Overdue Apology

[Edward Heinrich]

Edward arrives early to his meeting with Jennifer Hazelton . At least, he hopes that he arrives. They never actually settled on a location; Edward just assumed the lack of a stated site implied Elysium.

He wore a simple black suit and slacks, with a gold tie and pocket square.

[Jennifer Hazelton]

The Nosferatu arrived a few minutes later, with her ghoul dropping off a package at the coat check. Liam escorted Jennifer to where Edward waited. The ghoul stepped aide, overlooking the area to intervene in any potential interruptions. Jennifer was dressed in an elegant couture dress, tailored for her 5'8" height. A gold silk dupioni scarf was pinned over her neck, more fabric laid against one side of her neck. She wore - what she considered - minimal jewelry. The ring she had made to commemorate her coterie and the ring she bought to celebrate being a member of such a devoted and loyal family. The first was a ring of white diamonds and chocolate diamonds. The second, a tasteful yet expensive emerald.

She looked at Edward for a moment. Evaluating. She remembered him well. Usually, that he could be a wordsmith.
"Mr. Heinrich." Jennifer greeted as she took a seat. "You have something on your mind, I believe."

[Edward Heinrich]

Edward rose as Jennifer arrived, and he gave a slight bow.
"Good evening, Lady Notary." He greeted her and then sat as she did. He considered opening with more pleasantries, but if her question indicated a preference, she would rather begin.

"I do." Edward wondered at himself for a moment, in distant awe of how empty he was of feeling for a matter that had once brought him to the brink of violent rage.

"I would like to apologize for my conduct; I have in mind the period beginning with the oath-signing ceremony and ending close to my departure. This isn't to say that my conduct at all other times has been above reproach, only that this is my focus."

He shifted to the side in his seat. "As I presume you would find listening to any reasoning or excuses for my behaviour during that period as wearisome as I would, I will not ramble, but please know that I am at your disposal should there be a matter you are curious regarding."

"With that in mind. Please accept a Major Boon as the weight of my sincerity. I have matured, you will not see that brand of disgraceful conduct from me ever again, and I am deeply sorry I dragged you into my fall."

There was minimal body language to punctuate his words. The speech was unrehearsed but long reflected on, and Edward found it adequate as it left his mouth.

It was not a complicated thing. It was not an easy thing. If there was to be a future, it had to be done.

[Jennifer Hazelton]

Jennifer contemplates Edward for a moment.

"Good evening, Mr. Heinrich. I welcomed your invitation for a meeting." Jennifer replies in her Cursed voice. It slithers like a snake through dying autumn grasses.

"I am not going to lie. I find your brevity refreshing. I would agree, the trouble between us arose at the oath - signing Ceremony."
A few moments pass as she considers his words. The meaning behind them. If this had been extended at the time, the unpleasantness between them would have been avoided. Yet Edward had demanded an apology himself when Jennifer confronted him at her haven. Kindred society demanded respects be paid to those who the Kindred of note decided were worthy of respect. Edward's snubbing had been public in Elysium, in most of the instances.

"I accept your Major Boon." Jennifer said with the gravity required of such a pledge. "With it, I accept your apology. The history between us can not be washed away in a meeting. Yet with time of polite and civil discourse between the two of us, we can begin to rebuild trust."

The Boon itself would bind the two in that pledge. Jennifer would hold the Bond until a good moment to take advantage came. This meant that she would be required to treat Edward with civility, by the code of conduct Kindred held most binding. The sort that kept powerful monsters from destroying one another and calling attention to their deeds.

[Edward Heinrich]

Edward listened, as unpleasant as it was to listen to words uttered in her cursed voice.
"You have my thanks, Lady Notary." She had asked nothing, and so, the matter was concluded.

"If I may make an appeal on a peripherally related matter, Lady Notary. The subject of oath swearing brings to my mind a request made by the Seneschal that I sign an oath substantiating words of loyalty to the Prince which I spoke to him. Naturally, due to your instruction, I am capable of handling the matter personally. However, I wish to avoid using that skill, as I am no longer a Kindred of Quality. If this is an imposition upon you, then please, bear it no mind."

It was somewhat jarring of a subject change. Still, the only alternative would be to schedule a separate meeting, and Edward's desire for efficiency outweighed his desire to avoid any awkwardness.

[Jennifer Hazelton]

Jennifer inclines her head slightly to Edward. She was pleased with how the evening was shaping up.
Jennifer listened for a moment, quiet. Thinking through the implications.

"I take great pride in performing my role and ordinarily, would wish to preside over all Oaths that occur. Certainly, all Oaths taken by Kindred of Qaulity should rightly include me."

There was a grey area there, yet Jennifer did not see it as so. Her role as Notary was layered not only to create the supernaturally enforced bonds, yet to be a recorder of events. Yet I knew something that Edward may not. Yet I do not want to expose an ally's abilities to scrutiny.
"Seneschal Jack, Speaker of the First Estate, has some knowledge of Oaths. Did he use language that suggests he intends to oversee the Oath?"

[Edward Heinrich]

"In so far as one has confidence in the interpretation of anothers words, no, Lady Notary, the Seneschal did not indicate that he wished to oversee the oath." Edward wasn't going to read too much into the question. As far as he knew, the oath would only require the blood-tell, and that wasn't exactly guarded knowledge internally.

[Jennifer Hazelton]

Jennifer considers for a moment. Quiet and thoughtful. She could not step on the Seneschal's toes, so to speak. Yet the matter seemed certain that the Seneschal had not made the offer to oversee the Oath, Yet with Jennifer's knowledge of Jack, she made her offer of assistance carefully.

"If you require assistance that I am able to provide, I shall make a best effort to provide the assistance." Jennifer states.

[Edward Heinrich]

There was something afoot; Jennifer's answers led Edward to suspect he didn't have a critical piece of information she was acting on.

"Thank you, Lady Notary; this is a very gratifying sentiment to receive. I shall discuss the matter with the Seneschal. I shan't hold your evening any longer. Ah, but while we are speaking."

It wasn't really, related, but why not handle many matters in a single sitting?

"Would now be an opportune time to relay my findings on the matter of our mutual investigation? It would also be my pleasure to deliver the information in writing should you have other urgent matters requiring your attention." Or if she was worried about spies in Elysium, which was eternally true, although spies working for Forten was unlikely.

[Jennifer Hazelton]

Jennifer nodded slightly to Edward as he gave his response.
"I look forward to hear the response, Mr. Heinrich."

Ah, more. She listens for a moment and then is quiet, turning over the thought. A glance around the room. Not private. Yet Liam had not had to chase anyone off for coming too near. Autumn eyes focus on Edward.

"Yes, we can speak on the mutual investigation. Priscus Baker and I saw the prisoner. I did not have time to write up the encounter yet, yet I intend to appraise the investigators who are interested. We discovered that Forten's nephew is very involved in the lessons. There is a young woman and another in the lessons who can travel so fast, they appear to vanish through doorways.
The prisoner knows how valuable the information is, I had to intimidate her a bit to get relevant information on Forten himself.
He dresses in tailored suirt, for he carries himself as a gentleman. He has a slight Parisian accent. He is a man of color, perhaps described as a light skinned Black man. His eyes are ice blue. Now we can have some means of identifying him, should we see him.

Perhaps all the investigators could meet in the beginning of December and appraise one another of our findings. This would give us the remainder of this month to continue our work.
You have some findings that I am interested in." She leans in slightly.