The silence pressed down on Aaron, though with the way the morning had been going, it was probably for the best. He was content to occupy himself with eating until a gasp drew his attention. He might not otherwise have noticed it, but he knew his aunt well, and a mere glance at her told him something was wrong. She was a wreck, pallid and trembling, eyes fixed on… the Princess?

When he followed Dora’s gaze, Aaron saw the Princess’ expression and understood her anxiety. Princess Ryner almost always wore a smile; Aaron was fairly confident he’d never seen her look so troubled. He looked on, concerned, as Dora checked on her, fighting down the urge to get up and do the same. But she seemed to snap out of it with Dora’s intervention - perhaps she had used her magic to calm her - giving an explanation and stimulating the Queen’s tendency to micromanage. And, just like that, things seemed normal again.

Princess Ryner launched into conversation, and Aaron listened carefully as she appointed Varis as Count Alder’s teaching assistant. Aaron wasn’t blind to the Count’s displeasure, and he wondered if and how the assignment would affect his own duties. Not that he was entirely sure what his existing duties were, he reminded himself.

On the subject of devils and tasks, Lady Sinnenodel’s mage spoke up as the next course was served, asking Aaron a rather loaded question. Strict and consistent? Well, there was no question that Varis was strict; 1,000 lines for failing to exceed expectations was more than enough proof of that. But consistent? Aaron had been with him for so short a time it was impossible to judge, especially when it seemed as if Varis was content to let his mage stumble onto his rules by accident instead of setting them out clearly the way Aaron was used to. But of course, he couldn’t just say that; he’d be loath to get Varis in trouble.

“His methods are vastly different to what I’m used to, Your Excellency. I’ll admit, it’s been a jarring transition,” Aaron replied, choosing his words carefully. Briefly, he looked to his Count, trying to gauge a reaction, but he was impossible to read, eyes still dark from the Princess’ order. Gut aflutter, Aaron looked back to Lady Sinnenodel’s mage, now gratefully blindfolded, and offered a tight smile. “But I assure you: so far, I am not wanting for discipline.”

“We are pleased to hear it. With how soft he is on his household, we were worried he would slip into easier habits.” The mage caressed his cheek caringly. “Stop pouting, it’s unseemly. Ryner provided you with an excellent opportunity to mold the minds of the next generation. You should feel honored.” The mage hummed as Varis murmured his understanding, his eyes lightning a bit. “Perhaps we will attend one of your lectures. We haven’t the opportunity to see you in such a manner yet. With the Princess’s permission of course.” Ryner and the mage locked gazes. “We wouldn’t want to overstep our bounds, now would we?”

“Academy policy requires any guests intending to visit a student give two weeks written notice normally and must be off Academy grounds by six thirty.” Ryner replied without hesitation, sipping at her wine while maintaining eye contact. “As long as your Excellency complies, I see no reason why your visit to my Academy should be denied.” As the pair spoke, the servant’s door cracked open and another servant whispered in Isadora’s ear, who nodded and curtsied next to the Queen. After holding it for a few moments, the Queen acknowledged the mage’s presence and leaned in as the woman whispered into her ear.

“Dinner is over.” The Queen ordered. “Sybil and I. Have business. To attend to. Ryner, we will. Discuss the Spellman. Problem in.The morning.” With little warning, she stood and swept away in one fluid movement with a grace and speed that defied her earlier motions. Her footsteps barely a whisper, she was out of the room with the blink of an eye. The mage huffed under her breath and stood from her chair, directing her sightless gaze at Aaron. Ryner sighed and looked sympathetically at Salem. Under the table, she patted his knee comfortingly as he watched the rest of the group silently.

“We were glad for a meeting, Mr. Starag. We believe we see some potential in you. We merely need to cut out the Noila influence. Right Varis?” She asked as a servant cleared her spot and moved her chair.

“Indeed. Whether he sinks or swims, I will ensure he is an asset to our House.” Varis concurred. “However, my bets are on sinking right now.”

“Varis darling. Play nice with the boy sometimes.” She chuckled. [“We do hope you don’t disappoint us, Mr. Starag. Take care. Varis dear, approach us so we may discuss some business. We have a delightful surprise we know you’ll have fun with.”

Aaron stood as Varis did, paying attention to the two as they spoke and bowing deeply to the mage woman when she finished. Beneath the surface, uncertainty gripped him again; Lady Sinnenodel seemed like she wanted to speak to the Count privately, but Aaron had not forgotten Varis’ warning about staying close. He wasn't sure what to do, but this time, he didn't dare guess.

“Please pardon the interruption, Master,” he said to Varis, bowing his head, “Will you have further need of me, or would you prefer I leave you and Her Excellency to your business?”

“You will attend me.” Varis spoke, not sparing the light mage a glance. He held out his arm for her to take, leading them over to Lady Sinnenodel herself. The vampire watched the door the Queen escaped through but her position shifted at some point from reclining to sitting upright, arm stretched out to her side. The mage girl settled in the next to her and snuggled close to the vampire, letting the vampire’s arm settle around her as she laid her head on Lady Sinnenodel’s shoulder. Varis knelt in front of them, his eyes fixed firmly on the floor in front of them.

“After your little incident with our favorite House,” The mage spoke coldy even as the smile stayed, “We thought it prudent to look into the matter ourselves.” She reached back onto the couch and frowned, looking back at her seat. A white envelope lay across the chair, far too neat to have been accidently dropped. “Goodness. Varis, be a dear and fetch that for me. It's your chance to earn back my trust.” Varis’s jaw clenched. Her attempts to separate them were irritatingly obvious and he wasn't about to let her have her way. His eyes darted to the side, looking for anyone he could send other than the boy, and his spied Isadora helping clear away the dishes.

“Mage,” He said loudly, snapping at her. A few servants looked his way but he focused on Isadora, who looked a little disconcerted to be at the center of the Sinnenodels’ attention. “Fetch.” He pointed where the envelope lay. She put on her court smile and curtsied before hurrying to complete the task. She handed it over to the Count and hurried back to her duties.

“Excellent. Open it quickly. We’re sure you’ll love it.” The mage gushed, clapping her hands. Varis carefully opened the envelope, wary of her last lesson. He could still feel the bite of obsidian from that one. Thankfully, it seemed this was just a plain envelope and he pulled out a few of the papers inside. It was a list of transactions made by Count Illios, the vampire who snatched his business deal out from under his nose. Apparently, the Count indulged in serious underground gambling far too frequently for the Council to willingly overlook.

Kneeling next to Varis with eyes trained pointedly on the floor, Aaron was more than happy to go entirely ignored by the Lady and her mages as they had their rather one-sided exchange. The way the mage woman behaved with her Lady unsettled him, though considering that the images of the girl’s back and eyes would probably find their way into his nightmares later, Aaron wasn’t particularly surprised to find yet more oddities surrounding her. He did, however, bristle at Varis’ tone with his aunt, his brashness toward her incensing Aaron more than anything the vampire had done to him so far. He’d had this problem in the past, getting angry when his mother or aunts were treated poorly; he knew it was irrational, but he could never seem to shake it.

While Varis read, Aaron was thinking. Lady Sinnenodel seemed to be trying to separate him from the Count, and Varis seemed keen on preventing it. Aaron was starting to wonder if Varis’ earlier warning had been for both their benefit; it had seemed strange for Varis to warn him for his own sake when the vampire seemed otherwise content to let him suffer whatever consequences came his way. But why would Varis care if his mind was read? If anything, it would just give him more information on his new mage, would it not? Aaron examined the floor as he searched for an answer, but he kept coming up with none.

“I appreciate the opportunity, my Lady.” Varis smirked. Illios's holdings would be his if it was the last damn thing he did. The mage reached up and wiped gently at Lady Sinnenodel 's brow with a red handkerchief and nodded. “I expect so. You won't get a second chance.”

