Mia walks up to the doors of the old Crone temple and knocks. When someone comes to the door Mia says, "Hi I need to speak with Miss Dirge please? Its really important. Tell her Mia is here." Mia is wearing sweats and a tank top, looking like she just rolled out of bed. No makeup and her hair up in a pony tail.
An attendant goes into a back room and about a minute or two later dirge is lead out by Cerberus and holding her cane. She hears the woman breathing and approaches her. "What's wrong Mia? Did something happen?"
"Yeah um, sorry, Can you come with me. We can talk in the car." Mia says, her voice more serious then her normal playful tone and maybe even a little scared. "Sorry I know I am not supposed to come here unless called for. Its just... yeah its about him."
Dirge frowned at the new a mixture of irritation and concern. Finally she spoke, "Ok, Mia lead on." Dirge will follow Mia out to the car and gets in.
Once they are in the car Mia starts driving to Neverwhere. After about 5 minutes in the car Mia says, "I am sorry about getting you up in the middle of the, wait nevermind, haha, um Its about Mark. He got back yesterday about 30 minutes before sun up. He looked like hell. Beaten, bloody and bruised. It was bad. But the way he looked wasn't the issue. It was his eyes. Something was wrong. When I got there earlier tonight Mark was still in bed, I didn't think your people could have nightmares but he was. and it was bad. He broke his bed and woke up screaming." Mia explained. "Jayne was out and that just left me. When he woke up I asked him what was wrong and he barely responded to me. Just fed on one of the girls and then locked himself in the basement."
Ah shit, she thought at Mia's assessment. "Nightmares? Nightmares are all most of us have left. But, you're right he does sound bad. Far more moody than he normally is. I'll see what I can do for him." Dirge paused for a moment in thought and then continued with a small smile, "Hopefully you pulled out all the stops on the makeover. Looks like I'll but putting them to the test. I just hope I can get him to respond."
"Hey Dirge, About that. Thanks for letting me come along and help you out. Since Mark hooked took us in I haven't had much time for a social life." Mia said to who she considered a new friend. Mia reached out and took Dirge's hand for a moment in a completely friendly way. "If there is anything else you need let me know. You look fantastic by the way."
Dirge nodded and smiled at the woman as she grasped her hand, "Hey thanks for helping me out. It's been a few years since is had to pay attention to my appearance."
Mia pulled behind Neverwhere and stopped the car. "We are here. Here is my key to the basement. I'll wait out here. No one else is in there. I called Jayne and told her not to bring Mark's Dinner until I called. Look Dirge this is really freaking me out..."
When they arrived She took the key from the woman. "I'll do what I can, I'll beat some sense into that think head of his if I have to," she said with a mischievous grin. With that said she let Cerberus lead her to the apartment and when she found the lock she inserted the key.
She knocked on the door and called out, "Mark, it's Dirge. I'm coming in." She turned the key and the knob to enter prepared to enter the door.
There is no answer from down in the basement but Dirge's highly attuned sense of hearing can hear brush strokes on canvas and Mark's heavy, all be it unnecessary, breathing.
Using her flawless memory, and with Cerberus' help, Dirge made her way through mark's apartment. She and toward his easel where she could hear his brush at work. She bit her lip nervously as she approached would he notice or is he too consumed with himself and his troubles right now to realize the change. "Mark...hon. I can hear you painting. Are you alright? Why don't you answer?"
Mark painted away, this time it was of a small boy with sandy blonde hair and blue eyes, in the boys hands was a sign that said, "Innocent". The boy also had bite mark on his neck with blood flowing down his neck. and pooling on the floor.
Mark does not break away from the paintings, "Hey Dirge, Mia went and got you I take it." His voice is harsh and staggered. But there was something else, something only Dirge may be able to detect. Mark's voice was more cold blooded and lethal then it has ever been before. More bestial then before.
