Overdue Introductions

[Alice Hart]

"With the Domain as quiet as it is, there is nothing but to focus our attention more heavily upon our fellows. The stress of such attentions, can lead to many fumbles." she says, though she knows that her Covenant mate has fumbled long before now, and it is only that there is nothing more to distract the Domain that her stumbles have found their way to centre stage.

Another strings pulled nod. "I would assume so, Her Majesty isn't one to thoughtlessly hand out such a reward." Though it could have been a test, the sword of Damocles, waiting.

She smiles, wide and mocking.

"Of course such a thing would benefit the Domain. One cannot employ the appropriate tools without first knowing what they can do."

Her head tilts, "Now, am I correct in assuming your prowess reigns within the social sphere? Apologies for the assumption but an Invictus Lord, my mind immediately moved towards what sort of contacts you have made, and which allies you might be able to call upon."

[Jacque]

The Ventrue chuckled quietly, "No need to apologize, you are correct," he muses for a moment before adding, "Though my prowess predates my time with the Unconquered. Perhaps fitting the bill is what made me an attractive prospect." He shrugged as the answered mattered little to the current conversation.

"I'm a lifelong lawyer, and since arriving to Sacramento I've become BAR certified to practice law under a new identity of Alexander Krait. As such, I established allies within the Judicial and City Hall arenas." He smiled as he continued, "As for contacts, I look to establish some in culture or entertainment soon. It's just a matter of finding the right person."

"As you might deduce from my profession, my tongue can hold its own in an argument or be quite persuasive in a negotiations or debates." He tilts his head, "As for my blood, my most useful talent is being capable of cleaning up minor breaches. I can rewrite a Kine's recent memories to erase other's mistakes. You need only take the victim to a private, quiet location and summon me." It was unclear if he was just indulging in his family's typical boastful nature, but after a brief pause he adds, "I've always found it more convenient than disposing of bodies at least."

[Alice Hart]

It takes the Haunt a moment to parse that.

She hadn't been expecting any of that, nothing so forward, but Jack was ever the Lord, and they loved to speak of their accomplishments.

"Good to know, a reliable use of the Lord's gifts as well as a practised silvertongue is always something the Domain needs." and that was true, this might still be Sacramento, but it was still one without Asa Clarke's ever encompassing influence, and so it was still a landscape she was unfamiliar with. "Unlike you, I do not have kine allies, or contacts to call upon, gaining such reliable and trusted aid, is often difficult for experienced hands, for a Haunt...well. I need to try harder." Who had it that suggested she look towards a partnership with someone in the Medical field? Lady Stamford? Hm, she couldn't remember, but she could use glass eyes, it was something to ponder. "Many of my favoured attributes lay within the martial sphere. That is of course my role within the Circle. Ever battle a prayer," every hurt a lesson, and in victory or defeat, homage.

"Though since my return, I have been focusing upon the Necropolis, it was once a sight to see, and now....ah. Well, time will make it gleam once more."

[Jacque]

"We all have our wheelhouses," the Lord quipped, though it was what followed that piqued his interest.

"Perhaps curiosity is getting the better of me and it is my turn to apologize for assumptions," he offered a slight pause before making his opinions known, "I honestly wouldn't have guessed with your lack of sight," he passively motions towards the Seneschal, "How do you manage?" There have been studies around improving senses through depriving another. It would be interesting to know if there was any truth to them. Of course the studies were on Kine, but the possibilities only magnify with the supernatural.

"A noble effort," he smiled, "I hope that one night I may be worthy enough to see it in its intended glory." No sooner than the words left his lips, his eyes widened from a sudden recollection. "You've done this before, haven't you? Her Grace once shared fond memories of the baths there, which were the subject of a Weiss painting."

[Alice Hart]

No one expects a hollow eyed Haunt to come at them fangs gleaming and dagger bloody.

"Tenacity." she answers with a wide, mocking smirk. Then after a moment more, "Where the blood takes, it also provides. Before my eyes crumbled to ash upon my cheeks, I was an...unsteady faithless mouse. It took such a signification loss for me to realize that I am more then I thought I was. Now I stand, Seneschal twice over, and Valkyrja, Warrior Priestess of the Circe of the Crone."

She laughs, an empty sound.

"Yes, I have. Years before Alessandra Antrinori became Prince, the Underground was a Regency, and I was the Keeper. The Necropolis a jewel, the Deep Kingdom and we hosted Court." She pauses memories flitting through her mind, "But time, neglect and the transient nature of the Domain have proven their cruelty. I am rebuilding. Soon the baths will be what inspired Miss Weiss, and eventually, and with time, an even greater thing."

[Jacque]

His cheek pulled to a reflexive grin at the bold response only a Lord could truly appreciate. It only softened as she began to clarify, "There was a saying I often heard recent Crone parrot in response to just about every minor political inconvenience..." he paused to ponder the phrase, "I think it was 'tribulation brings enlightenment'? Somehow your experiences seem a more worthy example of that lesson."

"I'm afraid there are simply not enough hours in the night to satisfy all of the curiosities you've woke in me," he chuckled lightly. He reveled in understanding history- the rise and fall of kingdoms, dynasties, places, people....Kindred. He could only admire what the Seneschal knew and hope that details might be gleaned through future conversations.

