The vampire sat gracefully down in her seat, arms folded calmly across
her lap as she leaned back against the fine carved wood. Her dark eyes
sweep over the growing beauty of her adopted daughter. It seemed that
despite her recent dalliance with darker forces she grew more luminous
with each passing day. Her hair hung in a glossy twist, cascading down
towards her waist; her dark eyes were warm like melted chocolate, though
tinged with a faint red, glassy sheen. Her own dark eyes came to rest
upon those full red pouting lips, a lure for any man, she mused, mortal
or otherwise.
There was still a human essence about her, despite her curse and her rise from her waking grave. More often than not her rounded cheeks still held a rosy tint and her eyes still sparkled with mortal wickedness. Often she found herself watching her silently, filled with pride, adoration with a small mingling of envy. Where most would have raised a ghoulish mockery of human life after so many tortured years hidden away, she seemed to have emerged as a butterfly from her wooden box. A small smile caught at her lip. She knew Capri’s ego would grasp greedily at such an observation but in this case she decided not to heed to her daughters vanity, particularly in the wake of the young pretty girl who had just departed with a soft click of the door.
Capri turned and settled herself at the table, offered a teasing smile, “She’s cute!” she remarked of their departing guest. Blaze smiled darkly well aware what went on the girl’s mind, forever thinking of her next thirsty conquest. She chuckled in a low voice before answering. “Cute is not quite how I would describe her” she smiles “although she certainly plays cute rather well!” She allows her smile to fade slightly “But don't be getting any ideas" she warns, the tone of her voice dropping "you will disrupt your fathers grand plans if you harm the girl, and risk his temper."
Again she cannot resist but smile as she witnesses the girl’s brow furrow in slight annoyance, a pout forming at her scarlet lips. Noting that Blaze was watching her, she feigned a look of hurt at such a suggestion “But mother, I would never think such horrid thoughts about a citizen” she exclaimed in a rather scandalised voice, but her slight upturned smile betrayed her sarcasm and delight in her lie. “What is father's grand plan anyway?” she asked, carefully sliding the subject away from the tavern girl, “merely the betterment of our house?” her eyes widened in curiosity.
Blaze watches her closely, seeing through her veil of innocence, but she merely smiled. “Your father's plans? Well actually I know little of them, other than that he has been talking long hours with his chancellor" she paused to smile softly to herself, thinking upon the ever respectful Master Earendil. "He has big plans for the tavern, which is where Miss Riley comes in, and at my request he soon intends to open the doors of the courthouse to throw a celebration, the birth of a new era at port" she grins, a little pride shining in her eyes.
Capri smiles "It would be nice to bring an age of royalty back to these people. They have got silly notions in their heads that farmers and peasants with little ability to read or the like should be allowed to decide who rules them all” she scoffs slightly, “It’s no wonder everything has been falling apart around them for so long" the girl gave a dark almost amused grin, glancing towards her mother “it almost makes me happy that I wasn’t here for all of it.”
Blaze watches her animated speech and finds herself nodding “Yes, indeed. It's a shame people don't heed the call and take up arms, train to be a port knight if they wish to make a name for themselves. That is where your father is struggling most. The knights have become a mockery of their name and mostly we know not even who still claims to be one. There is ever a threat from the wilds and particularly the outlaws. So many claim to feel affection for the port, regardless of its past failings and yet they do not stand up with pride to defend it” she thinks of a recent conversation she had overhead. “That must be his highest priority.” She leans back and sighs "But you are right, advancement of this house is of the upmost importance to him, and frankly I am amazed how quickly he has progressed. I just wish sometimes he would remember the small things as they underpin everything after all is said and done" she smiled wearily, rubbing her wrist lightly with elegant fingers.
The young vampire thinks for a moment before nodding “Well why don’t we talk to the people about it, having a port to support and defend them is not a right but a privilege! We should have all able citizens listed for duty; if we can of those who are loyal to the idea of a strong Port Tarrund and are willing to help protect it...” she trails off with a shrug of her shoulders, giving a small smirk, not quite sure where her though came from. Blaze smiles, “You amaze me sometimes daughter, you seem so fixed upon yourself most of the time” she grins “but yet you are so advanced in your years, your wit and your intelligence astound me, you have a strong head on those slight shoulders of yours! And you are indeed right and perhaps you could speak to your father, he may listen to you!” she smiles, reaching out to gently squeeze her hand.