Glass shattered at the table behind Varis and Aaron. Isadora stood with a platter at her feet and the remains of wine glasses scattered at her feet. Her eyes were wide open and tears ran freely down her face as she watched the Sinnenodels. She clutched at her head and sank to her knees, mouth open as she gasped before a heart wrenching wail escaped. Ryner jumped to her feet and was at the woman's side in a heartbeat, searching for something causing Isadora such agony.

Aaron’s head snapped up and around at the sound of glass breaking, and he was met with the sight of his aunt in apparent agony, in tears and crying out. His heart jumped into his throat and he didn’t even think before he was on his feet, rushing over and nearly sliding as he fell to his knees next to the woman, searching for some cause of her pain.

“Aunt Dora, what’s--” he was cut off when he felt something take hold of him from behind: a hand, hard and smooth as marble, clamped over his mouth. By reflex, he tried to pull away, tried to reach for his sword, but he couldn’t move, and his sword wasn’t there anyway. Princess Ryner was right there, and there were others who could see him, but no one seemed to notice what was happening. Why couldn’t anyone see? Why wouldn’t anyone do something?!

As he tried and failed to struggle he started to panic, but no sooner did he feel it than the hand yanked him back; he felt the horrible jolt of falling backward, but he was powerless to stop it. Then everything went dark.



Salem watched closely as he saw how Aaron and the others behaved around the council members. How could Aaron stand to watch his family treated so poorly? So, low. It wasn’t right. The thought was soon cut off as Isodora seemed to all but collapse on the floor. Salem quickly rushed to her side as soon as he was able to, kicking away any glass before he knelt to meet her gaze. "Aaron make a light! Aaron!” Useless Salem pulled out his phone and turned on the flashlight, checking Isadoras pupils, pulse, anything that could give him a sign as to where her pain was arriving from. Her pulse was fast and anguished, pupils dilated seeming to show her great deal of pain, yet try as he could, Salem couldn't find a cause.

'Someone silence that woman's caterwauling.’ Varis thought irritably as he continued to peruse the papers. The Count's mage won him plenty of money and a nice deed recently it seemed. As the noise continued, Varis finally looked up just as Aaron reached his Aunt. He narrowed his eyes and glanced back at Lady Sinnenodel as a piece of red fabric slipped back behind her. Perfect. Varis waited long enough he knew she would have him before bolting towards Aaron then snatching him up by his neck and tossing him on the table, visibly trembling with rage.

“Shut her up.” Varis hissed at Ryner as he kept his hand around Aaron's throat, waiting for him to wake up from his Lady's grasp. Ryner glared at the Count and rose fully. Her eyes were cold as she stared down the mage who only smiled sweetly at the Princess.

“While I appreciate your presence at my Manor, I believe it is past time you attended your other businesses Lady Sinnenodel. Do have a pleasant morning.” Ryner dismissed the woman, who only laughed. The other mages muttered under their breath and the recliner hovered a few feet off the ground between them, following them as they left the room. Isadora's screaming faded into gasping as the vampire's presence vanished.

The whole scene was only before Aaron for a moment before it faded away, and a new panic gripped him. He felt the hand around his throat before he saw its owner, and by reflex he grasped the arm it was attached to, struggling against its grip. But it wasn't moving, and when Aaron finally saw who was responsible, his hands flew down to his sides, colliding rather painfully with the edge of the table he found himself pinned to and gripping it tightly. His pulse quickened under Varis’ trembling hand, as did his breathing, when he understood what was going on and what had just happened to him. The back of his head throbbed, his knees stung, and the rage clear on Varis’ face was enough to keep Aaron speechless, jaw working wordlessly as his eyes flickered around, searching on instinct for some escape.

“Welcome back, boy.” Varis spat. Seeing the boy terrified was quite amusing but he had a role to play right now. Varis made a mental note to explore this piece of fun more later. “What was my one instruction tonight? Was I not clear enough for you?”

Aaron opened his mouth a few times before any actual sound came out, the hand around his throat distressing him more than it should have given that he wasn’t actually being strangled. “I-I’m sorry Cou--Master!” he managed to stammer out, nervously fidgeting; his positioning was awkward at best, his spine was grating against the edge of the table and Varis offered no room to move. “She-- I--”

“Did I ask for apologies or did I ask for an explanation? Your whimpering and whining sickens me. If you hadn't failed me again, you wouldn't need an apology.” Varis cut him off, pulling the boy to his feet by his neck. “Can't even bother to remember three damn feet? Three feet! Pathetic. No wonder your House threw you away. Maybe I should do the same.” He snarled and let the boy drop from his grip, not caring he was dropping him on broken glass. “And I thought your performance this far was a fluke, nothing more than nerves. It's clear now you are utterly incompetent.” Varis wondered if maybe he was over doing it but… it was fun and the boy was an excellent stress reliever after dealing with the damn Devil herself.

Aaron fell to his knees when the Count dropped him, hands flying up to his throat as he gulped for air he hadn’t even been lacking in the first place. He winced when his knees hit the floor, new shards of glass biting into them alongside the old ones, but it was the sting of Varis’ words that occupied his mind, flooding the mage with horror and shame as all of his fears were openly vocalized.

“That is quite enough.” Ryner demanded and the room went still with her words. It was as if a leash wrapped around every neck in the room, vampire and mage alike, and forced them into compliance. Isadora's whimpers faded away and Varis went stock still, unable to do anything but watch the Princess. “Your behavior is unacceptable, Count Sinnenodel. Retire to my study so we may discuss your actions when I've made sure Isadora is well. You are dismissed.” Varis glared at her and stormed from the room, slamming the door loudly behind him and cracking the door frame. Ryner sighed and the intense aura vanished as she scooped Isadora up and put her in Varis’s empty chair. She did the same with Aaron and Salem, depositing them gently back into their seats.

“I do apologize about this disaster of a night.” Ryner apologized, curtsying to the group. “I will have the main course and desert sent in so take a moment to collect yourselves. I will have a life mage in to take stock of your injuries. Please, stay as long as you'd like but speak to a guard when you two are ready to leave.” She gave them both a look. “Together.” With that, she took her leave.

Aaron visibly flinched at the Princess’ command, breath catching in his throat. He could do little but follow when she moved him to a chair, and simply nodded at her words, waiting until she was gone to drop his face into his hands.

Salem stood from his chair and moved over to Aaron. "Cast me a light will you? I swear...I can't make heads or tails of you Mr. Starag.” Salem’s voice was low, almost as if speaking to himself as he knelt by Aaron and began to pick the glass from his wounds. "This'll hurt a bit, but luckily I come prepared for such events, not much but...well you can all afford life mages so it’ll do.”

Amaris could tell from a slight shift in the mage’s demeanour that a decision was being made in her head. While she couldn’t be sure, she assumed it was a sense of hesitation at being approached by another noble… something she thought strange when considering she was loitering around the cul-de-sac like she belonged. Perhaps her introductions to others had been less than kind, an unfortunate inevitability it seemed and a regrettable one at that.

“I don’t think he’d mind anything, as he’s left. I, uh, don’t know where to, or what I should do in the meantime. So, I guess tea would be nice. I’m Cassandra. Cassandra Roth.” The words spoken were polite but informal striking the smallest of gleeful chords. This mage, Cassandra, was among the first to speak with her as if the two weren’t from completely different lifestyles. Even her own mage had taken a more formal tone with her, but then again, she had yet to spend enough time around her in order to learn if that was just how she was. Perhaps hearing Cassandra visiting might bring some relief to the atmosphere, help relax the golden haired mage into her new surroundings.

Still, there was something about the content of the sentence itself that stood out as being rather odd. Cassandra was currently unattended in every sense of the word. It was a rare opportunity for a representative from each noble household to attend the academy at the same time. While the Astorio house was somewhat known for its volatility and rash nature, it made little sense for the representative to bail with such little notice regardless of whether their attendance was compulsory or not. Repercussions would be severe for anyone who disobeyed the wishes of the head of any house, but particularly theirs. Departure must have been more pressing than the possible outcome. An alarming thought to be sure, but one Amaris was careful to keep hidden behind a calm smile.

