The night. The stars. The river

[Elisabeth.BasireDuP]

The night air is cool as the two ladies start their perambulation, and one pulls her scarf a little tighter around her neck.

She waits until they are a little distant from the nearest passers-by and inquires, "May I ask, have you resided in Bath long? It seems like the sort of city where a lot happens in a very short amount of time!", she pauses slightly, then continues, "I must admit, it is taking me longer than I expected to regain my confidence in dealing with so many people at once"

[Christine Daye]

Christine's senses are on alert, as they always are, listening, listening to the sounds of the river, the splashes, the gurgles, the music of murmured conversations of other passersby. Yet still her attention is focused on her companion - well, as much as it ever is for one as dreamy as Christine.

She laughs gently at Lissa's last statement.

"Oh, let me assure you, you are doing far, far better than I did, my first few visits to Court! I was quite, quite terrified... especially having to face... the Consul Maximus... as he was then... and yes... Bath is a city of changeable nature... I think that is why I enjoy it here so much..."

She smiles.

"...but to answer your question... I have been here... um... two years... this summer... and Bath is my first experience with Court... and oh! the changes! Let me see... when Maestra and I arrived... Arcadius Augustus was in charge... but he decided that he was fed up with it after someone... well, Mr Caiaphus Redfern, Lord rest his soul, tried to blow up his train... so he left to return to his precious Calcutta... but obviously didn't get that far, seeing as he's back now... he left Lady Leverson in charge... but she annoyed the Council and was deposed in favour of Malotta de Aquitaine... she didn't last long either... killed by Viktor, one of her own family... and Master Harpy at the time... Viktor tried to seize Praxis, but was blocked by Mr Beauclair, who was seneschal for Lady Leverson at the time... a very gutsy move on Beauclair's part given his age... and then Beauclair yielded to Maestra... which I think was very sensible, for he makes an excellent Master Harpy... did you hear that he once had an affair with Marie Antoinette?"

She looks over at the other woman.

"...oh... forgive me if I am wittering... and confusing you! There is so much happening... and I'm certain I only know a tiny fraction... but I promised to let you know more about the... more colourful members of our court... did you have anyone in mind?"

[Elisabeth.BasireDuP]

Lissa appears shocked at the list of Princes, "Oh, my! Matthias had said that the Praxis had been through many hands recently, but I hadn't quite realised how recently he meant."

At her companion's concern she waves a hand dismissively, "You are not wittering, you have answered my question succinctly for such a volume of information! It is the sort of information that it is important for a resident of the city to know, but I would not dare ask of it in Elysium for fear of offending someone."

She lowers her eyes in apparent meekness and adds, "especially as there are so many people in the room who would be within their rights to take offence!", following it with a quickly flashed smile.

"As for the colourful members of court, I probably should start with knowing about the officers, but my curiosity always leads me into trouble, and it is demanding to know of my sire's reputation in the city. It is a long time since we were separated, and he seems much changed from the man I remember."

[Christine Daye]

There's a flash of humour in Christine's eyes at Lissa's apparent meekness. Christine too knows the benefits of being a wallflower.

"Well... that is why you have come to me... and I will sort you out, don't you worry... with my vast experience of life!"

She giggles manically, the notion of her vast experience of life obviously being highly amusing.

"...officers... well... we have spoken of Beauclair already... he's a dancing master... and very skilled with the blade... or so I have heard... he is an excellent Master Harpy... and yes... he had to flee Paris after an affair with Marie Antoinette went wrong... oh... and he also was ditched by Catherine the Great in favour of her horse... but I'm not entirely sure what that means..."

She looks puzzled for a moment, but carries on.

"...Lady Leverson... she is a fighter too, by all accounts... and ferociously strong! Not fond of the youngsters, but a good seneschal so far... no progeny that we know of... and a curious fondness for your family... given she's a Zealot... or maybe it's just Augustus... anyway... I once heard that she tore apart an entire pack of the Sword of Caine in a fury in the space of five minutes...