Capri offers a slightly shy look, looking down a bit embarrassed “Seems strange for me to think the peasants are too dumb to rule themselves when I am all but a peasant who was locked in a box” she muses. Blaze remains leant back in her chair but slides her dark gaze towards that of her daughter “You are far more than a girl in a box” she whispered in a low voice. The young girl gives a brief wave of her hand as if to banish the thought and again swiftly changed the subject “so what do you know of father’s plans for me and Alexith? He has some idea and he refuses to go into detail about it” she asks in a curious voice, eyes wide, almost demanding of her mother to tell all she knew. Blaze looked inquisitively at her “You and Alexith?” she frowned, something else Alexander had kept in the dark “I do not know of what you speak.” Capri sighed, shaking her head and shrugged “I am not sure either...it all seems strange to me, I hope he has not set himself upon an idea” the girl looked up slowly, swallowing a bit before leaning in closer to her mother, a dramatic pause before she spoke in a hushed voice “I met a man.”
Capri watched, biting her lip with nervous anticipation as her mother raised her eyebrows, clearly she had not expected this. “You met a man?” she enquired breezily, letting the words linger in the air, awaiting more information. Capri found herself grinning, her razor like fangs visible for just a moment. She giggled a tad at her mother's inquisitive tone and sat back, continuing to be playfully vague about the one in question. Eventually she spoke, “Alexith is a nice man too but I'm not so sure I would have the intentions which father thinks perhaps I should seek” the girl shrugged her shoulders but couldn’t resist adding with gleeful excitement “the man I met.....he is a prince!”
Blaze widened her eyes, a small thread of worry creased upon her brow, but she did not want to seem dismissive and in truth was hanging on her word. “A prince for my own princess?” she chuckled “well tell me more child, do not tease me so!” She leant forward, lowering her voice to a hushed whisper, as if they were two young children sharing the secrets of youth. Capri laughed softly with an echoing bell-like tinkle, again giving a small shrug, her tongue running delicately over her fangs as she thought of what information to divulge. “Well, originally he was to do a favour for me. Father finally allowed me to deal with Xoul in whatever manner I saw fit and so I hired someone to handle it for me, in a very specific manner” the girl glanced up “I knew better then to let myself do it” she remarked in a respectful tone, appealing to her mother’s past worries regarding her safety. “Anyway he gave me this” she whispers excitedly, offering up her wrist.
Blaze reached out and took her wrist softly in her hand. A simple bracelet glittered in the candlelight; she smiled thinking it a pretty trinket from an admirer. But as she turned the girls slender wrist towards her she saw at its centre nestled a black onyx and her smile diminished. Oblivious Capri giggled and leant forward, pale fingers stroking the smooth stone. “It is magical” she exclaimed, “It allows me to speak with him and even summon him to me sometimes!” she lowered her voice, eyes glazed with affection as she thought of him.
Blaze let go of her wrist and sat back slightly, taking in the girl’s rosy demeanour as her own mind swirled with concern. “And what creature is this...prince?” she asked “You have not put yourself in the power of yet another I hope?” she added in a low tone thinking of the Drow. She found her hand now absentmindedly traced an arch with her nail, digging lightly into the wooden contours of the table. The girl did not seem to notice her mother’s tone and laughed shaking her head and as if to prove she was under no control she removed the bracelet and set it down as delicately as if it were a flower. She looked up, “No nothing of the sort mother! He spoke of himself for a bit, planer matters; I don’t understand much of it. He is a cambion I believe, he appears human but...” she swoons slightly, clasping her hands together, “His blood...” and she trails off, a far off look of ecstasy as her eyes rolled back in her head and she shivered in delight for a moment before continuing, “He let me drink as deeply as I wished! And from his neck!” she whispered darkly, a playful glint in her eye, her words gaining speed as thoughts of him filled her with excitement.
Blaze watched her feeling almost numb, wanting so much to delight along with her daughter but her sense won through “Well my dear that sounds wonderfully exciting for you, but have you not considered that you know not of what you drink?!” her voice rose slightly, memories of bitter taste and wracking pain steamrollered towards her vision. “To drink another's blood, one of a mystical or demonic race, it is to tangle with the unknown. You may have put yourself in grave danger!" she exhaled deeply, worry and rising anger creeping upon her brow at the thought of this man taking advantage of her daughter. She sat still for a moment, Capri had too fallen quiet, still smiling, but almost in a vague way, a false smile as she sensed her mother’s rising temper. The candle continued to flicker as Blaze stared down at the bracelet. She closed her eyes as her senses heightened, the invading memories gradually making way for something else. Suddenly something became crystal clear in her mind. Her eyes flew open, pupils dark and dilated, her head jerked back to Capri. “Is this man named Raven?” she whispered, voice growling and full of venom.
