A Peaceful Housewarming Party

[annabelle]

Helen waves at Jean as he enters with her ghoul
"William darling, pour a drink for our new comer"

Them she takes the package from Mr Price and stare at it with curiosity. Without wasting too much time, fearing Lucius will snatch it from her before having a chance to see it.

"Oh, gifts from you Mr Price are always interesting." and she chuckles, remembering the daring gift he gave he on a Christmas night some years ago.

[LittleBird]

Before she even has the chance to bob a curtsy or express pleasure of gaining a new acquaintance he is off. Kira looks to Helen, “Was it something I said?” she asks feigning shock before smirking, “I need no drinks my dear, this evening is intoxicating enough-who was that gent anyhow?-Oh! Evening!-” Kira moves a little to the side as Annabelle and Price join them, she smiles warmly at more friendly faces.

[Jean-Jacques]

Jean-Jacques offers a slight bow, an inclination of the head towards his hostess.

“Madame, might I convey this small gift for your library.”

He passes a pin brown wrapped book to Helen.

“ it is perhaps of humour to note the subject matter given I might indulge we are both not native to this land”

He offers a brief smile before continuing

“Letters on the English, by a notable author such as Voltaire, published in its original form on English from 1733. Intruder you will find amusement, as I have, from it’s pages.”

He bows again and takes in his surroundings

[alanwrotethis]

Dukes squints and rolls his eyes as he takes in the room, wondering if the sudden call to action was merely a damp squib. He then freezes, muddling over the idiom 'damp squib'. He'd heard Durham use the term once, and now it was stuck in his head.... what in the name of the blundering beak of Oedipus was a squib!?

Did he mean a squid? That didn't make any sense, they were perpetually damp, unless the point of the phrase was to communicate an entirely predictable trait. But Durham used the term to convey disappointment... what's disappointing about predictability? Of course it lacks stimulation, but predictability is the basis of the Socratic method. Without consistency there is no capacity to learn, no opportunity to innovate.

Clearly, Durham had used the term incorrectly. This event, despite all of the potential for havoc that lay among the gathered kindred, was proceeding with few surprises... just like a damp squid. Excellent.

Except... and for this second thought trail he had to watch the people in the room, there was clearly a shift in mood with Helen, a loaded exchange between her and Kira. Hermina had passed him in the hallway with a face like thunder, and Lucius was now competing with Valentina to court a Tremere neonate...

He stands beside Helen and gives a knowing nod towards the arrayed kindred.

"If you are concerned that anyone here is acting outside of their remit as a mollusk... let me know."

[annabelle]

“You don’t need a drink Kira…dearest? Well I do” Helen says and grabs one drink from her ghouls tray and gulps it in one go.

She then laughs loudly with the book Jean gave her, inspecting it with appreciation “I am sure it will be of use, how nice of you!”

She gestures to her ghoul to put the rest of the gifts with the rest.

Quickly she finds another wine glass and drinks half of it with a chuckle. Desperately trying not to think too much and highly entertained with how peaceful the party still was.

When Dukes speaks to her she nods and whispers “Of course, who would be fool enough to misbehave with the Sheriff, the Deputy and the Prince around” a snort appears unwillingly as she inspects the room “Plenty here.” and then there is this sarcastic chuckle.

“Glad that I learned to obfuscate my weapons now my dear Doukas. Such a useful principle. I will definitely let you know. If all, it’s quite the opposite tonight. People behave too much for my liking. I don’t know, do I need to parade again naked with olive oil to liven the party? Even Miroslav is being a saint. ” the Ventrue laughs harder “Just kidding, It’s nice to see a more civilised party for once. I am quite humbled with the behaviour of the guests tonight, they have been nice and caring. Quite surprising, I am used of the opposite.”

When William comes back she asks.

"William can you bring that opium from the basement please?"

[Velvet Riley]

Velvet comes back through the door of the room. The neonate looks to be in a good mood. He approaches Valentina sitting quietly in the corner,

"Did ah miss anything?" he asked

[Valentina Audley]

Valentina raises an eyebrow, still slightly irked after his abrupt depature from their dance, after all, it's unpleasant to be dropped at speed, even if you aren't romantically interested in the gentleman in question.

"Oh you're back are you? I don't know that you've missed much. Our lovely host has been presented with some gifts, the neonate with the dashing uniform, Jean-Jacques? Has appeared oh and I danced with Elder Lucius."

She relents and takes pity on Velvet saying so softly the words barely meet his ears "who, incidentally, is looking for you." Hopefully he'd get the warning without needing it spelt out.

Smiling out at the room she continues in a more conversational tone "everyone appears to be having a delightful time."

[Velvet Riley]

Velvet looked uncomfortable, but then when Valentina mentioned Elder Lucius to him, he was even more uncomfortable. "Thank you," he said, rising to move towards Helen.

"Ma'am," he said to Helen, "Ah'm powerful sorry but, ah got a matter to attend to fer my Clan. Ah thank you so much fer yer hospitality, an' fer invitin' me to yer party."

He bowed low to Helen and made towards the door.

[annabelle]

"Bye Velvet, thank you for visiting" Helen says.

William returns from the basement and he looks slightly uncomfortable "My lady there is no opium in the basement."

"Oh right...Was anything else in the basement?"

"Some rugs"

"Oh...." the Ventrue laughs and sips her drink"Oh well, I suppose I will wait until Cylon appears again and ask him to bring me some more. "

The ghoul didn't seem pleased with Helen's reply. Staring at her with worry mixed with flares of pity.

"Sure, my lady."

[alanwrotethis]

The Sheriff pauses mid-sip at Helen's most recent remark, his eyes very definitely not darting up in her direction. He exhales, possibly in a sigh, possibly in enjoyment at the aroma of his drink.

"Fret not, dear host, I'm certain that Jerome or Hermina could furnish the gathering with any intoxicants that you desire," he angles an eye at the Keeper, "am I right in that assumption?"

He scans the room briefly for Lucius, and when he cannot locate him he shrugs. He scratches at his wrist, reminded by the recent dance of the scarf-laden flourishes he would perform in the geranos. He was not wearing a scarf, but his hand searched for it all the same.