July 2020 Invictus

[Edward Heinrich]

If Edward hadn't heard that stiffness once before, he might have written it off to the setting. He mentally backtracked, thinking through his attire, seat choice, and the environment. All while maintaining a perfectly pleasant visage for listening to Jacque's response.

Seven chairs? Had he picked the wrong one?

Ah. The address, he had reflexively addressed the Prince first, thereby scratching Jennifer. And I have already failed Lenora.

One day he'd get better at politics. But it was not today. Edward considered whether or not to apologize immediately when from the corner of his eye, the crowd announced Twist.
He'd have to apologize later, he remembered from his conversation with Jennifer in June how important such things were to her.

Edward pivoted and bowed. As he was the first to speak, Edward explicitly announced her presence: "Her Grace, Alder Twist, Duchess of Sacramento."

And, when she seated herself, Edward followed suit.

[Lenora]

Jennifer's silence and glance to her clanmate prompted a glint of concern to hit her face before she began to consider her steps. Thinking back to her lessons, Lenora briefly freezes.

The highest must be addressed fist.

Lenora's gaze shifts slightly to the floor as a crack of embarrassment alighted her features. She had been too hasty to follow Edward's example. To trust in his approach. However, the fault was not his, it was Lenora's... and she would speak with the Lady Notary in due time to address this shameful act.

However, soon Lenora came to be addressed directly, bringing the Ventrue comfortably back to her usual prudent stoicism. Pale eyes raise to look to Alessandra as she speaks, dipping her head in respect as the Gangrel's words reached their end.

"My night has been most adequate, Madam Prince Antinori, thank you," she offers, "It is within my hope that yours has proven blissful."

Jacque's nod is answered with another in kind, but he was right to return his attentions back to the senior members. Among their clan, Lenora led, but she did not head these proceedings.

As the crowd quieted and announced Twist's arrival, Lenora shifts her body and bows deep as the Daeva and Kalos come into view, holding it for some moments to provide the appropriate respects for Twist's place here. Alessandra may have led Sacramento, but here the mastery of the city's Archon was undeniable.

As Edward announces Twist, Lenora finds herself wondering whether or not the honor should have fallen to the Lady Notary considering her position as the second highest. Then again, perhaps their recent stumble was prompting Lenora to be more paranoid. Thus, she returned to silence rather than risk further offense.

Once Twist took her seat, Lenora followed suit, but not before providing a moment for the more senior members of the Estate to begin their own descent.

[Jennifer Hazelton]

"Marvelous." Jennifer stated to Mister Jack. The Nosferatu was pleased that he was still interested. The Oaths were the skeleton of the First Estate, and she welcomed his contributions. Her ruined voice slithered on.
"I agree with you that a strong foundation is necessary for these things."
Jennifer looks to the Prince as she speaks, attending her words closely. "I look forward to that conversation, your Grace." Jennifer assures the Prince. She had been curious how the Prince would like the language of the Flowers. She had been debating sending the Prince a floral arrangement, as was her way.

Jennifer folded herself into the proper form of expressing deference to the Duchess at her arrival with great respect. "Your Grace." The Lady greets with her ruined voice.
Jennifer was reminded that Her Grace has been an institution to the Domain.
The Nosferatu claimed the chair she had been sitting behind. Brown eyes tick to Mr. Heinrich and his introduction. Dark eyes move back to the Duchess, searching perhaps. Adhering to the code of conduct was vital to the First Estate. If one did not attend to it closely, it was possible for a vampire to never receive any rank or respect. The Lady's focus is on their leader.

[Alessandra]

Watching Twist as she entered, Ale’s face remains stoic.

Dipping into a curtsy, holding it for a moment, her head bowed, “Your Grace.” Respect in her voice. As she sits after Twist, she carefully crosses her feet at the ankles. No one could see it, but it felt right.

A small smile offered to the Daeva. Knowing the games were still ongoing. Seating, titles, where would the night lead?

When Edward spoke, the Savage simply looked to him. It was hard not to correct him. But this was where Twist ruled supreme, and Ale would always defer to her on the Invictus.

A simple nod was offered to Jennifer, the time of discussing her reading was gone. It was now Covenant business, and her attention shifts back to Twist. “I hope the evening has found you well. That dress is simply stunning on you.” And it was. No one pulled off red the way Twist did.

[Jacque]

Twist's arrival promptly ended his wonder on the timing of resolution. The Lord watched as the Daeva gracefully fulfilled her role of the evening- being the rightful center of attention. He carefully observed and offered his own respectful bow paired with "Your grace," as she arrived to the table and honored him with her regard. The gnawing quickly returned however, though this time the source was different. It was the kind of gnaw that happens when you only hear the start of a familiar lyric. The primal urge to complete the verse you've heard so often it became a reflexive thought.

Jacque had been preparing himself in anticipation of needing to provide an introduction. He was told once the proper address directly from the truth on the matter, and had Edward's not lacked the very function she served at this table it would have probably gone unnoticed. Steely eyes fell on Edward, waiting, hoping for the end of an unnatural pause. It was a paradox he had not prepared for: a correction may be of offense to him, but to not may be of offense to her. In the silence the gnawing only continued to grow steadily. Once it was clear the Incubus was content with his introduction, the Lord respectfully finished the announcement with what their cherished decorum demanded:

"Judex and Hound."