There was still a human essence about her, despite her curse and her rise from her waking grave. More often than not her rounded cheeks still held a rosy tint and her eyes still sparkled with mortal wickedness. Often she found herself watching her silently, filled with pride, adoration with a small mingling of envy. Where most would have raised a ghoulish mockery of human life after so many tortured years hidden away, she seemed to have emerged as a butterfly from her wooden box. A small smile caught at her lip. She knew Capri’s ego would grasp greedily at such an observation but in this case she decided not to heed to her daughters vanity, particularly in the wake of the young pretty girl who had just departed with a soft click of the door.
Capri turned and settled herself at the table, offered a teasing smile, “She’s cute!” she remarked of their departing guest. Blaze smiled darkly well aware what went on the girl’s mind, forever thinking of her next thirsty conquest. She chuckled in a low voice before answering. “Cute is not quite how I would describe her” she smiles “although she certainly plays cute rather well!” She allows her smile to fade slightly “But don't be getting any ideas" she warns, the tone of her voice dropping "you will disrupt your fathers grand plans if you harm the girl, and risk his temper."
Again she cannot resist but smile as she witnesses the girl’s brow furrow in slight annoyance, a pout forming at her scarlet lips. Noting that Blaze was watching her, she feigned a look of hurt at such a suggestion “But mother, I would never think such horrid thoughts about a citizen” she exclaimed in a rather scandalised voice, but her slight upturned smile betrayed her sarcasm and delight in her lie. “What is father's grand plan anyway?” she asked, carefully sliding the subject away from the tavern girl, “merely the betterment of our house?” her eyes widened in curiosity.
Blaze watches her closely, seeing through her veil of innocence, but she merely smiled. “Your father's plans? Well actually I know little of them, other than that he has been talking long hours with his chancellor" she paused to smile softly to herself, thinking upon the ever respectful Master Earendil. "He has big plans for the tavern, which is where Miss Riley comes in, and at my request he soon intends to open the doors of the courthouse to throw a celebration, the birth of a new era at port" she grins, a little pride shining in her eyes.
Capri smiles "It would be nice to bring an age of royalty back to these people. They have got silly notions in their heads that farmers and peasants with little ability to read or the like should be allowed to decide who rules them all” she scoffs slightly, “It’s no wonder everything has been falling apart around them for so long" the girl gave a dark almost amused grin, glancing towards her mother “it almost makes me happy that I wasn’t here for all of it.”
Blaze watches her animated speech and finds herself nodding “Yes, indeed. It's a shame people don't heed the call and take up arms, train to be a port knight if they wish to make a name for themselves. That is where your father is struggling most. The knights have become a mockery of their name and mostly we know not even who still claims to be one. There is ever a threat from the wilds and particularly the outlaws. So many claim to feel affection for the port, regardless of its past failings and yet they do not stand up with pride to defend it” she thinks of a recent conversation she had overhead. “That must be his highest priority.” She leans back and sighs "But you are right, advancement of this house is of the upmost importance to him, and frankly I am amazed how quickly he has progressed. I just wish sometimes he would remember the small things as they underpin everything after all is said and done" she smiled wearily, rubbing her wrist lightly with elegant fingers.
The young vampire thinks for a moment before nodding “Well why don’t we talk to the people about it, having a port to support and defend them is not a right but a privilege! We should have all able citizens listed for duty; if we can of those who are loyal to the idea of a strong Port Tarrund and are willing to help protect it...” she trails off with a shrug of her shoulders, giving a small smirk, not quite sure where her though came from. Blaze smiles, “You amaze me sometimes daughter, you seem so fixed upon yourself most of the time” she grins “but yet you are so advanced in your years, your wit and your intelligence astound me, you have a strong head on those slight shoulders of yours! And you are indeed right and perhaps you could speak to your father, he may listen to you!” she smiles, reaching out to gently squeeze her hand.
