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 Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 6:45 am
It was late, and the night had grown cold and humid. Rain pitter-pattered outside atop the roofs of the houses nearby, wind howled between the corridors of the streets causing branches to rustle and knock against windows.
Despite all the noise outside, the inside of the houses were calm with the still bodies of the sleeping, and almost rhythmic sound of those deep in slumber. That silence, that heavenly silence, was quickly broken as a loud ringing of the front door's bell rang out.
Outside, standing in the pitch black rain was an equally dark figure, draped head to toe black silks standing patiently at the door, waiting for someone to open the door to her...
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Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 4:56 am
Orpheus and Qadir had locked themselves in, pouring over their books as had become their silent norm as of late. The older vampire was but a ghost of a man at this point; he rarely spoke or smiled these days and if one didn't know him or his past, they'd certainly not mistake him for a youthful immortal. Orpheus on the other hand grew more foul the longer his father figure wasted away. It was frustrating, nerve wracking, and heart wrenching to watch perhaps the only person he could ever really pin the term love on simply perish like this. Neither of them really knew the outcome of Qadir's deteriorating health, but it was considerably rare that vampires ever ceased to exist without sun damage or certain wooden objects embedded in them.
The sound of the doorbell didn't phase the man, who looked more like he'd fallen asleep with his eyes open rather than reading the book in front of him (though the page managed to get turned from time to time), but it interrupted Orpheus. Interruptions were not something he fancied. The rain's addition screwed his hearing and made him unaware there was even anyone calling on their home. He'd have known instantly if it was the few people he'd ever gotten to know, but the strange presence only set him more on edge. Orpheus' fangs poked on the inside his scowl.
"What do you want?" he grouched after he'd opened the door. If the woman thought he was going to go 'gaspy' at her dark attire on a dark night then she must be fortunate enough not to know what really goes bump in the night.
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Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 5:09 pm
The woman looked up as the door clicked open, only to be rudely greeted by some dark haired youth wearing a bright red ribbon tie. The youth's tone caused the woman's brow to twitch in annoyance though she managed to keep her composure for the most part.
The woman's eyes lifted to meet the youth's as she spoke, her voice light and airy, almost as if her breath escaped her as she talked, "I apologize for the late night disturbance. I am Arythnia, messenger and confidant to the Grand General Welbehenna. I bring a confidential request to the master and inhabitants of this house."
The woman pulled down the shroud that she had wrapped herself in to escape the cold, beneath was porcelain skin, soft, near white and blemishless. Her head was adorned with dark, full-bodied black hair, fluid in texture and light, almost like dark smoke. Her eyes were a piercing gold, though the whites were a stark black, almost as if they held the plague within them.
The woman placed on a cordial smile, her dark red lips the only warm color on her and spoke once more, "Might I come in? It is wet, I am chilled to the bone and I do not wish to have you or the master of the house be delivered news in such dreadful weather."
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Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2009 2:09 am
Theatrics. Pleasant. Orpheus lofted his shoulders ever so slightly at her words, looking over his shoulder back into the house as if to double check who was supposed to be the adult in the situation before screwing his face up and turning back to the woman. He sure as hell didn't know who Grand General Willy-bob was, but unless this woman was going to turn into a certain other woman, Qadir wasn't likely to be presenting himself tonight.
"I'm the master of the house for the moment. My father is otherwise indisposed." Orpheus gave the woman the slightest of nods. His tone might still be a bit petulant, but he was far from being impolite, and he knew better than to be impolite these days despite the nagging draw it brought on him when people so deserved it. "I see nothing wrong with the weather" the teen said, his dark eyes flickering to the rain that dripped down, as if the new moon had shed its light in liquid form, "but if inside is where you want to be, then far be it for me to deny your personal discomforts."
The young vampire motioned half-heartedly to the coat rack for her to hang anything, and then lead her to the room furthest from where Qadir remained. Although he'd still be privy to the conversation, it would hopefully keep the woman from snooping around. Her even being allowed inside (though whether it had been an invitation or a begrudging acceptance, it wasn't so clear) was good enough in Orpheus' opinion.
"So who is GGW and what do they want?"
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Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2009 10:01 am
Arythnia stepped inside vigorously, though she had lied about being cold, she was merely wet and that was enough to bother her discomforts. After all when one has been a prisoner for so long and finally been given the freedom they desperately wanted one would rather not go back to uncomfortable situations.
