Beautiful like a song

[Christine Daye]

Christine shrugs.

"Light, fire - all aspects of the same thing. But Shadow.... now that is an absence of the others.... a void..."

She shudders suddenly, a memory returning. Darkness and shadows and...

...the land is open and raw, pale under the bruised sky. Light casts the barren topography in relief; picks out the jagged cliffs around them, and, in the distance, at first no more than a strange undulation of activity, like a long body busying itself with maggots, do several dark shapes peel over the cliff lip, tumble down the rock, rushing toward them. Behind them, hundreds appear, darkening the landscape....

Her eyes widen in shock as she sings:

"I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand
at the latter day upon the earth.
And though worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God."

Calmed by her song, she looks curiously at Regulus.

"...you mistake me for a warrior... I am no such thing... but my death was not peaceful..."

She sings again.

"Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: 'Death is swallowed up in victory.'"

A pause.

"Tell me the name of one who wronged you."

[Regulus Grey]

"That is a statement I would be happy to debate with you another night Ms Melody, of light and fire being aspects of the same thing. But not this night."

He tilts his head, eyes flashing amber once more at her song and the change that has come over her. The slight tensing of the muscles in his shoulders relaxes as Christine returns to herself.

"I believe I may have misphrased the question. My apologies."

At her next question, his face darkens. Eyes of amber flare with a desire to rip and tear which is swiftly surpressed by cold willpower.

"Most recently, Eric Lunaris. However since he is part of the same group we belong to..I have set aside my desire to settle accounts with him."

He blinks

"Tell me something amusing."

[Christine Daye]

"...oh... that is a shame.... Mr Lunaris has always been very polite to me... something amusing... hmmm..."

She thinks for a moment, obviously thinking of things to say, and then discarding them.

"...our esteemed Prince, Mr Beauclair.... did you know that he was caught in flagrante with Marie Antoinette? And as a result had to flee Paris with great rapidity? He cut quite a swathe through the ladies of the royal houses of Europe. Though I did hear that Catherine the Great broke it off with him in favour of her horse..."

She looks momentarily puzzled.

"...maybe her horse didn't like him or something..."

She considers her next question carefully.

"Tell me something that might surprise me."

[Regulus Grey]

Regulus opens his mouth to speak, and it hangs open for several long moments. He blinks rapidly several times before doubling over in laughter.

"Oh Ms Melody. That is quite the amusing tale."

His laughter quietens to a low chuckling before stopping. He draws in a breath and then slowly breaths out through his nose.

"Something that might surprise you..." He hums "..that is a difficult answer. In some areas of Siberia, I am known as the White Wolf of Cainhurst."

He sighs

"Tell me something scandalous."

[Christine Daye]

"...something scandalous.... hmmmm.... well it was quite the scandal when it came out that Architect Clyntahn had a flock of pedigree sheep that he looked after while dressed as a shepherdess... but that is old news now..."

She ponders a moment longer.

"...is it scandalous that our dear Mr Sissy-Face is posing as a Malkavian? I would take him as a Ventrue for his lack of sense of humour, but I know several very entertaining Ventrue. So he must be a Tremere."

"Tell me a riddle."

[Regulus Grey]

Regulus blinks

"I suppose it would depend on the Clan. Certainly I doubt that the Gangrel would take someone posing as one of us well. It does sound like somethings a Tremere would do though."

His face twists in distaste for a moment.

"A riddle? What has no hands, but is able to build?"

He smiles

"Tell me what is your favourite book."

[Christine Daye]

"Ants... beavers... birds... bees.... a lot of creatures have no hands but still build..."

Christine looks confused.

"...but there must be more to it than that..."

A tilt of the head.

"...I assume you don't include scores in the category of books... so... Shakespeare's sonnets... "

"Tell me: what is your favourite song?"

[Regulus Grey]

"Birds was the answer I was looking for Ms Melody. At least, that was the answer I was told by my Sire when she quizzed me."

He inclines his head

"My favourite song...The Maiden and the Selkie. A story of a woman who takes a new form to be with the man she loves."

He rolls his shoulders, frowning slightly before scratching his forearm.

"Tell me, what was your favourite dance at the ball?"

[Christine Daye]

She brightens.

"Oh! I know a story about selkies! It doesn't end well..."

She frowns slightly, then cheers up again.

"I enjoyed the unexpected polka at the end. It was so delightful to see so many of the Court polkaing around at high speed!"

She dances a few steps, then falls back into a walk.

"Tell me something that you have told the stars."

[Regulus Grey]

"I too enjoyed the last dance the most. The Rose made a excellent partner, I suspect it helped she was lightly built enough to be spun so easily."

He looks up, pushing his glasses up his nose once more.

"I have told them my dreams, I have sung them the stories of my Clan."

He blinks, slowly spinning whilst looking up to see the whole sky.

"Tell me of something you have given to the Earth."