An Open Invite

[Manacledairman]

Aldrich nods his head to the assembled, he offers a stony glance to Dukes, which softens as he sighs. he looks between Dukes, Keane and Anton, silently pleading that this situation gets rectified whilst he deals with his clanmate. He turns to follow Aurelia hoping that no one decides that following the architect is a good idea, he pushes the door clear with his cane as he drains his glass.

[alanwrotethis]

"Alright... everyone... take a seat, collect yourselves. Elder Keane, there's a privacy screen in the corner of the room, you can sequester your ward on a chaise longue out of sight. I wouldn't advise carrying him through an occupied house in his current state, other kindred might crowd or get ideas."

He scans the room.

"In the meantime, the rest of us can sit, and talk, softly and slowly. Let's keep the tone light and pleasant, eh?"

He looks down at his bare chest, taps the silver cat-head dangling from a chain.

"Jean-Jacques, be a dear and hand me my coat will you?"

[Posh-Tim]

Keane looks up at Jean-Jacques, he is split between accepting the offering of assistance and making a cutting remark about the last time Anton was in this position. A brief wave of guilt runs through him that this could have been avoided if he'd taken Anton's suggestion.
Dukes's suggestion cuts through the indecision and he nods at no one in particular. Wondering how he is going to manage lifting Anton from the couch for a moment, a faint groan from him snaps him into focus. Once again driving precious Vitae into his limbs he stands and lifts Anton with less effort than should be required. He nods a small apology to Valentina as he passes and heads toward the screen sheltering the corner of the room.

[Jean-Jacques]

[quote="

"Jean-Jacques, be a dear and hand me my coat will you?"[/quote]


Jean-Jacques watches Keane carry Anton to the recess behind the screen, then turns towards Dukes and gives a short bow before moving to where Aurelia and placed Dukes clothing in the corner of the room and retrieves his coat and folds it over an arm before returning and holding it out for Dukes to wear.

“Elder, your elusive garment awaits your corporeal insertion”

He holds it to allow Dukes to slide his arms in whilst he assists, in the style of a valet.

[Valentina Audley]

Valentina, who hadn't moved from her seat, smiles gently back at Keane, then turns her attention to the room. Time to show that Toreador can reconstruct a pleasant atmosphere no matter how trying the circumstances.

Ostentaiously picking up her hoop and beginning to sew in even, measured stitches, she catches Angelina's eye and smiles sweetly.

"Neonate Fontaine, perhaps you could oblige the room with some entertainment? I should love to hear you sing, or tell a tale?" It's asked kindly but there is a sense that of course Angelina will not refuse.

[Bronwyn93]

Angelina looked up from her intent focus on her diary ribbon that was clearly her way of keeping her attention drawn away from whatever was happening in the room and making sure that no one had a reason to turn any or the ire from before towards her. She fiddled with the bow, drawing it into a perfect small bow, to the point where the tails of the knot were equal and the slant facing the correct way.

She would glance up discretely and occasionally, just keep a sense of what is going on around her, and caught the Ancilla’s eye, giving a cautious smile. At her statement, Angelina looked up and set her diary aside.

“Oh, uhm, of course.” She said quietly, glancing around the room, trying to gauge the song to go with. The one she had performed with before was significantly too dark for this current scenario. She moved to stand in the space in the room near where the game had been being played, taking a few moment to gather herself. She was still very shy when it came to performing in front of people, as drawing attention to herself still went completely against everything she was used to. Going unnoticed was always safer.

She cleared her throat, held her hands in poise to begin to sing.

“Once a fair and handsome Seal Lord
Lay his foot upon the sand
For to woo the Fisher's daughter
And to claim her marriage hand
'I have come in from the ocean
I have come in from the sea
And I'll not go to the waves, love,
Lest ye come along with me.'

'Lord, long have I loved you
As a Selkie on the foam
I would gladly go and wed ye
And be lady of your home
But I cannot go into the ocean
I cannot go into the sea
I would drown beneath the waves, love,
If I went along with thee.'

'Lady, long have I loved you
I would have you for my wife
I will stay upon your shoreland
Though it robs me of my life
I will stay one night beside you
Never go back to the sea
I will stay and be thy husband
Though it be the death of me.'

Dae dae dae da da dae dae...

'Lord, I cannot go and wed thee
All to watch my lover die
Since I'll not be left a widow
I have a plan for us to try
Let us speak with my grandmother
Who has ever dwelt beside the sea
She may know some trick or treasure
That I may wed my fair Selkie.'

So they've gone to her grandmother's
Little cottage by the sea
To inquire how a maiden
Can be wed to her Selkie
For the Selkie's watery kingdom
Would surely rob her of her breath
But to stay on land past midnight
It would surely be his death.

'Lord, I know not how to aid you
You may never live on shore
For your kind to live 'til dawning
It has ne'er been seen before
But my mother had a seal coat
That she buried 'neath the tree
And she told me that its wearer
Would become a fair Selkie.'

Dae dae dae da da dae dae...

