thick, it’s crap.

“I have no issues with your company, just try and not lay it on so thick. Stroking my ego will get you nowhere.” Especially when it appeared fake, if anything, it was aggravating.

[Madcap]

Madcap's mouth twitched at new Beast's approach. His own responded in kind, growling a deep challenge within the confines of the Bruja's mind. Though he was silent, Madcap may as well have growled himself. His stare likely said all he needed too. Not only had she interrupted, the amount of ass kissing leaving her lips was just... sad.


Is this bitch serious?


The shift was brief, however, and the Savage's gruff civility soon returned.


"You got a rep for taking an active interest in getting shit done. So I think I'll be more than satisfied in time," he says with a shrug, "A lot of your, uh, peers I've run across are less active. Haven't been in the dirt in years if you get my meaning."


"As for my old territories, sure, it's an interesting place. Wouldn't have stuck around for so long otherwise. Lot of folks just think its all sand and that ain't true. That said the land's got a certain beauty to it," the Bruja bluntly admits, "And yeah, I'm in the Ordo Dracul. Was Independent for years, but then I took a long sleep. Not much to do with it except think on things. Woke up with a different lens, y'know?"


Then came the Succubus' gentle reprimand and the Bruja couldn't help but smirk.

Got your nose too deep in her ass. Idiot.

[Clara E. Verne]

A smile curved into Clara's lips. She was admiring the hell hound as Alessandra curtly tossed aside her show of submission. She admired the public embrace of Beastial nature, even if she never thought that would work for herself. The Dragon next to her spoke of business even as Clara felt his eyes on her. The smirk he had irked the lone Daeva. Charming, this one. "I talk a lot, Prince Antinori. But I don't compliment freely." She dipped her head once and continued, "And I'm not trying to get anywhere with anything. Tonight. My greeting was just from someone who appreciates and enjoys the stability you bring to Sacramento. If it sounded like a lot, it's only because you do a lot." She didn't apologize for her praise but dropped it there. Pressing a sore subject with Princes wasn't the smartest way to dance at Court. Clara still remembered the last Court she attended which the Prince turned into an execution.

She turned to the smirking stranger and asked, "Did you dream as well as think while you slept?" A little taboo subject not a lot of Vampires liked to answer, but this creature didn't strike Clara as one for subtlety. "The dreams do have a way of adding...context to the nights that follow long bouts of sleep."

[Alessandra]

Smirking, “I did huh? At least it seems like a good rep, so I’ll take it.” She says, “But yeah, I’m not a Prince that enjoys sitting in an office and doing nothing, I like being out there getting my Claws bloody.” Just who she was, and she didn’t expect it to change. “Well, you can only motivate so much. Though it has a way of catching up with them.” And sometimes in a not so nice way.

Nodding, “Sounds like it would be worth visiting.” When? She had no fucking clue. “I found myself in a similar boat, had been unaligned until about three years ago. There comes a point where you realize the benefits Covenants have and how they can help further your goals. But the Ordo have a strong presence here, the Grand Wyrm seems to run a tight ship and gets things done.”

Looking back to Clara, “You may not compliment freely, but there is such as thing as too much. It starts to sound fake, which is never flattering to the one offering the compliments.” She was sure the Daeva would get her hint. “Though it does please me that you appreciate the stability of the Domain, I do strive to keep things safe and stable.” If not, she’d be out of a job.

And well, that was a personal question to ask.

[Madcap]

The smirk remained as the ass-kisser Verne tried to unnerve him by prompting discussion of his torpor. The question of whether or not he dreamed was simply answered with a nod, for the second half of her statement, the Bruja spoke.

"Already knew what I was," he said plainly, "The dreams just showed what I could be."

Then his attention was back to the Prince. Madcap's smirk widened to a smile as it became clear he and the Prince had an understanding. Complacent leaders were weak, an Alpha that couldn't defend what was theirs was not fit to rule.

"Can't argue with that," he said regarding the Prince's comment of Covenants, "I've heard the Chapter is doing well... and it's good to find a Domain that let's us do our shit so long as we contribute, y'know? Had the good fortune of running into the Sheriff before the others could steal her away on business as well, so I figure we'll meet soon enough to discuss particulars."

[Clara E. Verne]

Doers doing things needed doing. Clara's brow quirked at Alessandra's claws comment. She'd seen firsthand what they could do to a Vampire. Her pallid appearance and the beautifully monstrous hell-hound at her side all signaled a deeper embrace of the Beast. High cost of getting things done.

Ambivalent was the word Clara felt as she listened to the Prince speak. Envious of the lack of restraint her Beast must bring her and fearful of that envy. I'm doing it the right way--hold to Traditions. Don't indulge the Beast. Only kill if you can't maim. I'm doing it right. Right?