Capri offers a slightly shy look, looking down a bit embarrassed “Seems strange for me to think the peasants are too dumb to rule themselves when I am all but a peasant who was locked in a box” she muses. Blaze remains leant back in her chair but slides her dark gaze towards that of her daughter “You are far more than a girl in a box” she whispered in a low voice. The young girl gives a brief wave of her hand as if to banish the thought and again swiftly changed the subject “so what do you know of father’s plans for me and Alexith? He has some idea and he refuses to go into detail about it” she asks in a curious voice, eyes wide, almost demanding of her mother to tell all she knew. Blaze looked inquisitively at her “You and Alexith?” she frowned, something else Alexander had kept in the dark “I do not know of what you speak.” Capri sighed, shaking her head and shrugged “I am not sure either...it all seems strange to me, I hope he has not set himself upon an idea” the girl looked up slowly, swallowing a bit before leaning in closer to her mother, a dramatic pause before she spoke in a hushed voice “I met a man.”
Capri watched, biting her lip with nervous anticipation as her mother raised her eyebrows, clearly she had not expected this. “You met a man?” she enquired breezily, letting the words linger in the air, awaiting more information. Capri found herself grinning, her razor like fangs visible for just a moment. She giggled a tad at her mother's inquisitive tone and sat back, continuing to be playfully vague about the one in question. Eventually she spoke, “Alexith is a nice man too but I'm not so sure I would have the intentions which father thinks perhaps I should seek” the girl shrugged her shoulders but couldn’t resist adding with gleeful excitement “the man I met.....he is a prince!”
Blaze widened her eyes, a small thread of worry creased upon her brow, but she did not want to seem dismissive and in truth was hanging on her word. “A prince for my own princess?” she chuckled “well tell me more child, do not tease me so!” She leant forward, lowering her voice to a hushed whisper, as if they were two young children sharing the secrets of youth. Capri laughed softly with an echoing bell-like tinkle, again giving a small shrug, her tongue running delicately over her fangs as she thought of what information to divulge. “Well, originally he was to do a favour for me. Father finally allowed me to deal with Xoul in whatever manner I saw fit and so I hired someone to handle it for me, in a very specific manner” the girl glanced up “I knew better then to let myself do it” she remarked in a respectful tone, appealing to her mother’s past worries regarding her safety. “Anyway he gave me this” she whispers excitedly, offering up her wrist.
Blaze reached out and took her wrist softly in her hand. A simple bracelet glittered in the candlelight; she smiled thinking it a pretty trinket from an admirer. But as she turned the girls slender wrist towards her she saw at its centre nestled a black onyx and her smile diminished. Oblivious Capri giggled and leant forward, pale fingers stroking the smooth stone. “It is magical” she exclaimed, “It allows me to speak with him and even summon him to me sometimes!” she lowered her voice, eyes glazed with affection as she thought of him.
Blaze let go of her wrist and sat back slightly, taking in the girl’s rosy demeanour as her own mind swirled with concern. “And what creature is this...prince?” she asked “You have not put yourself in the power of yet another I hope?” she added in a low tone thinking of the Drow. She found her hand now absentmindedly traced an arch with her nail, digging lightly into the wooden contours of the table. The girl did not seem to notice her mother’s tone and laughed shaking her head and as if to prove she was under no control she removed the bracelet and set it down as delicately as if it were a flower. She looked up, “No nothing of the sort mother! He spoke of himself for a bit, planer matters; I don’t understand much of it. He is a cambion I believe, he appears human but...” she swoons slightly, clasping her hands together, “His blood...” and she trails off, a far off look of ecstasy as her eyes rolled back in her head and she shivered in delight for a moment before continuing, “He let me drink as deeply as I wished! And from his neck!” she whispered darkly, a playful glint in her eye, her words gaining speed as thoughts of him filled her with excitement.
Blaze watched her feeling almost numb, wanting so much to delight along with her daughter but her sense won through “Well my dear that sounds wonderfully exciting for you, but have you not considered that you know not of what you drink?!” her voice rose slightly, memories of bitter taste and wracking pain steamrollered towards her vision. “To drink another's blood, one of a mystical or demonic race, it is to tangle with the unknown. You may have put yourself in grave danger!" she exhaled deeply, worry and rising anger creeping upon her brow at the thought of this man taking advantage of her daughter. She sat still for a moment, Capri had too fallen quiet, still smiling, but almost in a vague way, a false smile as she sensed her mother’s rising temper. The candle continued to flicker as Blaze stared down at the bracelet. She closed her eyes as her senses heightened, the invading memories gradually making way for something else. Suddenly something became crystal clear in her mind. Her eyes flew open, pupils dark and dilated, her head jerked back to Capri. “Is this man named Raven?” she whispered, voice growling and full of venom.
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