"She's a good girl, you know she worries about you. It's especially difficult for her since she can't understand what it is like for us." Dirge approached Mark but sat nearby on his bed with Cerberus laying at her feet. She turned to him and thought for a moment considering his words and the manner in which they were delivered. "You feel different than before. Something has happened and it changed you. Talk to me."
Mark continues painting and with that same quiet cold calm simply says, "I killed 4 people last night."
Dirge didn't say anything for several moments and then finally she replied seriously, "I see. Were they your first?"
"A Man, who was of all things trying to eat my shirt. The Vampire Mairsil, his unlawful and force-ably created spawn... And a child." Mark said as he worked on the detail of the boys hair.
Dirge placed her elbows on her knees and cupped her chin in one hand as she leaned forward in her sitting position. "Why? Did you lose control, was it necessary or were you defending yourself?" She knew there were many good reasons to kill people, and it would be hard to talk to him without knowing the details.
"The Shirt Eater and the Child, I was out of control. Mairsil and his spawn, I lit them up like Christmas morning. I took there lifeless corpses and drenched them in gas. Threw there bodies on a car and blew the car to hell." Mark said his tone never changing. "Oh I am a member of the Circle of the Crone by the way."
It took a moment for Dirge to wrap her head around the news. Mark didn't strike her as a the type to do this kind of thing. Perhaps it was a deputy thing? She often forgot that not everyone had her experience as a member of the Circle from the moment she was embraced. Circle kindred experienced many difficult things and their innocence generally didn't last as long as others. She thought on the victims he was forced to kill and then his last words hit her.
Wait a second on of these things doesn't fit here...he picks now to tell me he joined the Circle?
"I guess you spoke with Circe like we discussed then. I'm glad that you were able to find your way to the Circle. You're new so you may not realize this. But the Circle is a harsh place. We don't sugar coat things here. Our existence is a struggle and tribulation helps define us. Enlightenment can't come without the pain. Sometimes it is physical, sometimes emotional."
She paused for a moment wondering if she should continue with what her own feeling and finally reached a decision. "Mark, I'm going to share some things with you that I don't really talk about much. Humans are nothing more than animals Mark. I don't feel any more remorse for ending the life of a human than I would for sacraficing a creature to the Goddess. They are just not on the same level of existance as us. I've killed before too, recently it was a human sacrifice at the Circle's Samhain celebration. I was the person that gave the killing blow. Now I'm not saying that people should be treated cruelly, even animals shouldn't be treated cruelly needlessly, but Kindred have a higher more evolved roll in the natural order to play than Kine do. Just like a wolf among sheep."
Mark thought about what she was saying for a few moments as he continued painting. He thought about the child and feeling his life come out of him. He thought about the shirt eater and how disgusted he felt that the fat bastard was even getting the best of him. Mark rememberd the evil smile that crossed his face when he watched Mairsil's corpse fly into the air and disintigrate into dust. "Thats the thing Dirge, I don't feel bad. I know I should but I don't. I feel Nothing. I felt anger at Mairsil for using the child as a tool but I felt no remorse in killing it."
Dirge smiled sadly as she replied, "Death is a hard lession for new kindred both in the Circle and without. This is why we do not encorage new members to the Circle to kill kine in ritual or outside of it. It is best for them to reach an understanding of the nature of life and death before they take on the mantle of responsibility the comes in ending a life. Survival is the most basic and natural impulse and it is one that the beast understands. The beast can be a blessing and a curse, but struggling with it and against it to keep it from consuming us makes us stronger. The goddess is wise and tests us frequently. Don't beat yourself up because you should feel remorse. Learn from it, but don't lose yourself in the lust for murder and death, it is an impuse that we must struggle against. It can be a tool that can ruin you or be your salvation. It is all a matter of how you wield it."
Mark went silent again for a while, smoothly running his brush along the canvas. "I went to Circe, She gave me a potion or some kind of concoction. It sent me into a dream state. Like a Spirit walk or whatever the native american's call it. During my little trip I met her..." Mark again let the statement Hang. He still has not turned around to face his lover.