She dipped her head again at Alessandra's comment directed at her. Leave her the last word. "It's admirable," she said. "The First Estate and Ordo Dracul working together goes beyond the chilly relations I've seen in other Domains. Too often, short-sighted covenants put themselves before the Domain." She glanced at the assembled Court. A group of self-interested predators in a rare symbiotic relationship. At least on the surface. At least for the moment. "I wonder what makes Sacramento different." She shrugged. "Or I'm just a vagrant without much of a clue on the inner-workings of either your respected covenants. Speaking as one who doesn't align herself with any covenant, what goals are your covenants helping you both reach?" The two former unaligned reached two different answers. Clara was curious as to their reasons.

She glanced at the laconic Bruja. Only laconic when he spoke to her, she noted. "So you dreamed yourself into a Dragon." Shrug. "There are worse dreams." Eyes then came down on the hell hound she just couldn't keep from admiring.

[Alessandra]

She nods, “I see no reason to interfere with other Covenants so long as they are following the Laws and, yes, contributing to the Domain. And the Grand Wrym makes sure that happens.” There was then a chuckle, “She is quite a busy woman, but from what I’ve seen, she always makes time for her Covenant.” Not a bad thing.

Addressing Clara, “You will come across Domain’s that aren’t as open to allowing every Covenant flourish. Some Prince’s have personally issues with particular Covenants, and as such, will put restrictions on them, or out right ban them. Then there are Covenants that feel they are far superior to others, and as such, won’t work with them.” There was a shrug, “Everyone working together is heathier for the Domain, it allows us to work together to defend it and help it grow.” It was simple to her, but she had learned the hard way about not working together. “If you find yourself curious about the Covenants, most are willing and open to discussing them.” She offers.

“Personally, it helped me setup my base to expand my power from Italy to Sacramento. Goals are always within reach with someone having your back.” But what her power was, she wasn’t saying. If neither were in the know of the criminal world, she wasn’t telling them. It was better that way.

“You seem quite taken with Cain.” She comments.

[Madcap]

To the Prince's continued praises of the Grand Wyrm were met with a nod.

"Then I'm sure I'll get established over there soon enough," he says.

Madcap didn't offer anything as the pair spoke about Covenants. It sounded like political talk more than anything and if there's one thing the Bruja preferred not to talk about, it was politics.

A broken pyramid of dominance best left for the Sheep.

Political games distracted the Kindred too much in his opinion and it seemed the Prince and Verne agreed on that point. Nonetheless, it was curiously the latter that talked like some poster child for the Invictus. Even if she had signaled herself to be unaligned, she had etiquette oozing out of her body language and words. She knew the game she was playing.

Still, she had asked a fair question, but, thankfully, Madcap's answer could be short. The Ordo Dracul was notorious for its secrecy, after all.

"Looking for the same thing as any Dragon: Change," he says, "Beyond that I can't comment on much. The Great Work isn't something we talk about openly."

"Italy, huh? Been decades since I've gone out that way," he said, "Course my only visit wasn't for pleasure. Spent most of it on Sicily. Place seemed like it could be nice. If not for the bullets, fascists, and the like."

[Clara E. Verne]

Clara didn't expect satisfaction from a probing question, yet still felt the casual blight of mild disappointment. Two Kindred openly discussing their unaligned routes, within the last century (ten years in Alessandra's case, she assumed last 50 years in Madcaps' case), choosing Covenants? Not much of a better opportunity to satisfy curiosity. Especially since most Kindred were born into Covenants. Or killed into them. It was a matter of perspective, really.

Still, this was Court. These other two have no reason to trust her. She gave the barest hint of a nod at both the Kindred. "I'm sure any Covenant that would try to take advantage of your hospitality wouldn't survive long to regret their mistake, Prince Antinori." She said in response to Alessandra's comments on tolerance. She thought on Alessandra's comment on Covenants being open to discussing. Then Madcap made vague statements on Dragon secrecy. "Most. Save our friendly—and secretive—Dragons," Clara chided.

The Prince's last comment left Clara pursing her lips in thought. "I was just thinking what beasts were most loyal is all, Your Majesty." Her eyes lingered on Cain before she brought them back up to meet the Prince's gaze. "I assumed you already have gotten all the reactions on the hound from all Kindred. I didn't want to be the umpteenth one to shower—Cain, was it?—in the same dreary words."

[Alessandra]

She wasn’t surprised by his answer, the Dragons were secretive people. And she couldn’t really blame them, most Covenants were.

Nodding, “Born and raised, in Sicily in fact.” She was surprised to hear he had been there. “Though I moved to Florence later.” Business was better there.

“I rather enjoyed it, but maybe that’s because I grew up there. And I had the Family name and business to take over.” How she wished she could use that name here.

Smirking, “You are quite right Miss Verne.” Though none had truly tested it yet.

“Actually, no one has really said a whole lot. Aside from some of my Cousins,” but that was to be expected, “everyone has avoided him and respected his space. Not that I can blame them, no one wants to test his loyalty or patience.” Or hers for that matter.