A belated social postmortem

[Edward Heinrich]

The call to Gabriel had been made some days earlier, date and time determined, and so sat Edward.

Fifteen minutes early, resting in his cooling car, he wondered what he even wanted for the meeting. His thoughts travelled a now well-worn groove: the cop-out was to say it wasn't about what he wanted, it was what the Prince wanted, but the pose of passivity wasn't one he was good at holding -- history proved that. Far more sincere to enter with a goal. But what did he want? To be done with it, obviously, but there were many ways to be done with it. Surely one was to be preferred?

Ten minutes until the meeting, Edward steps out of his car, rebuttoning his suit jacket, gold cuff links flashing in the streetlight. It didn't help he was unsure what the Prince wanted, and it wasn't like he could ask probing questions. Nothing for it, but to be forthcoming.

And, with five minutes to spare, Edward took a seat in Elysium. Waiting for Gabriel to fetch him.
Alessandra

[Alessandra]

What draws your eye is in the center of the room, an expensive desk that was a rich dark mahogany. It was large enough for her to work on multiple things, but not too large to overshadow her.

The butterflies were placed here and there, adding her own unique style to the room.

On the desk was the standard items on it, papers, small lamp, a computer. There was also a tall glass dome. Beside the glass dome was another one, this one held the same brightly colored butterflies, but had a darker, sinister twist to it. There was a skull in this one, with the butterflies placed artfully around it. Another skull with butterflies on it was placed on a shelf behind her.

There wasn’t really art on the walls. But there were shadow boxes placed around the room with various colors of pinned butterflies. Some blue, some green and some a mixture.

Playing softly from speakers placed around the room was Beethoven.

The wall behind the seating area had a painting hanging, The Young Martyr, a small light hanging above it. Illuminating it softly.

Two chairs sat in front of the desk, Italian made and a deep shade of brown. There was a seating area was set in one of the corners. Which had two chairs and a couch around a coffee table. There were lamps on that offered a soft and comfortable glow, nothing too bright.

Gabriel would silently lead Edward back to the office, knocking on the door frame, for the door stood open. Then just as quietly, steps off to the side and disappears.

The Savage stood at a cabinet pulling out a file as dark eyes look to the door. Her Beast hisses in her ear, wanting the blood and flesh of the weaker one standing there. But, now was not the time.

“Mr Heinrich,” she says, “come in, have a seat.” Gesturing to the chairs in front of the desk as she moves to sit, the folder forgotten for now.

[Edward Heinrich]

Edward nodded to Gabriel, a ghoul was a ghoul, but this was the Prince's. He deserved that much. It had been some time since Edward had first set foot in the office, and as far as he could tell, it hadn't changed.

Or was the painting new? He couldn't remember. That much harder to remember while the Beast whined and pulled at him to flee. No, Edward concluded, it had been here before.

"Prince Antinori." Edward bowed, his pronunciation the practiced attempt of a native English speaker. "Good evening," Edward took his seat.

"If I may ask for some clarification, your grace, the instruction that I schedule a meeting left it somewhat unclear to me whether or not you had a topic in mind."

Edward thought he knew, but it was also possible she wanted to chat about his travels as a way of measuring whether or not he had changed, a lengthier and more direct version of Jacque's questioning. It didn't seem her style to Edward, but what did he really know of the Prince's nature?

[Alessandra]

A hint of a smirk touched her lips, “I wasn’t aware I needed a topic.” Pausing, “But I suppose they’re always a good starting point.” It also saved from small talk.

Leaning back, “From the conversation you had with Seneschal Jacque, it sounds like there has been a, well for lack of better words, a change of heart in regards to my Laws.” She couldn’t help it, always to the point. “I’m aware of the words exchanged, but am curious as to the change. You refused a basic Oath and were then removed from the Invictus. Left the Domain and have reappeared, one cannot help but wonder…why.”

[Edward Heinrich]

A small smile in response to the quip and check. Edward almost objected, he had never actually taken issue with any of the Prince's current or past laws.
"I suppose it could be summarized as a man whose notion of right and wrong found it's home in fairytales and not the real world. The real world happened to him, and he had to break or change. He chose change." He thought for a moment on his answer, and decided that was good enough. "Would it please your grace to hear me exposition on any of the specific events you listed?"

[Alessandra]

“Notion of right or wrong?” why do people like the flowerily not to the point talk? In all her years, she would probably never understand it. “Suppose it could be summarized in a way that explains things in black and white.” She wasn’t stupid, far from it. But she hated that type of talk. Seriously, just say what happened.

“If you wish to elaborate on any of it, feel free. I’m just curious as to what caused the change in path. You were quite adamant about something to do with the Oaths. And if it has to, in fact, deal with the Laws, I want to know. If you’re going to be a liability, it’s better to know now.” End it before it begins. “See, I have no reason to doubt what I’ve been told. But I’ve always been willing to hear the other side.”

[Edward Heinrich]

"That is the case, your grace." Although it didn't exhaust the meaning. He couldn't describe it well, it wasn't a clean break, "I apologize for lacking a definite summary. It comes down to a feeling that there exists more than one correct perspective." A pained smile, "although even as I say this, it feels not quite precise."

"I don't know if I could point cleanly to a cause. The straw that broke the camel's back was a comment along the lines of 'you would imagine one with such a concern for courtesy would consider the culture.' I had a very rigid, mechanical even, sense of correct conduct. My approach is... now more living. More agile."