"I've had waking visions during ritual that were a message from the Goddess. They brought me a message or further enlightenment. But it is always what you need to hear. Did you find out who she was and what she wanted? Was it the Goddess or someone you needed to confront?"
"It was the Goddess" Mark said with the confidence one would Identify his best friend.
"That's great! Not everyone gets a vision of the Goddess directly. Many times it is symbolism or dreams with hidden meanings. A dream journal is a good idea, I don't have any of the special equipment to doccument mine so I have to commit them to memory. You don't have to share your vision if you don't want to, they can be very personal...and frightening some times." Dirge finished seriously like she knew from experience.
"Dirge it was amazing," Mark turned to look at his lover for the first time. "Holy Goddess..." Mark pauses Nearly speechless
Dirge did nothing but smile broadly for a moment. Then she sat up strait and dropped her arms to her sides. She finally answers coyly, "What is it Mark?"
"My God Woman you look amazing. Mia told me you two went shopping but I had no idea." Mark drops his brush on his table and moves to her and takes her by the hands. He guides her up off the end of the bed and gives her a little spin. "You look absolutely stunning."
Still smiling Dirge let Mark pull her to her feet and she giggled as he spun her around to amire her. Alabaster features blushed crimson at the compliment. "You really think so? I wanted to try and look good for you. So Mia helped a lot and she said I looked good, but I didn't know if she was just being kind or not. You like it?"
"No way Hon, Mia was not just saying it. You look absolutely amazing." Mark said to his love. He was afraid to kiss her, for she was as beautiful as a porciline doll. "Dirge, I don't even know what to say. I wish there was a way you could see through my eyes to see how beautiful you are."
"Well, I'm just glad you like it hon. Some day there may be a way, but for now I'll just trust you. If you don't know what to say you could always try kissing me silly." she finished with a laugh.
"Sounds Like a Fantastic Idea." Mark said and took her by the waist pulling her into him and kissing her soundly on the lips
Dirge felt his hands grip her and wrap around her waist as he pull her close. With her body pressed up against his, she moaned softly as he kissed her. I don't think I ever get tired of that.
As Mark finishes kissing her he pulls his lips away. But does not release her waist. "So Dirge, Now that I am a member of the Circle and you out rank me do I call Mistress or something like that?" The question was an obvious flirtation but at the same time Mark was looking to learn more about the Dark Goddess's Children.
She laughed again as she answered, "No, we are pretty informal. I'm an Acolyte because I know Cruac and am initiated into its secrets. You'd be a member of the Chorus, a general member with no Cruac knowledge. There are other titles but they are not always used and are informal most of the time. So call me what ever you want babe." She snuggled closer to him as she finished speaking, wrapping her arms around him and rubbed up against him gently with a small grin.
"Hey D, May I ask a Favor?" Mark said to the Hauntingly Beautiful woman
Dirge gave Mark a confused look for a moment as she got more serious. "Um...sure Mark. What do you need?"
"Would you be willing to help me out with some of my Deputy stuff? It would be informal but I think that your intuition and skills could really help me out." Mark asked. "That and I can't fight my way out of a paper bag." Mark finished with a laugh as he continued to hold the woman close.
She laughed along with him, "Sure, I can help out. Cerberus and I will protect you. I've been working with him...I was very displeased with his performance at court."
"Your Performance on the other hand was very good. I think you impressed A lot of people." Mark Replied. "You are constantly suprising people Dirge. I am starting to wonder whats next in your bag of tricks."
"Yeah, I bet they weren't expecting a blind woman to put up much of a fight, I just wish I would have won." She grinned mischiviously at his comment. "But, I've got a few tricks in the works and there are a few that are more relivent to you and me that I have in mind right now."
"Oh really..." Mark says turning and sitting on the bed guiding her to sit side saddle on his lap. "So what exactly did you have in mind..."
"Oh absolutely. Watch and learn," she said softly from her perch on his lap. She leaned over and kissed him deeply on the mouth.
Draft this Post