Lips parting to respond, a not so distant sound consumed the young vampire’s attention. Sirens were probably one of the last things one would want to hear on grounds owned by the royals themselves. She spun around just in time to see several dark colored vehicles round the corner, barreling up the street to halt in front of one of the dorms. Her dorm. A fierce look overtook the calm expression she had been maintaining, a defensive step to the side was taken to shield Cassandra from any possible danger. Her gaze grew even more cold as the moments passed, the light violet of her irises giving way to the sharpest of blue.

Guards piled out of the cars and took up points around the house, directed like an orchestra by a vaguely familiar face. Lucan Bordeleaux, one of the royal’s finest fighters and wicked with a blade. There were few faster than his hand, and few dumb enough to even try. Whatever reason the guard had come crashing down on her home it had to have been serious… That, however, was not nearly enough to cushion the blow it was meant to deal. Heels clicking intentionally loud, Amaris’ fury only grew the more faces she took in.

Among the faces that turned at her approach, the guard that she had gotten into it with from before was among them. She could just about see his sneer behind the stoic professionalism he was attempting to show. The only thing that stilled her steps was the unmistakable presence of a royal figure among them. Amaris refused to flinch as Princess Nox made her approach, slamming her weapon down so that she could reveal her face and address the subjects of her operation. As she spoke, Lucan directed a group of guards to break down her door and rush inside, the menace from before too eager to be at the front of the pack.

“You will be Countess Marivaldi’s mage. The Astorio whelp turned left with his tail between his legs shortly after orientation.” The words were directed at Cassandra, whom Amaris had put herself between. Simple directions, no, order was more accurate. But the information was lacking and without explanation for such a sudden change in action. Clearly, it was either unimportant, or a need-to-know basis. Still, it was the least of Amaris’ current worries.

“By the authority of the Royal Guard invested by Queen Noila and the Moonlight Council, your belongings, including your mage and hers, have been seized as possible threats to the Council. Once your belongings have been cleared by the Royal Guard, they will be returned to you and you may return to your lodgings along with your new mage. You and your mage are required to return to the Astorio dormitory at once.” The tone left little wiggle room to the actions that could be taken henceforth. Under normal circumstances she might have complied without hesitation, but too many things just weren’t adding up. Could it really have been a coincidence that someone of the guard would pick a fight with her just prior to invading her home?

I don’t think he knew at that time, but his presence now could be a determining factor in how this all plays out. If it comes down to it, I might need to strike at him first before he can use my previous outburst against me. The guard was not the only problem either… If Nox was insistent on thorough examination, not even the snake tank would be able to hide the book she had stored within. Truth be told, she had absolutely no idea what information the book held. It was written in a language unfamiliar to her and had been among a few items her father had left behind specifically for her upon his passing. Even the current Lord Salazar knew not of what she had been given, as she had been careful to keep everything under wraps. It wouldn’t do to have a piece of it given directly to the royal house, especially when it seemed so much information was already being shrouded.

“With all due respect Queen’s kin, I demand an explanation.” Amaris spoke with a measured tone, addressing the princess not by her name but in a manner that acknowledged her position all the same. Eyes shifting to the space behind Nox, Amaris watched as Minfilia was thrown from the house and slammed into the side of one of the vans before finally being shuffled into the vehicle itself. The faintest scent of blood reached Amaris, most likely wafting from a cut caused by the rough handling. She was beginning to regret having not eaten at first opportunity.

Turning her eyes back to Nox, Amaris took advantage of the momentary silence to push her luck.

“Should I be warning Lord Salazar to watch his back with the very Council he is sworn to serve and protect? You have made your position on how our family is run very clear despite your own situation. Perhaps you were not satisfied with the results of your investigation after my father’s death, but that does not entitle you to take advantage of the situation to continue your blatant harassment. Don’t you think it was a little inappropriate to send one of your drones to pick a fight with me just before raiding my home? This treatment is absolutely unacceptable!” A couple of the guards shifted behind Nox, gripping their weapons tighter as Amaris’ voice raised in volume. Never once did she move from her spot, knowing full well that her tone would be deemed a threat if paired with a sudden movement of any kind.

Cassandra

It was starting to look like Cassandra would at least have someone to talk to for the rest of the night. Though, she reflected, it was a shame they couldn't watch the sunrise together, as that's what Cassandra really wanted to do.

Before the vampire could return the courtesy, though, a series of vehicles were barreling into the cul-de-sac. A cadre of soldiers marched from them into one of the houses, and Cassandra and the unknown vampire were approached by, of all people, Princess Nox herself.

“You will be Countess Marivaldi’s mage. The Astorio whelp turned left with his tail between his legs shortly after orientation.”

Cassandra's first stunned thought was, Wow, I really did scare him off... Though she realized moments later it was most likely unrelated.

“By the authority of the Royal Guard invested by Queen Noila and the Moonlight Council, your belongings, including your mage and hers, have been seized as possible threats to the Council. Once your belongings have been cleared by the Royal Guard, they will be returned to you and you may return to your lodgings along with your new mage. You and your mage are required to return to the Astorio dormitory at once.”

"Um, wait, I'm..." It wasn't often that Cassandra was at an actual loss for words, but she couldn't seem to construct a complete sentence in the face of the events unfolding around her. It was just dawning on her that she had a partner again, when that same person started in on... the princess.

“With all due respect Queen’s kin, I demand an explanation.”

“Should I be warning Lord Salazar to watch his back with the very Council he is sworn to serve and protect? You have made your position on how our family is run very clear despite your own situation. Perhaps you were not satisfied with the results of your investigation after my father’s death, but that does not entitle you to take advantage of the situation to continue your blatant harassment. Don’t you think it was a little inappropriate to send one of your drones to pick a fight with me just before raiding my home? This treatment is absolutely unacceptable!”

Cassandra didn't have any idea what was happening. She was paired again, now with this vampire, and they hadn't even finished introducing themselves. A human, a mage, was being forced violently from her home, and they were taking everything from the Countess, her new partner.

Fuck it.

"Yeah!" Cassandra joined the conversation loudly. She pointed past both countess and princess to the scene by the truck, "Look what they're doing! She's not even fighting them, where do you get off using this kind of force?"

She could feel the fire flaring inside of her as her temper rose. She grabbed it, and held it tight, but didn't let it out. The burning felt like strength to Cassandra, and she was glad to have it, but she knew nothing good could come of using actual magic in front of these soldiers.

Mariette pressed her fountain pen to the page for the fifth time, having trouble finding what to write. Not much had happened to her since she had arrived, but she was overwhelmed with boredom and figured writing her father would be the best thing to do. She had tried sleeping, which had worked for a few minutes, but it hadn't been long before she had woken up. She had also considered watching Lilie sleep, as watching mortals rest usually calmed her -or, at the very least gave her something to study- but she didn't want the young mage to freak out. She had finally finished unpacking her things, before coming to stand at her vanity with a pen and a piece of paper that she had stolen from her desk in the study. With a drawn-out sigh, she began to write, hoping inspiration would come as she went along.

Dearest Father,

If only you were here with me, experiencing the Academy anew. I know you had many adventures on these grounds, and I hope to involve myself in just as many activities. While keeping my goals in mind, of course. I met my mage earlier today, but I had to seek her out, which was...interesting. Nevertheless, I find her to be a curious subject. Her name is Lilie, and she is as pale as snow with hair to match. She tastes like the confection I tried to eat when I was young and still played with the mages. Perhaps, if you're interested, I could get her bottled for you?