"... Mr Dukes... the Sheriff... he arrived after Maestra and I... gave some very interesting lectures about the spirit world and ghosts... which reminds me, I must ask for his notes... anyway... it seems that things talk to him... all the time... which must be quite annoying... bad enough when words write themselves on my mirror and I have to spend simply ages cleaning them up... oh... and he can summon the elements... which was very impressive when he summoned the spirit of the river herself..."

Absently, Christine turns and makes a little curtsey to the river next to them, before continuing.

"...who else... oh... of course... Sissy... er... Mr Sisyphus..."

She frowns at his name.

"...he's a tricky one... supposedly of the Moon... but honestly... he is far far far too tedious! I was wracking my brains to think of what Clan he could be... but I can only assume he is Caitiff... He has a bad reputation for extorting boons from everyone he can think of, for whatever trumped up reason he can think of... and now with the events of our last gathering... well... How are you getting on as Defender? I tried it once... it didn't suit me... I got very cross with having to answer the doorbell all night while he and my co-defender sat playing poker... not to mention the time when he offered a trivial boon for my performance! I ask you! A trivial?! Prince Dyonisia herself gave me a major for my performance at her masked ball last year..."

She takes a breath, humming to herself to calm down.

[Elisabeth.BasireDuP]

Lissa listens eagerly, chipping in occasionally,

"I was not aware that Mr Beauclair was a dancing master, but I suppose it makes sense for one of the Rose. I think the rumour about Yekaterina is referring to a vile source as to the nature of her demise. It is rare that a woman can rule in her own right without such slander occurring."

"It is true that Lady Leverson terrifies me, but I do feel gratitude for her stepping in to help calm the Elders during the delays last Elysium. I know that you wrote that I owe you nothing, but I was you to be sure that I am grateful to you too. I know I forced you into helping, and things would have been much worse for me if you had not been so gracious."

"I had heard some tales of Sheriff Dukes from the Durham Court, and I admit that I was surprised to see him as Sheriff when I arrived in the city. It does seem as if it were scurrilous rumours though, which is good to know. I was surprised to see him summoning a fire spirit in front of so many people though, as I can see how such an action could be misinterpreted!"

"A trivial boon does indeed seem light for the gift of your voice! Asfor the Keeper, I was very surprised when he asked me to stay on as Defender, but I suppose it was not a standard Elysium and it would be unfair to judge my capabilities by that one night. I fear Elder Stone will though. Why did it have to be him I was talking to when Primogen Valeria ordered me away!", at this last, Lissa looks distraught.

[Christine Daye]

Christine looks slightly blank at the reference to Catherine the Great's demise, but nods at the comment about the slander endured by ruling women.

"I think it is quite wise of you to be terrified by Lady Leverson... but I have found her to be fair... and she does like a bit of gossip every so often... I think that she tolerates me... though I am under no illusions that it is anything more than Maestra's mentorship that has me so..."

She waves her green gloved hand expansively.

"...truly... it was my honour and my duty to assist... for my Maestra I would do much, much more... but you are welcome... and I tell you three times that there is no debt in my mind..."

Christine smiles, and says more pragmaticly:

"...besides it gave us a good excuse to get together and talk! Which I am already glad for... so all's well and all that!"

She looks interested at the mention of rumours about Dukes.

"...oooh... can you tell me any more? Not the rumour about him having... " her voice drops to a whisper "...syphilis...? " her voice goes back to normal levels "...for that strikes me as someone spreading rumours who has a total lack of imagination... "

She smiles happily at Lissa's comment about the trivial boon, nodding grateful acknowledgement. She then looks concerned at the Ventrue's distress, a sympathetic look on her face.

"...oh, please, don't fret... Lady Fortiscue... you must remember that she is very old... very old... as for Elder Stone..."

Christine remembers something, and starts giggling.

"...oh... the look on his face when he asked my Lady how long she had lived in this area... and got into a discussion about what that actually meant... if I remember right he looked very confused on hearing that she is... what... eighteen hundred years old? And I a good two centuries older than that..."

She hums to herself, a satisfied tone. Then, careful to be polite:

"...um... if I might.... and please, have no hesitation in telling me to mind my own business - I shall not be offended.... am I right in thinking that you are Ancilla? ... I am neonate... for whatever that label means..."

