Meeting People

[Matthias]

It had taken a few nights but he had eventually picked a suitable outfit to wear to the theatre. The lining on the first couple of choices had unfortunately proved to be unsuitable so he had immediately discounted those. There was obviously the issue of ensuring the red of the rose did not clash with anything else that was chosen to wear so two or three others had been discarded simply on that principle. This was a source of much frustration for the little rat that had found them for him. Normally he would have assigned Waberley to the endeavour but he was otherwise occupied on other matters. Fortunately it had the beneficial side effect of making the little rat feel like they were being useful.

Still, here they were, waiting. Between his fingers the flower was gently turned around between them. Luckily they were not waiting long, timeliness was certainly something to be admired in others. There was a brief pulse, an unseen wave rippling out along the street as his voice was raised slightly in greeting. He smiled enticingly from where he was stood and beckoned to the figure just about to enter the building, ignoring the others that turned to look in their direction. The figures surprise quickly vanished, changing into conspiratorial smirk at the sight of the woman beckoning them over and moved to join them. There was a split second of building pressure that then popped like a balloon and the figure blinked a couple of times before smiling cheerfully and speaking. The woman blinked a couple of times as well, momentarily gathering her wits before breaking into a beaming smile at his words. Carefully she added the rose to his lapel, stood on tip toes to kiss him on the cheek before dipping into a small curtsy and turning back down the alleyway. Matthias watched the little rat go with a small smirk before checking the time on his newly acquired pocket watch, tapping his cane experimentally on the ground a couple of times and heading off in the other direction.

A short while later he arrived at his destination, making his way up the steps of the theatre two at a time. There was certainly something to be said for the vitality of youth when choosing an outfit to wear. Age and experience would open some doors but quite frankly if you can’t climb the stairs to get to the door what is the point. He made his way inside and looked around with a friendly smile, hoping to spot the expected mark denoting his companion for the evening.

[Marie Darrieux]

She had chosen a soft blue gown this evening, with touches of cream trim on the hems and neckline. Her hair cascaded over her shoulder in gentle red curls, the final touch was the cream rose in the corsage at her wrist. Stepping from the carriage, she straightened and flicked a shilling over her shoulder at the driver.

She climbed the stairs lightly, scanning the crowd or a man with a red rose in his buttonhole. Just inside the foyer she halted, tucking a deliberately loose curl behind her ear to raise the corsage to eye height.

[Matthias]

The white of the flower against the red of her hair was more than enough to catch his eye. With a warm smile he crosses the foyer from where he was stood, ignoring the other patrons present as he goes.

"Madame, if you are not the lady whose presence I await to be within then the world is filled with cruel and unusual jests at my expense. Mister Convinus at your service." He cheerfully says to Marie in French with hints of Occitan littered within it.

The gentleman in question seems to be in his early twenties with blond hair, clean shaven and dressed appropriately for an evening out. He even has a red rose in his button hole.

[Marie Darrieux]

Marie spots the gentleman making a beeline for her and smiles as he stops in front of her, her eyes clearly taking in details rapidly filing them away for future reference.

"I believe I am indeed the one you're waiting for. I am Madame Marie Darrieux." She introduces herself in French,her accent is upper class Parisian, mellowed a little with time. Making a small curtsie, she offers her hand.

"Shall we go straight to our seats Mr Convinus or would you rather a little time to take in the people in the bar?"

[Matthias]

He takes the offered hand, his fingers are warm beneath her own as are the lips that brush against the back of it as he lightly kisses it.

"An absolute pleasure to meet you finally my dear!" He says waving a dismissive hand toward the bar. "There are plenty of evenings to enjoy the company of others and this evening is about us. Besides, we shall have drinks delivered to the box."

He offers her the crook of his arm.

"Shall we?"

[Marie Darrieux]

As his lips touch her hand, she realises that the feeling in her gut is not the usual apprehension at meeting new kindred. At such close proximity that there was something inhuman about him, but she has known monsters before and the thought doesn't even cause a moment's hesitation.