Enough about the girl. Though, other than meeting her there hasn't been much progress. I will update you when there are more important ma-

The sudden blaring of a siren caused Mariette to jump, a large glob of ink coming out of her pen and smearing on the page. She scowled at the sight, scribbling out the words she wrote before crumpling up the paper and sending it flying into the nearest trash can. Another wasted page. She waited for a few minutes for the noise to stop, shifting her weight onto the balls of her feet as curiosity built up in her. It couldn't have stemmed from inside the dorm, so something must've been going on outside. She wanted to know what. Lilie likely woke up to the sound, so she figured she'd call for her mage to protect her as she inspected it. Walking up to her door, she placed her hand on the knob, ready to seek out her walking bakery when a knock sounded on the other side.

She listened to her mage with a grin, before throwing open the door and looking her up and down. She looked like she had just woken up, hair slightly disheveled and clothes minorly wrinkled but otherwise alright. Clearing her throat, Mariette stepped past her mage and began striding towards the nearest window. "So you've started the investigation without me?" She clucked her tongue, though her smile was even brighter now. It fell as soon as she saw the situation going on just outside their dorm.

Reinforced vehicles, all with the royal symbol painted crisply on the side were parked just outside the Marivaldi dormitory. Amaris Marivaldi was standing at the scene with Lilie's mage friend from earlier at her side. A limp body was being thrown into a van, Princess Nox was there. Mariette nearly cursed, keeping the word on the tip of her tongue until it died. Whatever was happening had to be diffused. The Marivaldi's were essential, she needed them. If this situation resulted in expulsion, plans would crumble.

"Come with me, Lilie." She paced towards the door, stopping with the knob turned halfway. A thought came to mind. Would this be breaking her promise to Ikelos? Maybe, but perhaps she could just ignore Lilie's questions on the situation after the fact. Turning back towards the white-haired lady, she sighed. "Lilie, there's one thing I must tell you before we step outside. The Eves are a neutral force, and you are now an Eve." Technically, she was an Eve's belonging, but that wasn't to be mentioned. Finally, she added, "Interpret that how you will."

Their door was slamming against the wall an instant later, and Mariette was smoothing out her pencil skirt as she walked towards the situation. She cringed indistinguishably at the shouting, before plastering on a calm, gentle grin. The guards who were left outside eyed her warily, but most of their attention was still on Amaris and her mage. Taking a place between the two parties on the outskirt of the scene, she looked at the Princess -giving her a deep nod- and Amaris, who seemed furious. A glance at the Marivaldi dorm told her that the guards were searching the place. Great. "Princess Nox, Amaris, I'd say it's a pleasure but this seems to be a matter of business."

"My mage and I were playing a game of chess when the sirens sounded," She lied, the same steady smile on her face. Her tone was smooth and soft. "And being my nosey self, I decided we would have to go outside and check things out. If I might ask, what's going on?" Again, she looked at both parties. Aside from the respectful nod she gave the princess, there was no semblance of favoritism in her actions. It was the stance she had rehearsed countless times during her training, one she had put to use often.

Aaron lifted his head from his hands with a shaky breath when Salem got to him, looking down at the other man with a mix of confusion and irritation plain on his face. “Good lord, who cares about me?” he asked bitterly, nudging Salem aside so he could crouch on the floor by his aunt.

His expression immediately softened towards her and he took her hand urgently. “Aunt Dora, are you alright?” He asked her, concern clear in his voice, “What happened to you?”

Dora, who had just barely been holding it together while the Princess was around, simply let out a little wine as fresh tears began to flow, covering her mouth with her hand and squeezing her eyes shut.

“No!” Aaron scrambled to his aunt’s level, perching himself on the corner of her seat and pulling her into his arms. “No, hey, don't do that!” He pleaded with her, gently rocking. She buried her face in his shoulder, grasping weakly at his clothes as a few sobs shook her.

Salem shook his head slightly as Aaron rushed off without having his wounds tended to. "There's nothing I can do for her...tell me, what is her affinity?” He slowly stood up and walked over to the pair, wondering what could cause a sudden spike in pain and the just as quickly leave.

Aaron followed Salem with his eyes as he circled around, though he continued to do his best to comfort his aunt. But Salem’s question reminded him of something, and he mentally kicked himself for not having thought of it sooner. He reached under Dora’s veil, careful not to dislodge it, and after a brief search through her hair pulled out a gold ornamental hairpin, a round pink crystal faintly glowing in the setting. When he placed it on the table, the glow faded and Dora seemed to relax slightly.

“Emotion,” he stated simply, jerking his head toward the pin on the table, “She can sense and influence emotion. That’s her casting medium, without it she should calm down a little.”

As if on cue, Dora pulled herself away from Aaron, producing a handkerchief from somewhere and dabbing at her eyes. “It was that devil,” she spat when she’d recovered, more wickedly than one might expect from such an otherwise matronly woman. Even without her magic, her emotions had always changed like the wind. “Heavens help those poor souls…”

Aaron’s brow furrowed with concern, but he could tell that he shouldn’t press the issue. “You’re alright now though, right?” He asked her.

“Yes dear, I’m fine,” Dora insisted, though Aaron wasn’t entirely convinced. Dora tucked away her handkerchief and shifted in her seat to look at him. Her expression was overcome with something like worry, and she cupped his face in her hands with motherly concern. “But sweetheart, you…”

“Hey now, none of that,” Aaron gently scolded, taking one of her hands from his face and kissing it to comfort her. “I’m fine, don’t you start worrying about me.”

“Aaron, you’re not fine!” Dora insisted, concern turning to indignation, “Look at you, you’ve been nothing but a bundle of nerves since you came here. You’re all cut up, and that snake--”

“Hey,” Aaron was a little firmer this time, though there was no malice to it. “Come on, we can’t be talking like that, you know that.”

"She has a point however. More importantly, Isadora...never mind. This isn’t the place to ask, nor is it my place to involve you in the mess I've created for myself. Aaron, leave her be, the last thing an empath needs after her ordeal is to also deal with your emotions, let alone mine.” Salem moved away from the pair and back towards where Aaron had sat before. "Now, let's get that glass out of you. Honestly I'm not sure what you were thinking.”

Aaron leveled a look on Salem. Who the hell did he think he was, telling him how to deal with his own family? “I was thinking that my aunt was in pain,” he shot back, with a little more acid than was probably needed. However, Dora seemed to understand, and she worked her way out of Aaron’s grasp, standing.

“I really am fine, dear,” she assured Aaron, touching his cheek again. “I’ll leave you boys be, see what's taking that doctor so long.” She leveled her own look on her nephew. “Let him help you.”

Aaron stood as well, reluctantly accepting things and giving his aunt a quick kiss on the cheek. “Okay,” he conceded, handing her her hairpin. Glancing back to Salem for a second, he moved so he was blocking Dora from his view and lowered his voice.

“Aunt Dora, you can not tell Mom about any of this,” he insisted, a touch of urgency to his voice.

Dora furrowed her brow. “Aaron, I can't just lie to her!”

Aaron gave her a pleading look. “Please, Dora, you know how she can get. I don't think she could handle another lapse.”

Dora looked conflicted, but ultimately conceded. “...Very well. But you’re going to have to figure out a way to tell her, because you know she’ll find out eventually.”

Aaron nodded, and he pulled his aunt once more into a hug. Who knew when he would see her again? Trying not to dwell on it, he cleared his throat. “Take care,” he told her, letting her go.

Dora nodded and offered him a little smile. “You too, Sunshine.” She leaned around him, looking to Salem. “Be wise, Mr. Spellman,” she called to him, before offering a habitual curtsy and leaving the room.

Aaron waited until the servant’s door had firmly closed before he took his seat again, taking a deep breath before looking to Salem. “What were you going to ask her?”

Salem pulled out his phone once more and began to compose a message. It read “There are prying ears all around, best not to speak this allowed. I needed to know what she knew of the Sinnenodel’s, their business here, and why Varis kept repeating the same word over and over again.” "Your number.” he said as he was typing, giving Aaron a cheeky wink as he turned his phone over for him to read.

