Bird seeks flower

[rhiann90]

I can see her training as a Ventrue court member is paying off. Issac and Zhasper must have been influences. Both of them. She knows how to skirt a question by offering another. Her peaceful words. She is going to be fine here. She will survive. Better than I could.

"You are blossoming into a beautiful lady of the court, Rose. I see you will survive this slaughterhouse. I pray, I know, that in my absence you will be safe." he sighs deeply. "You'll probably be running it, making it a better place, by the time I return. Keep speaking to the others the way you did just to me then, and no one will ever mistrust you."

He looks to the sky and the surrounding area.

France. Again the aristocracy I return to. I leave the only people I care about.

[Violet Clyntahn]

Although controlled she lets out an amused chuckle. “You can’t envisage being gone that long!” Please don’t leave me for that long.

She fiddles with her hands, the conversation feels heavy, awkward in a way it never has before. Like she’s struggling to get the words out from under the weight of all the things she hasn’t been able to say over the previous months.

“When are you leaving?”

[rhiann90]

Violet chuckles. Jake can tell that her friend is pretending to be lighthearted about this tense situation. He knows she is conflicted about everything. I don't want to leave

"Not long after tonight. Before court though. I cannot tell you the exact date, as it provides too many temptations." He winks.

To not leave, to steal you, to run away, to fight...

"I'm sure you'll have your hands full. Surely, since..." his eyes flutter "I... had... to... go..., you have been kept busy with the ladies. Dinner parties, dances, debauchery. The usual." Jack places that tender, caring hand upon Violet's, and lifts her face delicately to look her in the eye.

"What is troubling you Rose?"

[Violet Clyntahn]

She nods her head, though not entirely satisfied with his answer. As long as you go, as long as you find somewhere safe.

She nods again, letting out a small sigh. Whilst she had now found other ways to spend her time she didn’t care to think of the dark empty period leading up to that.

“Nothing” She shrugs, “I just worry about you is all, you know that.” She wants to push her friend, forcing a promise to leave as he said he would, but she can’t bring herself to it. It was better not to know, the knowledge would hurt to much

Why was she finding it so difficult to talk to him? Had they really changed that much in the time since they last met? Or was it the topics she was having trouble with. Perhaps it was easier to change subject. “How has it been living with your father? We have talked of you often”

[rhiann90]

"How has it been living with your father? We have talked of you often."

That. Is how to change topics.

Jack stretches and yawns. "Father. He is the reason I am studying, learning to, behave better. Trying to at least. You said you talk often. How often? He barely speaks to me of you, unless it's to remind me not to speak to you." He smirks. "And that I am to leave. One, I disobeyed, the other I will not."

I have to leave. She will be safe. Issac promised he will keep her safe. I've seen his wrath. This will be my final night with her. Better make it count.

He turns his head towards the gardens, the colours shimmer in the moonlight. A slight chill of air floats past the two, causing trees to rustle. He stands up and offers his hand to Violet.

"Would you like to walk around a bit? These gardens are supposedly the second most beautiful thing in Bath." he quietly laughs.

Perhaps then, you will relax that tension screaming all over your body.

[Violet Clyntahn]

This gets a laugh from her, “sound advice, I’ll only get you in trouble, We talk a lot when we see each other” She despairs at her own non-answer and tries again. “I've send him letters” A selection of answers then, each as vague as the next. She shrugs. “I’ve often enquired as to when I could see you”.

She takes the offered hand. This was better, it bought back memories of long ago, of laughter and running through the streets together. “Once you return to France what are you going to do?” Walking was good, easy. If only she could find something else to talk of, anything that wasn’t this. But conversation could flow with walking, she’d remark on the flowers if she had to.

[rhiann90]

This girl is full of ennui. I must lighten her spirits. I cannot have her last memory of me dark.

Jack goes towards some forget-me-nots and plucks them delicately from the ground. "Cliché no? My dau-- darling sister taught me to make a 'daisy chain' with these. I was confused at the name, at first, but she explained normally it is done with daisies." While they continue walking, he fiddles with the flowers twisting them into a beautiful blue crown. He stops; turning to Violet, he places it gently upon her head; then continues.

"To answer your question, I have to relearn how to be more appropriate. Father has sent me home to visit my Mother." a shudder courses through his body. "She taught me how to be a gentleman."

He pauses, then feigns a shocked face. "I know, scary to imagine no? I am of 'breeding and standing'. Scandal."