"Well I'm delighted that we haven't been left to make do in the stalls!" Marie rests her hand lightly on the inside of his elbow, and they move towards the box. People take a step back as they pass, putting distance between themselves and Matthias.

The box has an excellent view of the stage, she comments on it as she takes her seat. She flicks out a cream lace fan and gently waves it, obscuring her lower face from most of the seats slowly filling up beneath them.

"I believe there were matters you wished to discuss in person?"

[Matthias]

"I believe Miss Daye would fair have a fit were her Maestra to have the likes of you and I condemned to the stalls." Matthias says sounding quite amused. As they pass one of the ushers he tells them to bring an opened bottle of good red wine and two glasses to their box. He doesn't wait to see if the individual does or not and continues on.

"That and I believe Ms LeRoux possibly has a strict policy of not letting us sit alongside our dinner. Or it may be just to avoid causing offence, I wasn't really paying that much attention at the time."

Matthias looks a little surprised at her question when it is voiced.

"Did I? Was this because I had run out of ink? If it was, then, yes, probably. And if itwasn't" there is an enthusiastic dismissive wave of a hand "then it doesn't matter anyway. Mostly because I find clearing the air and answering the questions of a Harpy once one has ones feet under the table so to speak to be far more conducive to making my life significantly easier."

Matthias smiles cheerfully as the usher appears with a bottle of wine and two glasses which he takes from them with a profuse thank you followed by an offhand dismissal. He pours both him and Marie a glass as he continues to talk.

"What was it you wanted to know? Oh! You wanted to know what brought to be the city wasn't it? Well, a very dear friend of mine had lived here for a while and had extended an invitation to visit years ago and I had never actually gotten round to visiting them. So when all the delightful rumours about the city reached my ears in Oxford I decided that I simply had to experience what a Domain falling to anarchy was actually like."

He offers one of the glasses to her with a wry smile.

"Well, that and someone called in a boon so I had to come here anyway."

[Marie Darrieux]

"I suppose that's probably best, not everyone can be trusted to behave themselves, it seems!" Her smile is mildly flirtatious as she reaches for the glass of wine and tastes it. It's a decent vintage and she relaxes in to the conversation.

"Yes that was it. It must be the season for calling in such boons, I have recently asked an old friend to come and assist us here, hopefully you will see him at the Elysium this month. So who's debt were you in then? It must surely be someone suitably interesting, and it is important to know when kindred have been properly fulfilling the obligations of prestation."

[Matthias]

Matthias laughs cheerfully. “Indeed, there are certainly some reprehensible individuals out there are there not?”

He sighs and gives her an apologetic look after taking a long drink from his glass. “Alas my lips are bound and chained, a silence upon their name has been woven into the Prestation and repayment of such. To do so would simply be more than my reputation is worth.”

The cheerful smile and expression returns as he continues.

“If I could speak a name Madame to sate your curiosity please be assured that I would provide such an intriguing morsel of information without hesitation.”

He suddenly seems to remember or realise something and instinctively looks over his shoulder and is about to say something to someone (who obviously isn’t there) before frowning and sounding mildly annoyed.

“Bother. I had clean forgotten my lion didn’t come along this evening. That is most vexing indeed. Hrmm. All this talk of Boons and Prestation has reminded me that I should provide you with the scroll of what I owe to others. It’s more for your own information and use should there be any issues relating to their repayment and such like.”

Again the cheerful demeanour returns and the frown banished as he takes another drink.

“I am certain that there won’t be but it is rather unseemly to ask a Harpy for their aid if they do not know anything about what they are being asked to get involved with, don’t you think?”

[Marie Darrieux]

Marie laughs. "It's funny you say that, people often seem to assume that I can judge as issue of prestation with none of the background. There has to be an element of trust! Of course I'm not going to go spilling all their secrets, I'd soon be out of a job if I couldn't keep my lips sealed. Then again it's only been a few months and it takes time to build relationships."

She lifts her own glass as she watches the theatre below them filling up.

"Your lion? Do you keep a menagerie, or is this a pet name for a servant of yours?"