She removed her shroud and hung it upon the coat rack. Her clothing was strangely deceiving dependent on whether the shroud was worn or not. When on it seemed she was merely a high classed woman in a nice gown wearing a shroud, though underneath it was really a surprisingly long and fluid uniform coat, decorated in several medals and colorful stripes the woman undoubtedly knew Orpheus would not recognize. She reasoned if his father had not taught him anything about the Grand General than he knew nothing about military rank either.
Once in the back room she answered him, though her context of words sounded more like a half-chide than a statement, "I'm surprised you are not familiar with the Grand General, after all he is your Sovereign, but I suppose if the parent is indisposed they cannot properly educate the child after all."
Waving a gloved hand dismissively, she reached into her coat pulling out a clasped envelope, "Normally when there is any official announcements of importance the Grand General will issue a statement or give a press release; however given the delicate nature of this situation we are going door to door to houses and families in favor of the Grand General so not to alert any enemies within the general public he may have."
Arythnia opened the envelope and pulled out two pictures, presenting the first of them to Orpheus. It was a black and white photo of a young girl; her hair was dark and short on the sides, though the top and back was long and almost mimicked a mohawk in design. She was sitting in front of what seemed like a reflecting pool with the saddest look on her face, almost a look of despair if you will. She was regally dressed and was adorned with several articles of jewlery. The only oddity about the child, aside from her hair, was her long pointed ears.
"The child's name is Tevadi, she is niece to the Grand General from his late wife's side of the family. She has gone missing. We think she has run off, but we are not about to rule out a kidnapping."
Arythnia produced the second of the pictures to Orpheus, "She was seen earlier in the day speaking to this common woman while in town. She is the only person that day in which we have been unable to identify, or do not have previous knowledge about. On behalf of the Grand General, do you perchance, or does your father perchance, know who this woman is and where we could find her? We're not about the knock down her door and haul her in like a common criminal, mind you, we simply wish to know if she may have had any contact with Tevadi since earlier this day, or if perhaps Tevadi came to her, anything of that sort."
The woman in the picture was Olivia.
"Any information leading directly to Tevadi's safe return will be handsomely rewarded, mind you, as well as put you in great favor. The Grand General is very fond of this child, and even if he wasn't, would want no harm to come to her."
Arythnia made a fatigued face by the end of her very long message, she was not used to using her mouth to talk so incredibly much, it was causing her facial muscles to tighten and cramp.
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Posted: Fri Oct 23, 2009 2:09 am
Orpheus frowned at the woman's words, and he could hear Qadir closing the book in the room across the house, no longer interested in the bane distractions of history. He did not appreciate being assumed to be an uneducating father. Simply because he chose to educate his son in matters more important than their current and more than likely temporary residence did not means he sat around letting his son watch the goop on TV that 'educated' so many children of the world these days. "Simply because he is your sovereign does not mean you should be so rude to imply that he is mine," the boy replied in a cool manner, his lips tugging down at the corners. Sure, there was some stuffy guy that managed his way to the top and yadda yadda, but in the grand scheme of things, Orpheus and his father had more important things to worry about, than the whims of some old fart.
Despite this, he leaned over the photos and showed all purposes of paying attention. Though he may verbally proclaim his loyalties lay outside of the general population's 'faith' so to speak, he was not someone who defiantly refused when someone in a position of power asked nothing but a favor. The boy and his father did everything they were asked in their community, no need to draw further attention after all, but there was a difference between doing and believing.
The teen shook his dark hair in a negative reply before he sat back into his chair, watching the woman for a moment. His shoulders eventually lofted into a regally relaxed shrug, his hand motioning half-heartedly towards the girl with ears. "If I've ever seen her before, and I'm almost positive I haven't, then I don't remember the slightest thing of her and it certainly wasn't a recent meeting." Orpheus was willing to bet 100% he'd never met the girl before, but it was best to be cautious, with only the slightest bit of probability thrown in for good measure.
Blood pooling gaze shifted to Olivia, and he screwed up his face slightly as he thought. "I've seen her before," he said hesitantly, though not so much in fear of ratting her out, but waiting for the memories to filter back into the mind that seemed to catch every detail, and then lose it the next day. It wasn't so much that Orpheus forgot anything, simply that he rarely felt it was worth the time to sit and filter through every little memory till he got to the one he wanted. "Well, she's hosted a few parties before, but nothing really exceptional. She's got a son too, but I am rather certain I've never spoken to him." Orpheus' interactions with Olivia had indeed been few and far between. Perhaps he'd noticed that ever event she hosted was filled to the brim with scent-babies, but since Qadir had never outwardly told Orpheus of all the details miss Olivia might or might not be involved in, the teen didn't feel troubled about his lack of information for the woman. She was cordial, but not exactly nice.