"I feel embarrassed to spell out my objection to the oath, your grace, given how inane the hill I chose to die on seems in hindsight." Edward elaborated anyway, "I had sworn an oath of loyalty to my Sire. I valued the letter and spirit of the oath deeply. To swear another oath of loyalty was, therefore, a troubling thing. What I felt saved me, was that I had leeway in how I approached that loyalty. I was free to find a way to satisfy loyalty to my sire, loyalty to the Invictus, loyalty to the Domain, and loyalty to you, your grace. The potential complication arose from obedience to a set of laws, reading the Domains laws filled me with relief, I foresaw no provision that would foster conflict between my duties. However, there was the issue of the laws yet unwritten. I..." Edward grimaced, "I was not mature, your grace. I imagined only the worst edge cases and spiralled."

Edward's lips pulled down into an angry frown and his hands clenched in his lap, although without blood there was no further whitening of his knuckles.

"If I had only approached Lady Notary Hazelton with my concerns early on, it is beyond any reasonable doubt that she could and would have brought me back onto a more sane track. Instead, my bizzare worrying led me to inflict my circus-act onto all who had the misfortune of my presence."

"I... No. My apologies, this does not answer your question." Edward forced his face and hands to relax. "To directly answer your question, the only laws I have ever found an issue with have only ever existed in my mind. The laws you have written and the judgements you have passed, have never led me to feelings of resentment nor feelings of concern. I understand that there were times to communicate this and that I failed to do so, leading to understandable speculation."

Edward bowed his head, "Your willingness to hear my side is a kindness I have not earned, thank you."

[Alessandra]

Seriously? A comment?

“So you are saying that now the comment wouldn’t bother you?” see if she was hearing it right. “Though I am surprised one would concern themselves with what others say. Especially ones who talked from their ass most of the time.” Or maybe it was her age that simply had her not caring for the opinion of others.

“It’s hard to consider something that seemed so important an embarrassment. The path you choose was what you, at the time wanted.” Sometimes it’s the wrong path, sometimes not. But she listens, hearing his words, surprised at how forthcoming he was in them. “An intriguing reasoning, not what I was expecting to hear.” And it wasn’t. Leaning back once again, “The loyalty one has to their Sire is something I’ve always been fascinated by.” Sure, she was loyal to her own before, the mess in Italy. “The ones yet unwritten?” a shrug, “I can understand that, it’s an unknown, and trust is rare among our kind.” But no one else had raised such concerns. Was it an unvoiced problem amongst the Domain?

A brief nod, “You are correct about that, voicing those concerns could have saved you quite a bit of headache and face.” Cause yeah, he lost some face value there. “I understand worrying, it’s natural for us to worry about our actions, and for the Invictus, our Oaths.” Serious business.
The thing was, she knew where he was coming from. She had been there.

“I’m going to surprise you with this, but I’m not the monster some make me out to be. I enjoy talking with others, getting their input and hear their concerns. I’ve never sought to be unreasonable. But I also haven’t exactly gone out of my way to let that be known either.” Because she could be unreasonable, she could be a hardass if the situation called, and she would not hesitate to ash those who crossed her. Those who fucked around? Well, they found the end of a stake or the end of her Claws if they were lucky.

“Returning to the Domain took some guts though, but it won’t be an easy return.” There would be those no happy with his presence. But that would be on him to sort out.

Soo sorry! Ale takes a bit more of a thought process...lol!

[Edward Heinrich]

Edward coughed out a single laugh as the Prince insulted him. He was being treated sincerely, and he could not ask for more. To Edward's thinking, this was her courtesy.

The comment about loyalty to one's Sire did provoke a twinge of anger, but the feeling was kept far from his expression. It felt like telling a profoundly religious person, 'oh, religion? I've always been fascinated in why people believe in those.' The anger was undercut by the unexpected understanding she showed towards the core of his objection.

"To argue against seeing that affair as an embarrassment is interesting, your Grace. It is undoubtedly the case that my remorse has exhausted its utility in this affair." Utility or not, he didn't think the memory of rewriting Jennifer's oath in front of the entire Invictus would lose its sting any time soon.

Edward shook his head slightly at the Prince's final comment, "I wish I could accept the compliment, your Grace. My return is simply that the prospect of enduring my unlife without putting the situation here to rights felt far more terrifying than putting in the efforts to repair what I am able. I can only imagine the strength required to thrive while chained by shame. My great fortune is that those I have offended are so reasonable, my return shall indeed be fraught with difficulty, but that it is possible at all is a blessing I am grateful for."

"But, to return to your question regarding how I feel about the comment now. The comment felt like a tipping point. As you mentioned, I previously would have attached no value to the feelings of most others. The fact that I instead did attach value was a surprise to me. Investigating my own surprise led to many other changes."

[Alessandra]

“I tend to argue for one to take the opportunity to overcome what has happened. Wallowing in what was done in the past is a waste of time. None of us has had an embarrassment or mistake free Danse. Strength comes from moving past it.” But the strong ones would work to get past it.

“So, you only seek closure from it rather then build something from it? Why?” she would build, and come back stronger. But maybe that was a testament to her character. “You are only chained to shame if you allow it.” And if you do, then that told her what she needed to know.

“The strong don’t fret about the words of the weak. As a Kindred of Quality at the time, I’m surprised you didn’t feel above it. But perhaps something created the perfect storm for things to begin to fall.” A possibility, but it wasn’t her concern.

“I’m not trying to make things more difficult for you, I only want to try and understand. You had shown such promise that the fall was a surprise.” Though it just showed that you never really knew anyone. “There will be eyes on you.” Not a threat, just a simple fact. The Invictus would be watching, as would the rest of the Domain. Would he succeed or fail? The masses loved a good failure.