Rag and Bone Sympathies

**Martha Villiers** · Sep 30th, 2014 04:03 AM

Martha nodded to David and showed she'd comply with his request. Before she could say much more, Martha looked to Dog with wide eyes. Though her black net veil hid her obvious anxiety.

Koagion? Dragon?

This is a public bridge!

Dog was both reckless and angry. Not a useful combination. Still, it was a combined state Martha suspected this was his permanent state of existence.

"Sir," she began gently as she slid the urn under her shawl and outer garments to keep it hidden, "with the greatest respect, we are not immune to suffering and nor are we blind to investigating the death of our friend and nor are we indifferent to the quest to recover our missing brethren." she wanted to signal that more was going on than Dog perhaps appreciated.

After all, she and the Reeve had dispatched a recon team had been sent to study the location of the Koagion. They hadn't reported back.

She'd even begun a patrol herself and had to be talked out of conducting an Astral recon for the Koagion by an anxious Reeve.

"We know what befell our dear departed friend here. Yet we are also faced with multiple threats." she now sounded a little bitter and angry herself. Not least because she felt more than a little guilty about inadvertently sending Aileen to her death. Sure, she'd warned Aileen to be cautious and do nothing stupid, but being reminded of that by Dog and getting called out as ineffective in public was both jarring and not very gentlemanly.

Martha paused before adding, calming down and adding her own level of firmness, striking a note of leadership. She recalled the advice to promote positive action above condemning poor deeds;

"Once we are done here, please, sir, let us meet in respectful discussion so we can make firm plans to solve our differences. Until then, please, let us take this moment to reflect and mourn peacefully."

Martha paused, gripping tight to the urn under her shawl, she added with firm certainty, hoping to leave Dog in no mistaking that the Domain, 'had this';

"Have no fear, sir, robust action will follow. We have much to avenge."

Oct 2nd, 2014 06:08 PM

“You are right,” David murmurs to Dog as he steps forward again, lifting a hand towards Martha urging calm. Sure, David is angry but his simmering anger is directed at himself. The Shadow passed judgment upon himself that night, but the sentence was suspended by the Reeve.

“You are right to ask,” the Mortician reiterates. It might be strange for a Kindred, to not blame anything other than themselves. Doing so is an easy survival method after all. David doesn't. His dull-brown eyes travel over towards the mangy Axe Sworn.

“Aïleen died because she held something another wanted, called her to a trap, and was far better prepared for any eventuality.” David's shoulders slump a little as he looks towards Dog. Finally, someone else has said the things that the Libitinarius has been saying to himself for the last month. “But, Aïleen died because I couldn't reach her in time,” David says faintly. “I was too slow. Even after I gave myself over to my Companion, my rage was impotent,” a revelation lingers there, “I couldn't even bring Aïleen justice. I am ultimately unworthy of her.”

Falling silent for a moment, the Shadow takes the time to consider his words. David knows, though, that he's said a lot already. “But, how did it get to that point?” The question is an important one, perhaps a more polite reword of Dog's. “Why did Aïleen have something so important another would kill her over? Why was someone so willing to kill over what she had walking the streets and still does? Why was nothing done to make sure Aïleen was safe?”

A long, abiding sigh follows before David concludes, “I do not know of the Kogaion. I was never told. Perhaps, that's part of the issue.”

**Michael Redfill** · Oct 4th, 2014 11:27 AM

Michael hears a grounding sound. It registers somewhere on the edge of his perception, dimly at first. Then he realizes it's his own teeth. The Gangrel cleanches his fists, hard and clamps down on his own body, making a forced effort not to move. Because right now he wants nothing more than to hit somebody in the face. Probably Dog with his shifting Beast:

"One night..." - it is said almost as a whisper, - "One night," - more firmly, this time. Finally, he looks directly in the other Savage's eyes, - "One night, Dog. We mourn for one night, we pray to whoever we please and give her a departure we think she deserves".