[Elisabeth.BasireDuP]

Lissa looks uncertain at the idea of sharing gossip, but mentally reminds herself that this is how societies operate, and potential friends bond, "I must agree, that rumour does sound uninspired. Mine is nothing so salacious, merely the suggesting that he was sent away partly to accompany Durham, but also because his, how should I phrase it", her voice drops to a whisper, mirroring Christine, "... his experiments... were taking too much of an interest in the young ladies of the Colleges." She look aghast at the thought.

She slowly relaxes as her companion reassures her about the Elders of the city, and is happy to answer the delicately phrased question. "Yes, I am an Ancilla, luckily that status is not removed even if you remove yourself from society for a few decades!" she pauses slightly, "I also do not mean to be rude, but how are you still a neonate if you have seen two thousand years? Was your sire unwilling to release you?" she steps back slightly, hoping to give her companion room to think.

[Christine Daye]

Christine looks confused again.

"...his experiments... the ghosts...?"

She thinks for a moment, then says in a matter of fact tone.

"...well, I will agree that being haunted is... um... "

She shoots a nervous look at an empty patch of air, and rapidly changes what she was going to say.

"...when one is haunted by someone not of one's family, obviously... that would be terrible... but it is a... comfort to... um... yes..."

Her gaze goes to the empty patch of air again and she hangs her head, like a child being told off. Then at Lissa's follow up question she frowns slightly, like someone faced with a tricky riddle.

"...was my sire unwilling to release me...? I don't think so... either of them... oh..."

She bursts out laughing, peal after peal of merriment.

"...I did... spend some.... time dead... for political... reasons... "

She calms after a moment.

"...I am sorry... I am not deliberately trying to confuse you... it is all a bit complicated... what with being a Changeling child... along with everything else...."

[Elisabeth.BasireDuP]

"I think the allegations were more to do with the origin of the ghosts than whatever it is he does to them now. I'm sure that it is all exaggeration though, small town politics at play."

Lissa looks confused at Christine's statement about her fathers, then giggles slightly at the revelation about the political death. Her confusion clears at the revelation of Christine's origins, but she hesitates before replying "Oh, I see. That would make it difficult to keep track of what is happening in the mortal world"

[Christine Daye]

It's subtle, but Christine relaxes at Lissa's matter-of-fact acceptance of the singer's origin statement. She smiles, a touch wryly.

"...yes... it can be difficult... dealing with the world... thankfully, as a musician, I am granted a bit of leeway... everyone knows... now, what is that Dryden quote again? Ah yes... Great wits are sure to madness near allied, and thin partitions do their bounds divide...."

She hums to herself a moment, idly.

"...oh, I am sure it's all naught but politics that has Mr Dukes accused so... for sure he seems to be an excellent Sheriff! But now... I am being remiss! Have I caught all the officers? I think so... oh! the Scourge... Castor... of the Animals... though I have not seen him in nigh on year... but I don't think he's been replaced...

"...and then there is the First Ones amoung the Clans... Lady Fortescue you already know... Miss Rosaleigh Langdon for the Animals... she is Ancilla... and apparently has a very curious hound... Mr Campion for the Warlocks, but I haven't seen him at Court for quite a while either... which is annoying because he owes me a minor and was going to be repaying it with some research for me... but nevermind... um... Mr Verity, for the Rose... a delightful and charming gentleman! Though I do worry about his poor childe... with that crown of briar roses digging into her forehead so... it looks very painful... I think Lady Leverson still holds the position for the Zealots... and of course you know your own... though... please forgive me if I speak out of turn... it seems that Mr Corvinus would far rather someone else took on the responsibility? And oh, Maestra's... well, 'tis only Cylon and Amelia at Court regularly, and they both youngsters..."

"...hmmm... speaking of neonates... perhaps I should list them next? So you know who you stands below you in the pecking order?"

She casts a glance over at the Ventrue.

"...or am I giving you a headache? I do hope not... but Papa always says that given half the chance I will talk and talk and talk...."