Off and Away~! (Haven)

[Valentina Audley]

"I'm sure an opportunity for introductions will present itself soon enough. If not," she shrugs lightly, "my usual methods will have to suffice."

Valentina quickly sorts and packs a pile of shirtwaists into a trunk.

"Darling... Mr Redfern may well trust you, however, I confess concern regarding the rest of his clan."

She moves to a new pile of clothing.

"I have a discomforting feeling that we are being systematically weakened in the court. And as those in Mr Redfern's clan are seemingly in the ascendancy... It is not hard to assume they are the ones causing the situation. Darling, even the Brujah are ahead of us right now, despite their greatly reduced numbers!" She sounds concerned.

"As for Sir Montague's attitude towards you earlier this night... It's another pointer towards a rift. And what of your meeting with the Lady Malota? We are losing ground, with disturbing rapidity."

[Lady Dyonisia]

"Of course we are!" was the aggrieved noise in the back of Dyonisia's throat. "And with Miroslav being the most..." she descended into a guttural string of expletives. "Truly, he makes me wish I could speed-whittle a log - or a chair leg - no a broom handle - no a pencil - no a - God damn him! I cannot find fault when he is trying as desperately as we are to halt the fall of our clan into these rotten wastes that that incorrigible Prince is trying to drag us to. The irony, I imagine, is not lost on Miroslav, whatever he himself is up to."

"I hate to ask this, I hate to even fathom it after everything else but," she searched Valentina's face. "You must be careful. You must be terribly careful - but - all the same you must work with him. We can afford nothing less. He is our last point of power against this unknown. This is a war beyond even him, I'd wager, what with Mithras' interest and the line towards Taunton. He will aid the clan because it benefits him to do so, whatever he is actually up to. With no power to Clan Toreador, there is no power to Miroslav, yes... but... I cannot abide the ruin of an entire group simply to remove him of his power. It is too cruel, too unfair to our blood."

"Seek Mr. Dubois, for more reason than dancing. It is a good entry into conversation. Perhaps take yourselves to Erytheros, at least its private quarters. On this we can be truthful with our Primogen. Either of them might have better ideas than we can achieve in the storm of my recent dismissal. Mr. Montague, thank God, is gone. Africa. Who knows. Who cares." A snap of wrist. "He is gone. Malota - I do not know. Ever has there been a sore relationship between our clans. If this can be changed, then we are in new and torrid waters all the same. I ignored the growing power of the southern clans too long, let Miroslav distract us both and now look where we have come. To a near end."

[Valentina Audley]

Valentina puts the last of the clothes into the trunk, shuts it and sits.

"I think I must venture to work with Miroslav before I have finished my courting of Mr Dubois. I am reluctant to trust any fully, at this time. Not until I have their measure and I am not yet certain of Francis Dubois, Dancing Master and Duellist..."

She sighs. "We have all eternity and yet, we still have no time. Supporting Mr Dubois as a clan will be to our advantage, to have the Keeper a Toreador will be a small clawing back of what has been lost."

Her voice has also slipped into a less guarded more conversational tone and her posture has relaxed, even as it hunches slightly in misery.

"Darling, I think I might have to support the wretched casino." She wrinkles her nose. "I must also be ready to tender a price. Miroslav is not such a fool as to expect help without a price. Not to mention the fact I will need to be sure to only to do the jobs that further the clan, not get me entrapped into whatever his other plans are."

A pause.

"Dyonisia, darling, you know he's going to ask about you. What should I tell him? How many secrets can be given away without harm coming to you? I'm going to have to give him something, like as not."

[Lady Dyonisia]

"Miroslav needs no price to safeguard his own power-base," Dyonisia laughed, but it was an empty sound. "If anything, your aims are mutual. Darling, do not pay him for something he wouldn't ask. At the very least, let him tailor the conversation; you needn't leap before he first throws the raft, after all. You are Toreador and fully affected by your place in society being dragged through the mud. Why would your intervention be unsurprising? Enough to warrant a debt to him? Please, don't give that rakefire more than he needs."

"Equally, this city doesn't need that other new Bristolian snoutband... Nosing into our court, is he? What an utter muck snipe and with such ridiculous human designs of a personality - given his age! Darling, don't give this to Miroslav so easily. It's ridiculous, for a start, and we don't need the ire of the Malkavians and the Nosferatu - let alone the Brujah who have no territory in the south. Planting a casino straight on top of that lack is just asking for trouble. While Miroslav may be content to directly antagonise the other Primogen and risk little of his own assets, the rest of us aren't so lucky."

"As for his asking? Tell him the truth. It isn't a big secret as to why I am leaving. I don't want to be in this city an hour longer than I need be. Speaking of which..."

She snapped her attention to Magdalene, who propelled herself into the room.

[Valentina Audley]

Valentina gives a delicate shudder. "I'd not be in debt to him if I can help it. As it is, I think he... I don't know what I suspect exactly but I dislike the way he looks at you when he thinks you aren't looking. And the way he looks at me, when he thinks no-one else is looking."

She scans the room, locates a couple of hair ribbons and adds them quickly in to the last case.

"As for telling him about you, that wasn't entirely what I meant. I'm sure he'll have expected you leaving, given the circumstances. It's more that there are those who may will want to know what information you gained before leaving, but, no matter. I can and will hold my tongue."

She nods to herself.

"I think that's everything from here packed darling."