(2007) Formal Court

[Dirt Nap]

Dirt Nap is silent, watching Mable steadily as she speaks, apologizes. If he were foolish enough to give advice, after what the Prince said, if he were in her position, he'd offer a boon. In fact, he had been in her place, had made the same mistake once, and had immediately offered a boon. Not smoothly, but quickly at least. He hopes, this turns out with his friend Mable still upright and in the Domain, at least.


Alice Hart makes a wise offer to lead Mable out of there right then and there. Not for the first time, Dirt Nap admires her sense of strategy.


Horatio, his superior looks like he might make a face or say something, but for a wonder he doesn't say a thing or even make a show that would draw any kind of unhelpful attention on himself or the Order. That's a mercy and a comfort. Dirt Nap reflects on a Bishop that showed up once in such a hurry to see the property of his order that he ended up offending everyone he ought to have been making friends with. He eventually got to see the property alright, but it didn't do him much good if Dirt Nap remembered right.


Dirt Nap goes completely still and while not quite averting his eyes, is extremely mindful of not looking right at the Prince, even as she is speaking to Mable. He remembers all about Mister Davis and all the questions about his end. He remembers a blood boon offered that night too, and it worked out prety well as he recalled. Hopefully this time it will too.


Dirt Nap is unwilling to look directly at the Prince, lest he accidentally make eye contact and seem to be trying to interrupt. So he looks at the others that are looking, Edward Heinrich, for one is keeping himself quiet, but not missing much either by looks of it.


Priscus Black is watching too, from a little bit further off.


And Jack looks to be calculating something, keeping track of something as he watches and listens to the Prince. But Jack seems to break from the spell, and draw off Horatio, Dirt Nap's superior too, if only that works, Dirt Nap would be happy to see it as he believes Jack is not one to lay traps for folks.


The new guy is actually looking back at him when Dirt Nap looks. Dirt Nap nods to Alexander Moore with an amiable nod of acknowledgement. Another time, maybe he would be an interesting fella to talk to, maybe when things aren't quite so exciting at Court.


Dirt Nap catches that Lady Hazelton is looking at Jack like they have some kind of understanding about what is going on, but it's completely over his head, which isn't too surprising as those two are pretty sharp. Sharper than him, he'd bet if he had to guess.


He lets his eyes go right by Twist without making any kind of indication that he isn't just looking around generally, and definitely not watching her specifically or trying to get her attention.


Then Mable answers. Dirt Nap can't find anything wrong with the answer, but that doesn't hardly mean she's out of the woods. He hopes so though. She's probably the best friend he's got since he got here, and he hopes she isn't banished or worse from this, and that nothing like it happens again for her sake.


Oh, Mable is saying that her insult is to all the Invictus, not just the Prince. Makes sense, and just shows how in over his head he is at Court that he didn't think of that.

[Alice Hart]

Alice bows her head loosening invisible strings as Ale doles out Mable's sentence.

It is far kinder then Alice had come to expect of Princes. Certainly those in the past would have skinned her battle sister now rather then save it for a possible future infraction. The Haunt had to wonder why, was it because Alessandra Antonori was a new Prince....or was it because Mabel was Gangrel...or was it because the Savage was an Acolyte and tied to Alice....

Alice was likely never to know, one didn't question a Prince after all.

[Horatio Quilz]

Horatio watches the exchange and is relieved that it didn't go too badly. Before he could make a remark to Dirt Nap, he catches the other kindred's words as he walks away. Well, this is interesting. Should see where this goes then.

Horatio turns to the group. "Excuse me." He follows behind the kindred and catches up to him. "Yes it is, uh Mister?
With the next question followed immediately on the heels of that last one, he trudges on. "On business of the Ordo Dracul, they want to reinstate their footing in this domain, they sent one of their soldiers based on past events, yet they forgot I lack social skills." Or they did. Horatio chuckles to himself on that last part.

[Alessandra]

She heard Jacque speak to the Shadow, who managed to get his Acknowledgement this evening. But her eyes were still on Mable.

An eyebrow raises, “You raised questions about it last Court, though perhaps you didn’t hear what we had advised you. I recommend paying attention this time.” There would not be a third.

Glancing to Twist, she nods. It was shallow and slow, trusting the Daeva would handle the situation as she saw fit.

Dark eyes finally leave her Cousin, and look to Jennifer Hazelton , and the giant with her. Stepping over,

“Lady Notary Hazelton,” a nod, then looking to the giant, “Welcome to Sacramento Mr Moore. How has the evening treated you thus far?” the Savage’s attention now on him.