"You really think we need to be handsomely rewarded?" Orpheus asked with that sort of childlike petulance, brows lifting slightly as he looked around the room they were in until they returned to the woman. Although the two vampires didn't flaunt their wealth as much as, say, the other nobles of the town, they didn't sit around in a dirt hut cutting off their own chicken heads. But that was all Orpheus had to offer the woman anyway. "My dad likely knows more about that woman," the teen said, a bit of finality in his tone as he motioned towards Olivia once more, "But as I mentioned, he's completely indisposed." Orpheus didn't feel quite right lying. Olivia was not exactly a friend of his, but he was not the type of person to dangle meat in front of dogs. If mister Willy-bob wanted this woman back so much, he'd have sent a better spokes-person. There was no comfort in any promise this woman made in regards to other people's well being.
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Posted: Fri Oct 23, 2009 9:06 pm
Arythnia couldn't help but let a smile slip at the teen's response. He was not her sovereign either, more like her enslaver for the time being, though she was not so quick to admit to it. Not that he would notice that she is not merely anything more than just a woman, that the black whites of her eyes held great significance, or that the wet smell that presumably leaked from her shroud was indeed not from her shroud but her natural essence. A wet, earthy, must ridden stench that could possibly resemble a moldy attic; diseased.
Quite frankly all she could smell was the strong scent of lilies, though this did not surprise her. She already knew what the teenager was, and that he indeed knew the woman Olivia, or someone who knew the woman Olivia. She had seen him there that day, the day the hippie woman died.
Ah well, appearances had to be kept, "A son? I see. Perhaps someone you know has spoken to him, or knows the woman we're looking for in a little more detail. I assume if you've been to her parties, you must know the friends in which she keeps."
Arythnia narrowed her eyes a tad, though not out of annoyance but out of puzzlement. This boy did not seem like someone who would take into consideration the well-being of others above himself, so why was he so keen on keeping any tid-bits of information about a woman he doesn't even blink at, from escaping his lips and meeting her ears.
"Rewards don't always come in a cash form. They could come in line with a change of statuary rank, or perhaps some sort of aid previously denied to you," Arythnia commented, though her voice was starting to sound shakey and crackly, her voice was giving out on her. The last thing she wanted was to resort to telepathic means, alerting the boy and anyone in the house of who and what she was.
"I would not presume to disturb your father if he is so indisposed."
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Posted: Fri Oct 23, 2009 9:45 pm
Gone were the days where Orpheus was rude to others about their own personal smells. Well, at least Qadir had tried his best to implore such general pleasantries into Orpheus' mind. Such pleasantries seemed to hold firm as the teen gave a weak sort of smile around his fangs to the woman, holding back rude words about death and necrophilia. The boy looked frankly odd while smiling, and it was clearly one of the reasons he refrained doing so, but it was easier to seem pleasant with such a boring means of social acceptance upon his lips.
No, Orpheus was not one to go out and take into consideration those around him, but there was the issue of who exactly he knew knew Olivia. Besides his father, whom he knew could take care of himself, the other two people he knew to be marginally close with Olivia and her son were Crystal and Kaoru, as well as the stork girl Vanyel. Orpheus didn't take enough notice in other people to much care about who they were or were not talking to. There was no way he would ever give up Crystal or Kaoru's name. Vanyel's? Well, he'd see where the conversation went. The stork girl was not high in his list of favors.
Dark eyes narrowed at the question, the woman voicing the thoughts that had just been floating within his head. "Do I appear to be someone who takes great personal stock in the actions of others?" the teen asked with lofting brows and the smile returning to its usual gloomy pout upon his face. "I am sure when you go to parties that you don't notice every little detail about things, especially if they are not of interest to you." Orpheus wouldn't believe the woman would have ever been invited to a party before. Manners. Manners. How much longer would the teen be able to go without reverting to his childish ways? Most teens are not known for their overwhelming maturity, and Orpheus hadn't started with that much to begin with. Lucky that he knew Qadir could hear him, it made being good just the slightest bit easier.
"Our rank is that which we wish it to be, and as it was granted by someone long before your sovereign, it cannot be revoked. And I've no inkling of what aid two vampires might need," Orpheus said with another frown. It wasn't that he was say, unwilling to be helpful, but she seemed to have little to offer. A sigh caused his chest to rise and fall, and he finally pushed the picture of Olivia back towards the woman. "Vanyel is good friends with the woman's son if I'm not mistaken. I do recall I've spoken to the boy once before, though why anyone would wish to do it again I've not the slightest idea. He eats bears after all." Orpheus felt that this quite qualified the boy Ment to be taken off his personal radar with little hope of making its way back on, and well, if the woman was as true to her word as she claimed, there wasn't any harm in letting Vanyel have a visit from miss death stink.