A long pause. When it seems like nothing will be added, Mike continues:

"And then we give her the revenge she deserves", - he inhales and exhales forcefully, finally calming down a bit, - "If you have info that might lead to her murderer, then I'll be very interested to hear it after the funeral. As would some other present here, I think."

Some peace can only be gained by killing, after all. Perhaps, Michael should teach David to beat people to death with his bare hands. That might prove therapeutic.

**Dog** · Oct 5th, 2014 10:40 PM

"I reckon it's been longer than one night since she died."

Teeth glistened in moonlight as golden eyes dropped to take in the other Savage's fists.

"Been years since I asked for help with the Kogaion."

It wouldn't take a Savage to put together what he was saying. The muddy, naked man crouched and fur billowed outward to cover him in it's silvery warmth as he bounded back off the direction he came from

Dog exits Scene

**Tracy Burns** · Oct 6th, 2014 09:56 AM

Tracy had remained silent as Dog spoke and tension seemed to grow amongst those gathered. While her Savage cousin was a bit insensitive at best, she understood what he was trying to get at. He is right, she thought to herself in silence. However, she also understood that those that had been close to Aileen wanted to mourn her. Paying their respects was fine, but they did need to act. Aileen's killer could not go unpunished. A Dragon had met her final death, and the one responsible for the act had to pay in blood.

Once Dog had left, the petite redhead finally spoke up. "That may not have been the best way to go about it," she said to those gathered, an apologetic look in her emerald green eyes. "But, he does make a good point." Tracy paused after saying those words, looking around at those gathered. "Tonight we mourn, but tomorrow we must address this."

Oct 8th, 2014 01:02 PM

Bump! Max Heinz ( Mykel ) | Chrisie -- This thread will close in 10 days.

**Michael Redfill** · Oct 11th, 2014 12:19 AM

Michael looks at those gathered and nods slowly, both at Dog's words and Tracy's. The mask of mourning is replaced by quiet, dark anger that he isn't even fully conscious of. His Clanmates got to him, even if this state of mind was something Michael strongly wanted to avoid at the funeral of his friend:

"Don't worry, we will. I will join the investigation with the express intent of finding whoever is responsible and throwing their Torpored body before the Prince", - of course, accidents happen. Especially when fighting Kindred equally capable of summoning and skilled murder.

**West** · Oct 13th, 2014 11:25 PM

Martha takes the ashes, spending a few moments to read them. Her expressive eyes widen, and she is obviously shaken. Returning the ashes to David, she indicates she will speak with him later and excuses herself.

It's been a while, and this Scene needs to be set free. Martha Exits Scene

Oct 15th, 2014 03:17 PM

David carefully takes the ashes off of Martha's hands. He almost misses her haunted look and it confirms why he didn't do it himself. It is not something he wants to do; it is too personal and too close to home. The memory of his lover's death is not something David wants to relive. Unconsciously, his left hand pats the pocket where his ring sits.

David would much rather imagine Aïleen as the bride she was never able to be.

A swift nod is given to Michael and the Mortician slips out of his shoes, heading for the River. Water gently laps at the edges, mud and wet foliage coagulating into the smell of River that aggressively permeates the nostrils. The bright lights of Sacramento paint the water in technicolor. It is not the Nile, but maybe someday Aïleen will make it there.

In silence, the Libitinarius removes the top from the urn and sets it down on the ground. Staring down into the inky depths of ash and space, David attempts one last time to communicate something to the lost. Finally, he delicately reaches into the urn and slides out with a handful of ash. As he sprinkles them into the water, the ash disappears nearly immediately.

Hand covered in pale-gray and water embracing him up to his ankles, David continues. It is a slow, solemn process of carefully setting Aïleen free into waters she loved. The Shadow says nothing, lost in his thoughts and draped in a mantle of solitude despite being surrounded by Covenant Mates.

**West** · Oct 18th, 2014 05:57 PM

Scene Ends.

Rag and Bone Sympathies

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