Aaron looked between Salem and his phone suspiciously as he typed, quirking a brow when he winked. Goodness, this one’s mood changed quick. He took the phone cautiously, though his expression turned to one of confusion as he read. Salem was smart to hide his message, but it still confused him.

“Right, would have come in handy earlier,” Aaron replied, tapping out his own message as he spoke. “She’s not normally the Queen’s attendant, she wouldn’t know. We don’t know any more about the Sinnenodels than anyone else, just gossip. And what are you talking about? What word?”

“I’m sorry we left you at the arena, by the way,” he added, handing the phone back. “I asked Sir Bordeleaux to relay my apology. Lilie was taken somewhere by an administrator after our match, and I had to go get ready for this joyous occasion.”

"Riiiight, Well, I actually have seen him since the Arena either. Just waited around for a while for you two until some school...kids? Showed up and thought I was being harrassed by a mage. It's been one hell of a first day for me.” Salem took his phone back and read the message before typing up “Noon, Something is up, I can just tell. And this Red Hand nonsense? I've never known Varis to try to help anyone but himself...no, there’s definitely more to all this.”

Aaron bristled a bit at the tone, but decided to let it go. He’d been wondering where Lucan was himself. He ran a hand along his throat as he took the phone back, taking a deep breath to quell the anxiety in his chest. “Likewise,” he replied bitterly, typing. “It’s nobility. There’s always more to it. You’ll have to get used to it.”

He paused for a second before handing the phone back, thinking back to what Salem had said to get himself into all of this. “I don’t think it was a Red Hand agent that got you. When I went to Dora, I think the same thing happened to me. Count Varis warned me earlier about Lady Sinnenodel and her mages. ‘Skilled in the art of telepathy’.” “I’m sorry you had to wait. Hopefully tomorrow will go more smoothly for everyone.” He stated, handing the phone back. If I even live to see it.

Salem read the messages displayed on his screen before putting his phone away. He stopped tending to Aaron's knee for a moment, his head held low, speaking in a low voice "You should’ve said something...maybe not…” Salem reached into his waistcoat and pulled out a Spellman Spray Anti-bacterial Disinfectant and spritzed it onto Aaron's knee before taking his pocket square and bandaging the wound with it. "There. Sorry, I don’t have any Loli's with me.”

Aaron quirked a brow. He hadn’t the foggiest idea what that meant. “Thank you,” he murmured, fixing his pants and shifting in his seat before leveling a glare on the plant mage. “And said what? To whom?” he hissed, voice low. “Salem, I serve the Sinnenodels now. I am entirely under their… my Lady’s jurisdiction. I can’t just go speaking against her! What were you thinking?!” A hint of anger snuck its way into his voice, though perhaps it was ill-placed.

"I was thinking that I am my own person, I have my own morals, and that I will speak out against those who treat others like less than. That is what I was thinking.” Salem stood up and moved over to the chair next to Aaron, sitting down with one leg crossed over the other. "Maybe I should've brought cricket along with me.”

Aaron was once again confused, but his confusion was curtailed by a sudden wave of sympathy. “Salem, I’m sorry, but you’re not your own person anymore,” he informed him, taking a deep breath. “You’re an attendant now. You’re a representative of Sir Bordeleaux, and an extension of his family. A family which answers directly to the Queen.” His voice darkened a touch with warning. “You can’t just fly in the face of everything she stands for! Good lord, you should be glad your head isn’t on a spike!” A touch of anger borne of concern snuck into his voice again, and he sighed, leaning his head in his hand.

“I truly am sorry about what happened to you,” he said sincerely, “I wish I could have warned you. But you brought it on yourself.”

"Only because mages, like you, are unwilling to even attempt for change. It may not be a popular opinion, but it is a good one. So long as mages remain complacent, the world can never truly progress, and things like tonight” Salem gestured around the room and towards the empty spot where Lady Sinnenodel previously sat “will continue to occur, and more mages will lose freedom, assets, what have you, all because someone felt the need to stay subjugated.”

“I quite like my head where it is, thank you,” Aaron replied bitterly, wringing his neck once again. His fingers found the Sinnenodel pendant laying there, turning it for a moment before he irritably let it drop. “And yes, things like this will continue to occur. Mages will continue to lose their freedom and assets, you’re right. Because this is how things have to be.”

He leveled an indignant glare on Salem. “Do you think I’m an idiot? That I don’t know mages are practically enslaved? I’m quite familiar. But I’m proud of where I stand. My whole family is. Because we understand that without mages to take the arrow, the vampires will set their sights on everyone, and things will go back to the way they were before the Treaty. Vampires will hunt humans like game and mankind will cower in fear, just like they did before.” He sat back in his seat.

"So because they have no morals, we must sit back and allow the world to be run by fear? It’s clear that some of these vampires have decency and morals much like we do, well I do. If we allow them, along with magekind, to have equal say, then we could keep the more radical of both groups cornered so that no one should live in fear.”

Salem confused Aaron to no end. Was he truly so insulated to the reality of what he was suggesting? “Did you see what happened here tonight? Vampires as a whole will never accept equality. They will accept nothing short of total subjugation. You should be thankful for what rights we do have; we only have them by the grace of the Council. Because if they wanted to, the vampires could snatch everything away, and that is a fight that humanity will lose.” Aaron crossed his arms. “Be glad that Queen Anastasia is the one on the throne. Believe it or not, she and her family are exceptionally kind. We might not be afforded the same luxuries otherwise.” He regretted having to be so harsh with Salem. Honestly, he had been beginning to like him. But he would not stand for him smearing the Treaty and the Noilas, even if it meant losing the possibility of any sort of friendship.

The life mage that was called for entered the room silently. Salem fell silent as she walked across the room, a mix of both not knowing what to say as well as not wanting to speak before her. She glided over towards Aaron, healing his minor injuries before leaving once again. Salem opened his mouth to speak and the stopped short before actually saying anything. He turned away from Aaron and waved his hand at him ”Believe what you will. It's gotten you this far, let's hope it doesn’t get you killed for the sake of duty.”

Aaron quietly thanked the life mage before she took her leave, staying silent as Salem said his piece. As infuriating as the plant mage’s disregard for reality was, he couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy. This was a man who was thrust into a world he was probably unfamiliar with, and he’d just been cut off completely from everyone and everything he loved. Aaron supposed, in a strange way, that he could empathize. But he’d never been good at this sort of thing, and he didn’t know what to say.

Another servant came in bearing the food that Princess Ryner had promised, but Aaron stood and stopped the man before he could set out the plates. “Please relay our thanks and apologies to Her Royal Highness, but if Mr. Spellman is ready, I think it’s time we were going.” He looked over to Salem expectantly.

Salem eyed the Osso and then Aaron, with almost puppy dog like eyes, ”We could have...one bite. It’d be a shame to waste the food honestly, besides I've had nothing to eat today really.”

Aaron nodded and the servant continued his work, sitting down again. He certainly couldn’t eat, his stomach was far too jumpy, but he was content to stick around as Salem did. Of course, he also didn’t have much of a choice. But as the silence between them stretched on, the pit in Aaron’s stomach only grew deeper as the shame and fear from the night’s events crept up on him again, twisting his gut in knots. He had never been so humiliated; he had thoughtlessly disobeyed his master, he’d had his memories sifted through, been manhandled and berated in front of everyone, and good lord, he’d needed the Princess to come to his rescue. He wasn’t sure he’d ever been so ashamed of himself in his life, and considering his existing punishment, he had a sneaking suspicion that everything Varis had done to him so far was only a gentle prelude to what awaited him when he got home.

Drawing a shaky breath, he leaned his face on his hand again, staring at the table. “...I’m sorry you had to see all that,” he muttered, rubbing his neck.

Salem finished polishing off his plate, after eating ravenously with no one else around. Aaron muttered something to himself that Salem wasn’t quite sure who it was directed towards. He looked about the room until his eyes fell back on Aaron. "See what? You be human? It's a shame no one else could honestly. Funny...who knew a light mage would harbor so much darkness within. Then again...given your partner, master, I don’t blame you. Shall we?”