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Posted: Fri Oct 23, 2009 10:27 pm
"You are right, and that would indeed be the case if I attended parties, though I do not."
Arythnia felt this long drawn out process of information gathering had gone on quit long enough. She grew tired and her voice had grown strained. And with the boy openly relaying a second source of information she could finally end this charade of 'proper etiquette', even if she was doing swimmingly terrible at it.
"Vanyel, I see. I thank you for your...cooperation. It was greatly much appreciated, and the Grand General will send his thanks to you in some way."
She couldn't help but be amused at the distaste the teen had for Olivia's son. Romantic rivals weren't far and few between but for someone to go out of their way to attempt to bring someone else down a notch to a person they had only just met, the rivalry must hit home pretty hard. Otherwise why even mention anything about them at all?
Oh well, things were better left understood by those who had feelings," I shall take my leave than, Master Vampire, and leave you and your father back to your activities."
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Posted: Fri Oct 23, 2009 10:43 pm
Rivalry was certainly the most absolute wrong word she could have used, for it involved some sort of connection between Vanyel, himself, and Ment. For starters, Vanyel was a stork. A dorky stork. And there was nothing interesting about her in the least, especially not the glaring orange and muddy brown clothes she wore. And Ment was, well, Ment was just there. Orpheus' distaste and ability to show that distaste came more from his foul personality than any personal ambitions against the other boy.
But the woman didn't voice such things, and so Orpheus remained scowling at her before standing up since she was clearly in the ready to take her leave. A second thought caused him to stand in her path, giving her a dark look with his eyes. "You're more than welcome to take your leave, and tell your super general that he need not bother, for I feel like a name is little information in the great pool of information that you're looking for. However, I swear that if I hear word your little promises go astray, and Vanyel finds herself in less than perfect condition, you and your general will find yourselves in a less than pleasant predicament."
The teen didn't care what they were searching for, what reason they had to bother Olivia, or why the general would go through such secret lengths to re-obtain a child he clearly wasn't interested in, but Orpheus did know that an upset in the scent community was an upset he wasn't willing to allow.
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Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 7:51 am
Arythnia grinned, an almost wild spark in her eyes, and a small chuckle emitting from the depths of her throat. She wanted a fight, it was obvious. She wanted any excuse at this point to show the boy before her that the power he thought he had was less than he knew, but she restrained herself heavily, deciding she would rather let him bait himself.
She leaned in slightly as her strained voice could only manage a whisper at this point, her white teeth sparkled, light pink gums showing and an odd rim of black beneath them, "I do not take kindly to threats, Sir, as any against the Grand General are treason, but I'll let it slide. Any less than perfect condition Miss Vanyel finds herself in will not stem from my broken promise but her own behavior. We are not thugs, and we do not shake down people like thugs do."
Arythnia could feel the tips of her fingers slightly tug at the gloves in which they were housed, "Now. If you would be so kind as to move out of my way, I would like to leave and report back to our sovereign."
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Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 8:13 am
The teen snorted silently at the returned threat. There was little chance Vanyel would be getting herself into any trouble with the woman. The stork girl lacked a backbone and as such little miss death here would no doubt get whatever information she wanted from a pleasant little citrus girl. It was really all Orpheus wanted to hear, that this woman wasn't bringing any trouble into their quiet life.
Regardless of his and Qadir's personal jobs, the teen boy did rather enjoy his quiet moments, and this woman throwing a wrench into everything was right up on his list of "no-nos"
"Your sovereign," he grunted as he stepped out of her way, walking with her to the door as the perfect little gentleman he was. Perfectly unpleasant gentleman if we're boring honest of course. "It was quite the experience," Orpheus said, as if he were complimenting on a pleasant conversation they'd just had over tea.
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Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 8:38 am
Arythnia grabbed her shroud and wrapped it back about herself without missing a beat, her black and gold eyes piercing against her pale skin, wrapped around with its dark cloth. She turned as she was let out and politely thank Orpheus and Qadir for their time, despite the fact she had not spoken to Qadir.
She had been relieved to finally have her shroud back, being able to mask the fact her mouth was not talking but her mind. As she left the house and the door slammed, clicked, however Orpheus had decided to make his appreciation for her visit known, she smiled, thinking aloud, With many more to come.
Though her thinking aloud and our thinking aloud are quite different. When a normal person thinks aloud they vocalize their thoughts, when she thinks aloud her thoughts are heard by all. And with that she left, disappearing into the night as quickly as she had came.
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