So they've journeyed farther inland
Though the Seal Lord's getting weak
And she's shouldering the shovel
To unearth the thing they seek
At the rising of the fullmoon
Underneath the elfen oak
She has unearthed that faery treasure
Of which her grandmother spoke.

Just before the stroke of midnight
They have made it back to sea
And she has donned the magic seal coat
And become a maid Selkie
Now they've gone into the ocean
Hand in hand into the sea
She has gone along
A fair seal bride for a Selkie.”

[Lady Grace]

Grace has been sitting, smiling the gentle smile that far too much Brandy creates, watching events.

At this stage of drunk control over her features in response to events is a stage she is long past.

Sheer delight at Anton in trouble can be seen. An evil grin at the entrance of new powerful players into the fray.

Were the Brujah staying out of this?, no Jean-Jaques was going to........no it was fine.

Grace glances to Laurence who also had the sense to keen his seat, Good.

This was now exciting. They were going to get to see what Keane, or Dukes, or Aldrich could actually do.

Hmmmm Aldrich properly angry would also be worth seeing.

But no, all is diffused and made calm. Grace watches Aldrich walk out of the room. If Aldrich and Aurelia were on poor enough terms for Aurelia to not be staying at Aldrich's that would be nice.

I suppose that was for the best.

Oh, Incident over, how nice for once to not be directly involved. Grace smiles at Laurence, they might even get to play this game.

Grace sits and listens to the young one sing. Such a pretty tune, a pretty voice as well.

She leaves a moment for the spell of the song to linger after the last notes fade before applauding gently.

"Beautiful Neonate Fontaine, beautifully sung in particular. Lovely images?" She hums gently repeating the tune.

[alanwrotethis]

Niketas takes his coat from Jean-Jacques.

"Thank you neonate Marcheux."

He looks at the room, split between keeping the peace, checking on Anton, and pursuing someone else.

It is a split second calculation, and he hates that it even exists in his mind. He is done with indecision.

"Elder Keane, I must discuss this matter with Anton tonight once calmer heads prevail. In light of my efforts to keep him safe at the Half Moon Tavern, I hope you honour that request. But for now-"

He leaves the room, following Aurelia. Ultimately it is the simplest decision he has had in weeks.

[Lady Grace]

As Dukes mentions the night at the tavern Grace's face turns serious. That night, the storm.

She clears her throat,
"I have had a song stuck, rolling around in my mind,"
Grace takes a long look at Laurence and then begins to sing.

"These scars long have yearned for your tender caress
To bind our fortunes, damn what the stars own
Rend my heart open, then your love profess
A winding, weaving fate to which we both atone

You flee my dream come the morning
Your scent - berries tart, lilac sweet
To dream of raven locks entwisted, stormy
Of violet eyes, glistening as you weep

The wolf I will follow into the storm
To find your heart, its passion displaced
By ire ever growing hardening into stone
Amidst the cold to hold you in a heated embrace

You flee my dream come the morning
Your scent - berries tart, lilac sweet
To dream of raven locks entwisted, stormy
Of violet eyes, glistening as you weep

I know not if fate would have us live as one
Or if by love's blind chance we've been bound
The wish I whispered, when it all began
Did it forge a love you might never have found?

You flee my dream come the morning
Your scent - berries tart, lilac sweet
To dream of raven locks entwisted, stormy
Of violet eyes, glistening as you weep"

At the end she smiles to Laurence gently.

https://youtu.be/sdy1VdXDrog


  

[Laurence]

For a moment as Anton falls, it looks like Laurence will move to catch him. But as he does so, time moving at an almost glacial pace he sees that Keane will do an adequate job of holding up the young Malkavian. As much as Laurence enjoyed the sudden attention paid to Anton by Aurelia, he still doesn't think the Neonate should be let flop onto the floor.

He watches carefully the tension building between the Elders, eyes moving between each speaker and his hand carefully resting at the small of his back, but as tension diffuses Laurence releases whatever is held there. The stony expression that has been on his face most of the evening, broken only by the chance to try his hand at a new athletic game returns even as the songs start to fill the room.

Whilst not deliberately avoiding Grace's eyes, Laurence also also makes no great effort to find them. The low burning irritation that has been in his aura since finding Jean Jacques accompanying Grace to the party still present. He starts to sing, his voice low and mournful as befitting the song:

King Arthur sails the broken sea,
His ship the summer's pride,
To scale the walls of Caer Siddi
With tested men and tried.
I know but one who sails within
The ranks of Arthur's men
To challenge death at Caer Siddi.
The Prydwen sails again.
The Prydwen sails again.

At Arthur's call, the bravest
Of his knights did take to sea.
Of a legion, seven did return
Who once faced Caer Siddi.
So bear my token proudly, love,
And fight until the end.
I know your banner's carried as
The Prydwen sails again.
The Prydwen sails again.

The Cauldron and the peace it brings
Are nowhere in this land.
May Arthur find them finally
With you among his band.
Keep your shield before you
And your head held high, my friend.
I'll bring my sword to join you when
The Prydwen sails again.
The Prydwen sails again.