"Is there anything else you'd like to know about me?" he paused before adding, "Or is there anything else you'd like me to know about you? I understand it is certainly none of my business, but I do wonder if you plan to take up the reigns for the Circle. The reason being that I enjoy having scholarly conversations with some of the Covenant leaders to help delineate fact from fiction. Truth is a somewhat important thing to me in our world of Lies."

[Alice Hart]

She takes in a breath she doesn't need, and allows her eyelids to close over her empty sockets.

"Tribulations bring Enlightenment. It is true. But they must be true trials, and you must suffer for your lessons, or it's meaningless. Worthless. Just an excuse for not being good enough."

She lifts her lids, and now a wide, mocking smirk appears, "Well, Jack. It's a good thing then that we have endless nights to satiate our curiosities." Stilling, "I will of course need to counter, and ask if there is anything else you wish to tell me tonight."

Drawing back she considers.

"As you have a taste for history, my first meeting with my Priscus, Bishop Gilroy. I told him I would rather get through my nights with my head low, and attached then bring any attention of the Court upon me. Then perhaps a half year, maybe a full one, and I was taking my steps to be Prisucs of the Haunts even though it hadn't defaulted to me. I even wrote, well, dictated a letter to Prince Clarke declaring myself such.

"Sacramento has a way of filing away the dross, until those who are nothing but flee or find Death, and those that need more polish shine. Stay, for as long as you are able."

[Jacque]

The Lord nodded as she explained. He was unsure if the countenance was of frustration directed at him or the description of how he heard the phrase. Either way, she was willing to educate Jack on her viewpoints and that was always appreciated by him, "That certainly rings true from what I've witnessed."

It is eerie, how even with the empty sockets he's compelled to stay locked in focus as if she were truly looking at him and engaging in body language, "Perhaps a brief synopsis of my rise to Herald and how I forged my own reputation in Sacramento?" He folds his hand over his lap, "The long and short of it is someone was leveraging their own established influence and power to undermine Her Grace's Court officers. I happened to be one of the few who did not cow in fear or simply abstain to avoid pissing off the wrong Kindred or picking the wrong side in that conflict." A chuckle lifts from the back of his throat, "Apparently, something I had said directly to this usurper caught the Prince's ear and she rewarded me with a stronger, more potent voice. The many months that followed were full of strife, secret threats, endless perversions of reality and political chess to try and undermine me and diminish Her Grace's voice... but here I am and the dross is noticeably absent."

"I will concede that I miss it, but I have earned my own voice now and there may always be another night I'll be called upon to serve," his hands lifted up to his sides in a gesture of 'who knows'. "I'll certainly be ready when the time comes."

"So what changed for you in such a short span of time?" he asked with curiosity. Moving from the shadows into the spotlight was no easy task when you yourself didn't want it. "Or perhaps, what convinced you to allow yourself to shine?" He noticed the absence of an answer to his prior question, but assumed it fell under it being none of his business.

[Alice Hart]

There was this nebulous time in Alice's thoughts, when she had been torn into yet another trip into Torpor, when Ale claimed Asa's seat, shaping the Domain into her own vision of how things should be.

She knew as anyone did, that the Danse was one with blood scenting sharks. Ale, however, Alice knew how to lead men, and to press fear into their hearts. Maybe what jack was speaking of was an attempted coup, but from what she remembered Ale telling her there hadn't been anything the Gangrel had considered that serious.

"Then we are lucky to have had you during this time, our experience certainly has lead you to have chosen the correct side of such a conflict." or, like most had a foot in each camp. "Though I do regret the loss of your position, now knowing what you had done to receive such a consideration." it wasn't anything he had done, simply a consolidation of power, but perhaps the Lord would feel the lose more keenly. Especially seeing as it was so clearly a reward.

"Trials and Tribulations," she murmurers with something more mocking then teasing. She shakes her head, strings pulled and jerking. "It was something more then myself, that changed.....everything really. It was after I lost my eyes. I realized I didn't want to hide away in the shadows, head bowed. So, I raised my chin, and took a step forward."

[Jacque]

"The last target of the social scandals was the former Harpy," a pause before he added, "...who was also the Priscus of the Ventrue." He gently lifted his hand as fingers flitted back and forth in the air as he continued, "I had noticed the strategy they employed in a prior event, but I was too new in Sacramento at the time to know the players or recognize the game. When they repeated it some time later, I just did not allow for it to be unobstructed." He thinks for a moment, "What's the expression? Evil prevails when good people fail to act?"

"Your words honor me. Thank you Seneschal," he replied to her assessment.

An amused grunt responded to Alice's jest, "That is quite the transformation. Not all that attempt such a change succeed as well as you have." Let alone doing so newly blind. "Nevertheless, I'm glad that fate smiled on you and your...tenacity." He looks off to one side of the room as he speaks, "For me, Sacramento has provided a wealth of opportunity to learn, more than what I imagined when I first arrived. I aim to be here a very long time and take in all that I can." There would be no running for this Lord.