There... a sweet satisfaction only the end of an itch can provide. All sixteen syllables were now spoken. His eyes immediately darted from the previous subject and back to the Duchess. Like it or not, this Lord just drew attention to himself. Whether that was for better or worse, however, was never within his control.

Once both Jennifer and Alessandra have seated, Jacque seats himself as well.

[Twist]

Twist waited, watched, as the others took their seats, ignoring the furtive motions of unnamed Kindred silently slinking into the night, their duties to the covenant carried out and the free meal obtained. For the 6 at the table though, it was only begining.

And there was already a tenseness in the air. In voices and looks exchanged. It would not be the first time nor the last and if anything, she took it as a good sign. It meant there was maneuvering happening. And maneuvering meant activity.

The additioncorrection only put a point to the feeling in the air.

At prior meetings, she would have ignored it. Assuming she would have even picked up on it. The feeling. Not Jacque's words. But tonight was not prior nights.

A nod was offered toward Jacque. "Indeed. And perhaps that is a good place to start our meeting. With the status of our Covenant." She paused, in mortals it would be to breath, but for her and those gathered around the table it was merely for effect.

"I will start. As noted, I still maintain the position of Judex and Hound for the City. Since our last gathering I have also met with the Mister Heinrich and now also claim the position of Priscus of the Daeva." A look, a brief not toward the mentioned kindred.

Settling back into her chair she looked toward Alessandra, offering the table up to her first.

Now was the time to flaunt. To bring one's accomplishments and titles to the table. What power had their covenant gained since last they met? Present yourself to the covenant and be judged. It was only the first of old business that they had to discuss before moving to new.

[Alessandra]

There was a small, proud smile on her lips as Jacque corrected Edward. Offering Twist’s full title.

As Twist brings the meeting to order, her attention shifts to the Daeva. Priscus as well? It was fitting.

Her turn it seemed.

“I also hold the title of Priscus for the Gangrel. I have been busy behind the scenes securing allies and status in the areas we discussed at our last gathering.” There were those not sworn, so she’d play information close to the vest. “There has been marked advancement in both areas, while my other business has been proven to be quite lucrative as of late. With that success, I plan to be reinvesting in the Domain and further growing our influence within multiple areas.” As a business woman, investing was her thing. “There has also been a new development, still in the early stages, which will assure our success and power for years to come.”

[Edward Heinrich]

Edward might have been punched from the pain in his expression, so awash in it that he couldn't even hear the satisfaction in Jacque's tone. It was Vancouver all over again. This was why he hadn't wanted to be Lenora's Sponsor. This why he left; this is why he ran. But there was nothing to do, except bear the burden. He would not ruin the evening further by moping, his meagre pride demanded that much.

Edward returned Twist's nod, the embarrassment no doubt still colouring his features.

Alessandra gave her non-answer, although he had no reason to doubt the confidence behind it. Edward quietly noted that Twist had, like himself, passed over the Lady Notary. Maybe his order of address had not been a mistake? His eyes turned to Jennifer, both to gauge reaction and because she would undoubtedly be the next to speak.

[Lenora]

Lips pressed lightly together as Lenora noted yet another faux pas on her part, with the rest offering their greeting to Twist as she sat. Before she could correct herself, however, the official business of the night began.

Lenora dared not speak until all had been given the chance. Indeed, she wasn't entirely certain if she should, as she was still not a full member.

Instead, Lenora chose to return to a lesson she learned a many, many years ago in the office of her father as he spoke with fellow businessmen. As they discussed, Lenora listened and observed, only offering her viewpoints and words when called upon. Such behavior was necessary for students and, in these nights a lifetime later, she had become a student once again.

Thus, Lenora looked to Alessandra as she spoke, granting the Prince her attention as she answered Twist's silent call to relay her accomplishments.

[Jennifer Hazelton]

The Lady Notary listened attentively as Madam Prince Alessandra outlined her achievements. She nodded slightly as Prince Alessandra spoke, showing that she was actively listening to her account. When the account was finished, Jennifer waited a moment to ensure that Madam Alessandra or Duchess Alder Twist had nothing to add. As the moment passed, the Nosferatu looked to the Duchess. The Lady began to speak in a calm and measured tone. Jennifer's voice withers like a snake sneaking through the grass, plummeted like an old man's nearing his demise.

"I hold the title Priscus of the Nosferatu.
I have spoken with Mister Heinrich and Miss Black about Blood Oaths. I went over the basics of the mystical contracts, there is still plenty to explore. I have taught these two the Blood-Tell Oath. I then prepared the contract for both Mr. Heinrich and Miss Black to swear loyalty to the First Estate."

She recalled drafting such an oath when she was here several years ago. She declined to mention specifics around a Swearing Ceremony as she did not presume what the Duchess would decide, as Judex of the Covenant.

"I spoke with Your Grace, Alder Twist, the Duchess of Sacramento, Judex and Archon about the Oath of Blood service I have been studying. I have been working on the details of this oath for several years as it requires very complex Gifts, as I relayed to you during our meeting. It requires a great deal of my time to be devoted to study. I do believe that the benefits to the Covenant will be spectacular."

The Lady Notary indicated she was done speaking with a small nod to the Duchess.