[Edward Heinrich]

And then, Jacque broke the spell. It was still a bit early to depart for Edward's taste, but once Mable made her final apologies, the scene was as well as over. After some final remarks, the Prince moved her attention to the newcomer -- making it clear she had no intention of addressing him tonight. Edward stepped back and bowed, silently excusing himself. It wasn't as if she were obligated to greet him, far from it.

He circled at a distance, feeling somewhat like a vulture who takes flight once the preys vigour was aptly displayed, approaching Dirt Nap .

"Good evening, Mister Clay." Edward's words were soft, as if at a funeral, "if you are amenable, let us resume our conversation from the other night."

[Jacque]

Continued in (2007) Breaking from the Crowd...

[Lenora]

The situation seemed to settle.

Lenora's eyes watch Jacque briefly as he begins to draw away Horatio. It was for the best, for Lenora knew she was unlikely to engage the man. Horatio had runned her the wrong way, but that didn't mean that it would have been wise to allow information regarding him to become an unknown. As much as it would pain Lenora to admit it, Quilz was a figure of some interest. His presence represented renewed efforts by the Dragons to regain their place in Sacramento. After a few moments though, the Priscus of the Clan of Kings returns the weight of her gaze to the others.

Alexander Moore receives some small attention from the Ventrue, but it is brief before she turns her eyes back to the concluding moments of the night's... event.

Twist remains silent on the task of assignment, waiting for Mable's acceptance of the decree. To her credit, the offending Gangrel did, though part of Lenora wondered if Mable's offer for a later meeting was a move to save face... and she remained curious if the Duchess would grant such a boon.

Then there is the Prince's continued choice to ignore Edward. A curious choice, but then the scenario had been a tense one and her sponsor was far from persistent. However, Lenora came to feel it all mattered little to herself. The Duchess' approving smile had meant she was holding herself to an adequate standard. Thus, the Lord finally chose to find some place on the periphery to seat herself and abandoned herself to thoughts of the coming meeting and her pending future.

[Jennifer Hazelton]

Jennifer paid close attention to the Archon. She had found Mabel's demands of the two highest ranking officials last Court to be odd. Now she had made a public blunder. The Lady expected that it would happen again. She had no desire to wed her fate to Mabel's. Yet an education was a chance for reform, a chance to turn a negative into a positive reaction.
"I do hope someone can make the impression necessary, Your Grace." The Lady speaks to the Archon. Someone not necessarily being herself.
The Lady glances to Mabel for a moment. Dark eyes return to the Archon as she continues.
“I did have the opportunity to hear advice offered last Court, sadly it seemed not to make an impression. I would offer assistance if it would please you, Your Grace. As long as it is understood that my fate is not wedded to Ms. Woods.”

The Prince addressed her and her newest Cousin and commanded her attention.
Had she remained silent and watching, she would not have expected to be addressed. One needed to play the game in order to get a turn. If one were to remain silent, one could hardly expect any reaction from the Apex Predator.

"Your Grace." Jennifer replied respectfully to indicate she was speaking to the Prince.
She hoped the evening would turn more positive for the Prince and endeavored to give her something more pleasant to focus on.
“My evening is well. I am excited to see what sort of flowers grow about the Farm.”
She turned her head to see how her cousin would react as he was addressed.

[Twist]

A small sigh escapes Twist's lips with Mable's words. She resists the urge of her shoulders to fall.

Dark eyes flicker to Jennifer, "As does Miss Wood," she comments dryly. A small smile and a nod, "Thank you, the offer is appreciated and I will keep it in mind."

Catching Ale's glance, Twist meets the Prince's gaze clearly seeing the nod. And as she shifts to step away, Twist let her head fall, holding it lowered until she heard Ale's voice from a step away picking up a conversation with Jennifer.

Then lifting it, she took a breath and turned finally to Mable.

She ignored the apology.

"The night is growing late." She started her voice cool and composed. "After you have had a chance to get your affairs in order here, I will expect to see you at my theater. For the remainder of Court you are not to use anyone's name or "my". Is that understood?" Dark eyes catch and hold at Mable's waiting for the correct answer.

She understood Jennifer. None of the covenant would want to be tied to the particular risk that Mable currently presented. At least with sponsoring someone into the Invictus one gained with the success of the Page. With this one only avoided damage. And so she would not be putting any of her covenant at risk.

She would do it herself. The covenant would be protected.

[Alexander Moore]

As the Prince moved towards him he fought the urge to step back or bow again. Having already calmed down his Beast earlier it was much easier to hold himself still and meet her gaze, even with the recent ‘education’ which had just taken place.


“Thank you, your Grace, the evening has been quite nice so far, and thanks to Lady Hazelton I have not encountered any problems.” Quick and with a few words for his benefactor, he closes it with a nod to the Prince, hoping it’s enough to satisfy her for now, at least enough not to warrant a reprisal.