Aaron looked up at Salem quizzically. It was as if the man only spoke in riddles. But Aaron supposed his intentions were kind, and he nodded and stood, crossing over to the dining room door and speaking with the guard he knew would be there. Almost immediately, he was informed that a car was waiting for them, and he turned back to Salem, gesturing towards the door. “Let’s go, then.”

Interacting with: @WeepingLiberty @Gisk @MsMorningstar

“Save your fire for the Sinnenodel snake, Countess. Your baseless accusation doesn't bother me. If you take issue with how the guard has handled something, you may file your complaint through the standard channels. My sister is even on campus to more easily attend your whims.” She waved off the guards behind her, who made their way back over to the scene behind her to assist. Lucan quickly gave them orders and they circled the perimeter. “If you have questions about my duties, you may ask them to Lord Salazar himself. Since your family has taken over the Eve’s intelligence network, he has an active hand in these deliberations. I have neither interest nor authorization to explain this to you.” Nox ignored Cassandra and nodded at Mariette when she approached.

“Council business.” Nox stated impassively to Mariette's question. “Return to your lodgings now, all of you, before I treat you like misbehaving children and carry you there myself.”

---

---

Interacting with: @Achronum

"I'm trying to be proactive with my classes. My councilor and I already sorted out this semester's electives. I'm a huge theater buff, too, so I'm hoping to get into the drama programs as soon as possible."

Joryldin settled down on the ground where he was, cross-legged by the closet. The lazy, aloof posture served a number of purposes. First, it allowed him to see out into the living room and keep tabs on Ryan's attention. Second, it preserved personal space; much better than sitting down on the edge of the bed right next to the mage he barely knew. Finally, it put him below Ryan's eye level, meaning they couldn't make direct eye contact unless they were actively trying to.

"If you don't mind me asking, what's up with you guys? It seems like you've got some sort of spy-club going on here. I saw you dipping in and out of the night taking pictures earlier, and it sounded like the TA kids were watching a friend."

Mariette's easy smile didn't falter at Princess Nox's command. She was going to stay. After all, the situation hadn't been handled just yet. Princess Nox didn't seem terribly angry, but things could escalate at any moment. Plus, they were still searching Amaris' dorm. She was confident in her abilities, and besides, she had Lilie to defend her if things went awry. Or, did she? The sound of heels hurriedly clicking behind her rang in Mariette's ears, and at this, the corners of her lips turned downwards. Her eyes widened infinitesimally. It was a slight shift, but there was obvious tension in her expression. Her confidence wavered. She had faced many obstacles without a mage backing her, but now that she had one she felt like she shouldn't have to. Would it be safe to go against Princess Nox's orders without the support of her supposed protector? Perhaps, and though Mariette was curious to find out what would happen, she had a mage to talk to.

She nearly whipped around to grab Lilie by her clothing and pull her back, but she didn't have the chance. The girl had fled with unexpected speed. Mariette gave Princess Nox and Amaris a small bow, before turning and striding off after Lilie. The second she whipped around her face shifted, no longer a mask of calm. She was exasperated, and it showed. Her hands clenched and unclenched at her sides until she was in the doorway of their dormitory. She sought out Lilie, which wasn't a difficult task as she had just entered the building moments ago. Making sure the door was shut and locked behind her, she stalked towards her prey. Launching forward, Mariette grabbed the girl by the back of her clothing and gently spun her around.

"What were you thinking, Lilie?" She began, unhanding the girl almost as soon as she had grabbed her. She shook out her hand pointedly as if the act of touching the young lady had stung her. She began to pace, her head turned towards Lilie so the girl could see the shift in her emotions. Anger, frustration, and at last, dismay. She wanted the girl to see her alarm, her shock at what had occurred outside. Otherwise, the girl would never learn. Stopping in her tracks, she held her hands together behind her back and let loose a deep sigh. "If something dangerous had happened out there, I would have been killed." She put emphasis on the last word, trying to make Lilie see the error of her ways.

"Long ago, my mother was taken in by my father. She was young and naive, just as you are. Her training had been subpar, as I assume yours was." She paused, more to stress her words than to actually collect her thoughts. "However, never in her days did she desert my father." Her eyes began to well up with dark blood as she reminisced on her mother and father's beautiful relationship, her gaze overwhelmed with a red haze. She despised crying, the scent of blood filling her nostrils. Maybe if she shed a few tears, Lilie would feel more sympathetic towards her. "She was loyal, perhaps overly so. They argued, even after I was born, but she never backed down when he was being threatened."

"I figure you understand my point. A mage should never abandon their vampire, the way that you abandoned me. I will take care of you, but I won't stand for such insolence. I had planned to calm down the Princess and Amaris, and prevent anything extreme from happening. Without you behind me, I felt weak." She stepped closer, a few crimson tears falling from her blazing eyes because of the movement. They left red trails down her cheeks, a couple splashing on her neck and oxford shirt, staining the fabric. "If you ever leave me again without my word, you'll regret your foolishness. Now go, deserter, I don't want to look at you." She gestured towards Lilie's room, wondering what the girl would do.

Mariette watched Lilie retreat. Into the wall. Not exactly what she had demanded, but an interesting reaction nonetheless. She hadn't been certain that the white-headed girl would run off to her room, after all, she had been slightly crude in her reprimand. Calling her insolent and saying that her training was subpar was something she certainly had not expected would go over well. That condescending tone, when used on anyone, could lead to varying results. It was her fault for not filtering her words the way she usually did. She had been too sudden, but she wasn't going to apologize to her mage. Especially when she was crossing her arms and like a rebellious child. This caused Mariette to think of something, thinking back to their previous conversation. She took a step closer to Lilie, wiping at her eyes and sniffling to staunch the flow of tears for a few moments. Blood smeared across her face, rather than perfect trails on her cheeks there were big splotches.

"Lilie, you wicked girl, I see you're taking my advice." She didn't elaborate, but as she said this more tears flowed down her face and into her mouth. She groaned at the sweetness, already envisioning the ache in her stomach that would shortly follow. Shaking her head slightly, she stared into Lilie's eyes, looking for anything that would confirm her thoughts. Her head swam, and she wasn't able to pick up on anything. Not yet, but she was sure the signs would come. She hung her head slightly, hoping she was wrong. Why did people enjoy leaving her? Was she really that unlikeable? Clucking her tongue, she turned around, taking heavy breaths to gather herself. She waited until the tears stopped altogether, before turning back to Lilie. She took another step closer until they were almost as near as they were during the feeding.

"I don't want to be rejected by you. I don't want my first mage to run from me, so I'm asking you to stay." She frowned, the expression making her dejection obvious. "I will ask many things of you, and I'll expect you to respond with vigor. But I won't break you, you have to believe me. The situation outside could have been handled without violence if you had just trusted me. You'll learn to do so, just as I'll learn your limits." She held out her arms like she was expecting Lilie to embrace her. In all honesty, she didn't think the girl would do it. After all, she was a bloody mess, among other things. "Until then, can't we just get along? You're full of promise, and I don't want to miss out on something great. Plus, the council won't listen to you if you report me and ask for a transfer." She laughed at this, trying to lift up the situation.

Cassandra

@Achronum@WeepingLiberty

“Save your fire for the Sinnenodel snake, Countess.”

She had been talking to Amaris, but the use of Cassandra's element as a euphemism made something click in her head. She was right. Fire wasn't the right tool here, not figuratively and certainly not literally. And until she had taken some arcane lessons, fire was all she had. What did Cassandra mean to do? Burn Princess Nox Noila to death? It was ridiculous.

She stood up straight, realizing for the first time that she had been standing almost as if ready to fight.

"Countess," she said, speaking clearly, but quietly. "I think we should go inside."

