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 Posted: Wed Sep 28, 2016 7:11 pm
Cesc followed along with moderate success; he felt suddenly both fascinated and mildly guilty for it as Emmerich emerged from the crowd. He'd read about human necromancy in Granny's books and seen undead at the conference, but he hadn't expected to actually speak with a completely normal man who happens to also be undead, Cesc, geezus. He smiled politely as Emmerich addressed him, shook his head no, and then waited for an opening in the conversation.
"Nice to meet you both," was as far as he got, but Gertrude was nimbler than he.
"Rhedefre is indeed our charge--mine and my family's," said Gertrude with a firm nod. "I am not young as I once was. I supply mostly the boy's education." She turned toward Nicolina with pursed lips as she mentioned the rusalka's case. "Yes. I heard just now from Lorenzo. A shame at the difficulty--but if I may say so, I think your son will handle the case admirably."
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Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2016 4:11 pm
Nicolina's face lit up. "Ah, with Vivette and Shepard? How have they been since last we spoke?"
She beamed proudly as Granny Maplethorpe complimented her own family. "Of course I have utmost faith in Lorenzo. He's studied Russian necromancy extensively in school, and of course, his contract is with a Slavic death god. Even if he weren't my son, he would be the natural choice, and so far he's performed admirably."
Lorenzo blushed beet red at the praise. "Ah, well, I mean--"
Nicolina interrupted him, moving along briskly now that the son-flattering had been accomplished. "But I'm sure Rhedefre must be a formidable mage in training as well under your tutelage." She turned to Cesc, responding, "Charmed to meet you, Rhedefre. Are you attending this convention because you're hoping to focus your studies in necromancy? If you ever need any resources, Lorenzo and I are at your disposal. Any charge of a friend is also a friend in my book."
Emmerich seemed to be about as able to keep up with the conversation as Cesc was. He gave Cesc a polite, if not stiff, smile back and lumbered a little closer to him. "I am not deeply interested in magic," he admitted, "But I have apparently performed admirably as a topic of study. I hear the rusalka will also be studied if she is in the Lab 305 program...?" He trailed off, his brow furrowing. "Necromancers are very respectful. I appreciate being helpful to them. But you do not find the studies of Lab 305 to be intrusive?"
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Posted: Sat Oct 01, 2016 2:11 pm
Gertrude nodded and Cesc found himself somewhat surprised that Nicolina knew (or at least knew of) Vivi and Shepard--until he realized how long their makeshift family unit had been together before he'd been in the picture. He never really thought about when Gertrude had become Granny, or even who started to call her that before him.
"They are doing quite well. The bakery is running admirably," said Gertrude, and although her praise may have been short, it was said with a note of pride not often held in her tone. "I am happy to see that the new generation is doing credit to the old one."
And she smiled at Lorenzo as she spoke, patting his arm as his mother interrupted him.
"Oh," said Cesc with some surprise at being addressed directly. "Gran--Gertrude wants me to be exposed to all manners of magic before she goes in depth with any teaching. She thought this conference would be a great education in necromancy and some of the, ah, commonly misunderstood arts."
"You cannot be too careful with education," sighed Gertrude. "These days you hardly have time to educate properly before everyone spouts out nonsense from what they've seen on television and in movies and taken for fact. No respect for anything."
Cesc turned toward Emmerich then, happy for the man's intrusion in what seemed to be edging closer to a lecture for Cesc's comfort. He smiled faintly. "I can appreciate that. To be honest, although I know we're being studied, I can't speak much to the researchers' methods. I haven't been reported on much, to my knowledge, except for what I've told the Lab directly. I can't say it impacts very much of my life at all. I know some Raevans don't even know their souls or essences, and see it as a taboo. Others don't care at all."
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