Jack continues his previous point. "I need to 'learn how to behave'." He tries to copy Issac's stern voice but in a sarcastic manner. "You are causing too much trouble Li-- ttle one. I will not have you embarrass the family anymore."

He snorts at his attempt of mimicking the seriousness and breaks into a broad smile with laughter. "Ah... parents."

[Violet Clyntahn]

Well so much for talk of flowers being a last resort. She wants to laugh, let her laughter ring through the park, let the facade her friend had so beautifully created fall down around them and just be.

Any other time she would have acted as she was meant to, as she was expected to, show delight at the creation he so delicately places upon her head. But tonight their games don’t touch her. If this truly was goodbye the things that should be said would be.

His slip in speech was a prod in the direction of the conversation she’d be skirting since the start. Well one of them at least. She tries to let the words just was over her. But everything he says leads back to the same topic. She tops walking to look at him, eyes ablaze.

“Daughter”

“Its ok, you can say it. Isaac told me.” Isaac. Not you. Why wasn’t it you?!

Some looks were just meant for certain people. Disdain when she looked at her sire. The look of excitement when all became clear and her questions were answered. This look of mock indifference barely hiding her resentment and betrayal was not one meant for Lilliana. Not truly. This look would only cause regret later.

She motions a hand at her friend. “Please do go on, tell me more of your family”.

[rhiann90]

"Issac told me."

Words cannot express the true inner conflict going through his mind at that time. There were mixtures of rage, fear, injustice, disappointment, violation, betrayal, concern and finally failure. He felt the beast stir within. It was drowning out all the techniques Issac had tried teaching him to calm her emotions. She wanted to release it and kill the friend in front of her. She wanted to kill Issac. Go on another rampage. Kill anything in her way. Lilliana was starting to crack. The pressure was building within her. Her hands tingled. Sparks welling up to the tips.

The look on Violet's face meant nothing to her.

She feels betrayed? I'm the one who has been betrayed! What else has he told her? Merde. She knows of Isabella. Maybe he favours Violet over you. Is that why he is sending me away? Issac has kept us apart. If you were obedient like Violet, you would be the favourite. You lost control, remember? They can't be trusted. They hate you. Fear you. No. That's not true. They respect me. They want better for us than the blackout. She's a Ventrue. They can alter the mind like those Malkavians. Do you really trust her or is it planted? I trust her. I have to. What a good obedient girl you are...

"I am." She tells herself.

"I am sorry Vi..."

The look on Violet's face meant something to her. She had betrayed her friend, but this was not Issac's secret to tell. The sparks around her fingertips lit a silver locket that Lilliana pulled out from under her collar. She was exposed, defeated and tired.

"Verily. I am sorry verily Rose. Forgive me."

He breathes slowly, still trying the facade, Jack extinguishes his hands. Issac's techniques weren't the greatest, but they helped. He opens the locket. Inside is a picture of his daughter Isabella, a slightly tanned girl with dark hair and loving eyes.

"This is Isabella. My adopted daughter. I rescued her and raised her as my own. She is my only reason for existence. I'm sorry that... Father... told you before I could. I didn't even want to tell him, but circumstances led to him finding out. I have no other family. None that would acknowledge me." His voice is deflated and lifeless. He is barely standing. He looks hollow, an empty shell.

"Is there anything else you wish to know?"

The beast was defeated, at least for now.

[Violet Clyntahn]

Her barely successful look of indifference slips in an instant, replaced with repulsion, another look not truly meant for Lilliana, or even the girl in the photograph. Her head spins for a moment did she look that happy when she was that age? On the nights she was allowed to stay up late and the maid would dress her up pretty and present her to Zhaspar? Showing off Violets progress as if demonstrating a particularly well-trained dog. An honest voice answered her quick enough. Yes. Yes she did, and back then the love was just as real as what this girl showed.

She calmed herself with a breath, those resentments were best left for another time, when things weren’t quite so delicate. This was Lilliana, it wasn’t Zhaspar, it was different. - Are you sure? The long absences, the lies? Are they really all that different? - None of that was her fault, this was different. What of the girl? How could Lilliana tying herself to the girl end any different?

No. This was time to focus, not get lost in questions she couldn’t ask. And focus she did, the empty look on her friends face melts her slightly.

Slowly, ever so gently she moves to take his hand, her movements are steady, not frightened, just slow enough to make it obvious what she was doing. “please don’t be angry with your father, he assumed you had already told me”. It was hard to keep accusation out of her voice.

A sigh, another attempt. “You say you rescued her, tell me more of that?” This time her voice was controlled, level, no accusation. Waiting.