She hated to sound like a coward, but this wasn't the time or place to make this stand. She was not going to forget the mage, thrown about like a rabid dog. But Princess Nox was giving them exactly the right advice; this was a situation where they would be better leveraging her family's political power. She was doing exactly what Master Valius had always told her she would do, trying to fight people head on, even when she knew she couldn't win.

"I'll invite you in for some tea. Er, blood?" She made a conscious effort not to cringe at that suggestion. But wasn't she Countess Miriavaldi's mage now?

Whoops

Interacting with: @Jade Blades

“Those two are just being dicks honestly. Their vampire lost a wager with them or something so they picked out the most garish outfit they could and now he has to wear it. I dunno, I don't question it. I don't really like that whole relationship but…” Ryan shrugged. “Not really my place to bitch about it. If it makes 'em happy, more power to 'em I guess.” Ryan cast a critical eye over Joryldin, obviously weighing his own response.

“Well, guess we can wipe your memory if the President says so why not. We call ourselves the Champions of the Small, or the Champs for short. We kick back at vampires and mages who like to beat on those who can't or won't stand up for themselves.” Ryan explained. A bit of Ryan's shadow bolted out the door and over to the TAs who looked up questioningly. “The Princess’s whole “don’t interfere unless someone is going to die” policy leaves a lot of room for abuse. Leaves a whole lotta room for us to fight back though too.” People shifted out of the TAs line of sight to Joryldin, who watched the pair with interest. “Don’t worry about them. Just gotta make sure you don't do anything too drastic. Secrets and stuff to protect.” Ryan shrugged.

The two mages got into the car quietly, silence stretching between them as the car rumbled down the drive and into the darkness. Aaron wasn’t sure what to do with himself, struggling not to put his clothes and hair in order and settling for staring at the window, glaring at his own, foreign reflection. His leg jumped a feverish rhythm, but otherwise, he was still.

Salem sat in silence, staring out the opposite window of Aaron. Every once in a while he would steal some glances of him out of the corner of his eye, a knot began to build in his stomach. Is this how all the students would be? Lilie? Lucan? The silence of the ride was broken by Salem as a long sigh made it's way through his lips. He adjusted his posture to now face Aaron and gently tapped above his knee. "Look, can we talk?” his voice was calm, almost sad, and quiet.

Aaron glanced toward Salem when he spoke, quirking an eyebrow. He hadn't really been expecting much more out of him. “Sure,” he replied, sounding more exhausted than anything.

Ok. Here it goes. Salem straightened a bit before speaking. "I know tonight was...less than ideal, and I hope that it doesn't affect us moving forward. I would like to be able to stay friendly with you and Lilie, and maybe…” his voice trailed off as he looked out Aaron's window and back at him, shaking his head softly.

Aaron listened, and was quiet, looking down at his knees. Quite a first impression he must have left, to be making amends with his first friend mere hours after meeting him.

After a moment, he nodded. “I’d like that,” he concurred, looking over to Salem more properly. He smirked a little despite himself. “This is all rather new to me,” he chuckled.

"I can see that” he mused back "But I must admit...being a guest at any party tends to bring out the worst in me. Why do you think I purposely missed the opening ceremonies?”

Aaron tipped his head in agreement, shaking his head. “Yeah,” he agreed, still smirking, “I’m a little more used to carrying trays and fading into the background myself.”

An awkward silence fell onto the car once more as Salem searched for the words to say. "Dont, take this, the wrong way, but, I hope maybe sometime...you could see me half of the story.” Salem looked down, unsure if what he said was ok or not, but he hoped he wouldn't be pushing a possible prospect away.

Aaron drummed his fingers on the car door for a moment, staring ahead. “Salem, I’m wearing eye… pencil, or something, and a necklace tonight among other things. I suppose I could be open to one more bizarre thing.” He laughed a little to himself, but grew somewhat more serious when he looked back to Salem. “But all the same, maybe at some point you’ll understand my point of view.” He shrugged tiredly, letting his head fall back onto the headrest. “I guess we’ll see.”

Salem chuckled at as he Aaron struggling for the word ‘eye liner’, his amusement went someone silent as Aaron changed the tables on him. Seeing his side? What is there to see? Fair is fair however… an exhausted sigh and groan left him as he allowed his body to collapse and schlump onto Aaron, resting his head on his shoulder and closing his eyes. "We will see sunspot. We will see. For now, I need a damn nap. Too much excitement for one day”

Aaron couldn't help but laugh, shoulders shaking as he dropped his head. “I see Lucan has his work cut out for him,” he managed to chuckle out, heaving a big sigh and closing his own eyes as he collapsed back onto the headrest. “Good lord…”

The ride stretched on in a somewhat more comfortable silence for a few more minutes before the car pulled up in front of the regular dorms, pulling to a stop at Salem’s door. The driver stepped out, opening Salem’s door and beckoning him to exit.

Salem opened his eyes groggily as he wiped away the sleep from his eyes. He waved at Aaron goodbye as he left and headed towards his dormitory. He stopped for a moment, turned around and went back to the car pulling out his phone ”Hey, can I have your number? For real this time?”

“Oh,” Aaron patted his pockets, only to remember that his phone was sunk somewhere in the pillows on his bed at his dorm. “Yeah, sure,” he replied, taking Salem's phone and adding his number to the bottom of their former conversation. He paused for a second, frowning at the messages, before handing the phone back to Salem.

“Hey, tell Lucan to check his phone, would you?” He asked as Salem left, only half-joking.

"Sure thing, if I ever see him. Mans more aloof than Carmen Sandiego.” Salem proceeded to walk into his new room, taking comfort to see his good friend cricket waiting for him.

Aaron waved lazily as Salem left, watching him as he made his way into his dorm. Only once Salem had closed his door behind him did the driver pull away, turning in the direction of the noble dorms.

The ride to the noble dorms from the general ones wasn’t too long, but it gave Aaron more than enough time to start worrying. He wasn’t drowsy like Salem had been; drained, maybe, but he wasn’t sure he’d ever sleep again. All he could think about once Salem was gone was Varis’ hand around his throat, the Count’s words echoing through his head.

No wonder your House threw you away. Maybe I should do the same.

He tried to push them out of his mind, them and all the fears they dredged up, with a few deep breaths as the car came to a stop at the Sinnenodel gate. Through the window, Aaron noticed someone waiting by the door, though to his considerable relief, it wasn’t Varis. Just a woman in an Academy uniform, patiently waiting as he stepped out of the car and thanked the driver.

Aaron was grateful for the cool night air as he walked up the path, focusing on the chill on his skin to tear his mind away from what Varis had said. He looked around, too, finding the cul-de-sac mercifully deserted. The lights at the Eve dorm next door were on, but the next house over, the Marivaldi house, was dark; upon closer inspection, Aaron found that not only were the lights off, but the doors and windows were actually boarded up. Varis’ mention of the Marivaldi Countess and the Red Hand sprang to mind, and a chill snuck up Aaron’s spine. The thought that he’d spent the day before sleeping two doors down from a rebel infiltrator was a disturbing one, and though he took comfort in the speed at which it was dealt with, the fact that a rebel agent had managed to get into the Academy at all was more than enough to keep Aaron on his toes.

When he reached the door, the woman waiting for him gave him a sort of sympathetic smile and pulled a ring of keys from her belt, flipping through to one in particular. She used it to unlock the front door just as Aaron noticed the label of ‘groundskeeper’ on her uniform. Right. He didn’t have a key, and apparently Princess Ryner knew that.

He frowned slightly, remembering her familiar manner with Varis. Apparently she knew lots of things.

He smiled and thanked the groundskeeper once the door was open, turning to give the driver a wave as he stepped inside. When he closed the door behind him, he was plunged once more into silence.

What was my one instruction tonight? Was I not clear enough for you?

Taking a deep breath, he set his shoes aside neatly and continued inside, stopping when he glanced into the study. Stepping in, he was reminded of the night’s earlier events by the paper shreds littering his desk. He picked up a handful of them, examining the torn snippets of his handwriting.

