(1211) Asa & Allison

[Allison Black]

Try as she might, Allison could not contain the outburst of laughter, though thankfully she refrained from snorting. Her hand went up to her mouth, as she tried to say something through the intense laughter that Asa incited. "You," was all Allison could get out. After a moment, she placed a hand upon the table, and then drew in a deep breath to compose herself. She closed her eyes for a moment and then gave Asa a serious but farce look.

"Ok serious..." Allison told herself, though as soon as the last syllable left her mouth, it was replaced with more laughter.

"Seriously that was too funny..." Allison shook her head, but was happy that her laughter died down enough to let words weave into it. She shook her head for a minute, amazed at how she was just considering how to bring back a light tone to the evening and Asa beat her to the punch...

"How have you been your Majesty?" Allison gave Asa a curtsy as she fought various urges, one of which was informality. She knew the environment they were in and did not want to put him into any awkward positions. "Your wit always amaze me..."

[Asa]

Asa looked around as Allison laughed, a faux expression of sternness: a denial that he'd had anything to do with the outburst. Of course he hadn't. He was the Prince. Princes weren't funny.

"Please, Miss Black," he said, moving a hand in dismissive gesture.

"You'll give people the wrong impression about me," he added with a smile -- unknowingly echoing another Ventrue's sentiment.

He'd almost made another joke -- that it wasn't his wit, but her Conditioning -- but not everyone thought that was something to joke about. People like... the stern Wilhelm Von Schusten, for example. Beside that, suggesting he would need to certainly wasn't funny.

"I hear faux pas in Court are all the rage these days," he continued with a wink, teasing her about her own.

[Allison Black]

Allison's smirk does not fade, though the laughter does. "Guess the saying is true that it is better to ask for forgiveness than permission..."

"And sometimes there is a certain fun in asking for forgiveness..." With that, Allison gave Asa a playful wink. With a slight roll of her shoulders she shrugs it away. "Does lead to some interesting nights and I think for the most part we tend to learn from our mistakes."

[Asa]

Asa arched an eyebrow, knowing if often depended on the transgression, but not wanting to put a damper on the conversation. After all, he knew what she meant.

"Indeed. Some night, remind me to tell you about how a Seneschal nearly staked me." Asa laughed softly at the memory. It was definitely one of the things that could be laughed about now, but had been a very delicate situation.

"Speaking of fun," he continued, as his hand slid around the small of her back, "Would you like to accompany me to the next Court, when we have our debates?"

[Allison Black]

Allison nodded graciously. "It would be a pleasure and a honor." When she first heard of the debate, she thought it was a interesting idea, though not one she cared to dabble in. Still it was something she very much looked forward to seeing. If Allison held any true ambitions for power, she may have entered. With her heart resting elsewhere, it never crossed her mind.

"I think it is going to be a very interesting evening, though I would expect some faux pas." Allison was glad it was not going to be a bonfire execution, though with how the beast pulled upon the strings of emotion, she couldn't say for sure if frenzy was going to be out of the question.

At least it is not going to be widespread panic...

[Asa]

Asa nodded. The stakes were high, tempers would almost certainly flare. He'd found the list of entries notable. So many neonates, and very few established residents. It was an immediate litmus test of ambition.

Perhaps, also, of hubris.

"What do you know of the contestants?" he asked.

There was interest, and curiosity; it wasn't an idle question, and he moved slightly closer as his demeanor reflected that.

[Allison Black]

Allison pursed her lips for a moment in thought. "My opinion is that the Grand Wyrm and the Heirophant have a latent edge. I think both would be more than capable...and have put in there time" Allison trailed off for a moment as a telltale sign of a "but..."

"Either one would increase the power of their respective group considerably..." Allison just called is as she saw it, regardless of her friend's involvement.

"With both of our families in the mix, though..." Allison shrugged softly, knowing that the Succubus and Lords definitely held the potential to out talk the Shadows. She did not feel the need to state the obvious...

"That is just opinion...given a bit of time I can find out more..." Allison bit her lip for a moment as tried to estimate the amount of time it would take to check the background of all the contestants. She glanced down, knowing that it could take a bit, considering how long it takes people to check some of the forums...or their flippin' e-mail, but it was still potentially doable before the contest.

Allison tilted her head to the side for a moment as she looked to the Prince. She knew him well enough to know that he was potentially searching for a bit of background information. The type of stuff he could pop on them to their surprise to see how they react. A slight smirk traced her lips admiring the implications of doing such a thing....

[Asa]

Asa nodded in agreement. It would be a feather in the Crone's cap if Wooding won, and he wondered if that were the case, if the Hierophant would petition for Valencia instead of Florin. He leaned closer, whispering in Allison Black 's ear.

"I'll need a bit more than that from my Harpy."

Moving back, he smiled; it was advice, rather than a rebuke.

Asa nodded toward the stairs and the hand on her back pressed lightly.

"Shall we? Or do you have other plans?"

[Allison Black]

"We shall." Allison offered no resistance to his touch, though she lifted her purse from the table, not wanting to leave her stuff unattended. She thought about his words, and her meeting with Martha.

What will it mean to be Harpy?

Allison never planned to be where she was, but was going to do her best to help Sacramento and Asa.

[Asa]

Rejoining main thread...