Unable to even brush my expectations, apparently.

Aaron shook his head, gathering the shreds and disposing of them, making sure the desk and floor were clean. He put the pen and pad back in the drawer, clearing everything away. Pristine. Like nothing ever happened.

He moved to tug his ear, fingers once more finding the gold cuff that had been fastened there. Varis’ cuff. Right. Aaron figured he’d be wanting that back, especially after the night’s events. That and everything else the Count had leant him. He pulled it off gingerly and wiped any fingerprints away with the hem of his shirt, placing it on Varis’ desk before doing the same with the necklace. The tie he also removed, smoothing it flat with his fingers before rolling it neatly and placing it with the rest. Everything else belonged to him, and though he was tempted to straighten it all up now that he was alone, he didn’t want to push his luck any further than he already had.

He slid his ring onto his finger, spinning it gratefully as he made his way to his room. He collected the towel from where he’d left it and hung it up neatly in the bathroom to dry, eyeing the empty door frames as he passed them. He hoped he’d get a chance to ask what that was about, but after his performance tonight, he wasn’t sure he would. Not for at least a little while, anyway.

As he looked around the bathroom for something more to clean, he caught his reflection above the sink, once more taken aback by how different his face looked. Running his fingers through his hair, he almost shivered at the texture, the product Varis had added making it feel entirely different to his natural hair. And apparently it was stubborn, too, because try as he might to move it into its usual place, his hair kept on trying to fall back into the style Varis had given him. He was tempted to get into the shower and wash it out, but he had no idea when Varis would be returning, and he was loath to be caught in the shower when he got there.

Leaning forward on the bathroom counter, Aaron looked more closely at his eyes, examining the line Varis had drawn around them. He still couldn’t get over how big an effect it had. Absently he rubbed at one eye, frowning when the colour didn’t move. Hopefully it would wash off. As he stared at his eyes in the mirror, his mind flashed back to that poor mage girl’s eyes, sunken and burned and hellish and painful-looking.

He trained Vanessa here for us quite nicely...

Aaron felt his pulse quicken as a spike of fear shot through him. Good lord, what had happened to that girl? Had Varis done that to her? The Count had told him that he disapproved of physical punishment, that he used it only as a last resort, but he seemed content to drag Aaron around by the neck and slam him onto tables just for breaking rank. And that had just been what he was willing to do in public, in front of the Princess no less. What awaited him when Varis came home? He wouldn’t forget the bite in the Count’s voice, his grip around his throat, the enraged trembling of his hand… what more of his ire had Aaron drawn?

Can't even bother to remember three damn feet? Three feet! Pathetic.

Drawing a shaky breath, Aaron forced himself to turn away from the mirror, moving back into his room. He couldn’t think like that. He’d drive himself crazy. But the image kept working its way into his mind, as well as a million other awful possibilities. Repeatedly, he cursed himself for being so stupid. He hadn’t just screwed up, he hadn’t just broken rank, he had actually disobeyed his master. He had a clear instruction, and he ignored it, rushing to his aunt without thinking. He couldn’t even remember the last time he’d done something so foolish. But Dora’s wailing had troubled him so fiercely, and he’d been so worried and scared, in that moment he felt as if there was nothing else he could have done.

But that was no excuse, now, was it?

Try as he might to calm down and think of other things, all Aaron’s mind kept returning to were the endless possibilities of what would happen to him when the Count walked through that door. What should he do when Varis got back? Stand at attention and weather whatever was coming for him? Throw himself on his knees at the Count’s mercy? No, no what he would do was exactly what he was told, and hope against hope that there was some chance for redemption. Not that he deserved it. Good lord, Aaron was just as disgusted with himself as Varis probably was. Night two with a new master and he had already made a mess of it.

Pacing the floor, Aaron made himself leave his room, going through the rest of the house in search of something, anything, to occupy himself with. But everything was spotless, nothing out of place. He spun his ring like a madman, trying and failing to direct his thoughts elsewhere. But the anticipation was killing him; growing up he’d never been made to wait for a punishment, everything was swift and painful and over with immediately. Now, he didn’t even know how much time he had left to wait, imagination running wild, uncertainty driving him mad, jumping at every little sound thinking it was Varis home to finish what he’d started. Aaron’s heart thundered in his chest, waves of nausea washing over him, and he hadn’t even noticed how shallow his breathing had become until he started to get dizzy.

Forcing a few deep breaths, Aaron rushed back to the bathroom as another wave of nausea hit him, catching himself on the edge of the counter as he clenched his jaw, waiting for it to subside. When he looked back into the mirror he saw that he had gone pale, and spikes of golden light glowed under his skin along the branches of his veins, pulsing frantically with the urgent clip of his heart. Grimacing at his reflection, Aaron practically tore off his ring, and the bizarre light show under his skin subsided, leaving only a mess of a mundane man in the mirror.

Grasping at a moment of clarity, he glared at his reflection. This had to stop. If he kept up like this, he would pass out. He needed a distraction. Marching back into his room, Aaron sat on his bed, waiting a moment for the room to stop swimming before searching through his pillows for his phone. When the screen came to life, he saw he had a new message from Lilie, received sometime while he’d been out.

> Hey, um, your instructor is here? There's a lot of guards here outside as well. If I find out more I'll let you know, but I have no idea what's going on.

Aaron furrowed his brow at the message. Was that where Lucan had went?

> Hey, sorry, I just got home. Also, weird. Where is ‘here’?

Aaron didn’t have to wait long for a reply, phone buzzing in his hand as he laid back against his pillows, breathing beginning to slow now that he had something to figure out.

> In the cul-de-sac, but they're all gone now. Someone got arrested, the princess was here, too! I thought I was going to pass out Dx

Aaron’s eyebrows shot up, re-reading the message a few times. Lucan, guards and presumably Princess Nox in a cul-de-sac? With the Marivaldi dorm boarded up and talk of a rebel infiltrator? Lilie must have seen them taking care of the situation, and now the house was probably being investigated. But Lilie seemed none the wiser, and he didn’t want to scare her. The royal family probably wanted to keep the whole situation quiet anyway, lest people start to panic. The message did, however, give Aaron an idea.

> Oh, wow. Must have been a big deal. Freaky!
> Wait, what cul-de-sac? Where the noble dorms are?

---

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Interacting with: @Achronum

Hearing Ryan's words was like music to Joryldin's ears. His eyes brightened immediately.

"I guess I really did find the right place to be, then. I was terrified that nobody gave a damn how the dead and the living treated each other."

A wave of relief crashed over him. It might not have been the grand resistance and upheaval of vampiric rule that Joryldin's parents preached to him, but civilization was well past the point where violence could solve anything. If the students here cared enough to try and keep some peace and decency in their school, that was more than enough for him.

A bit of a jolt ran down the new-blood's spine. "Wipe your memory"? That didn't sound good! He quicly tried to reassure Ryan of his trustworthiness. "Don't worry! I won't tell a single soul outside these doors."

---

---

Interacting with: @Jade Blades

“I’m sure you are. You seem like a cool guy.” Ryan’s tone turned sympathetic. “Unfortunately, its not me you have to convince; Rowan has the final say on that on but I’m sure you’ll do great.” As if on cue, the lock on the front door clicked open and the door opened to a chorus of greetings. Ryan stood, gesturing for Joryldin.

“Yes, yes Declan. For the last time, you were right and I was wrong.” The voice sounded fondly exasperated as a woman wearing a black sleeveless victorian corset dress on top of a white silk shirt, left open to frame the gold and rubies at her neck. Black hair framed dark skin and fell straight down her back, stopping just beneath her shoulders. She paused in front of the TAs as a vampire in all red leather slipped into the other bedroom and something passed between them before Rowan turned on Joryldin. “A visitor. How nice.” Her voice much colder than when she enter, Rowan sent Evalyn an unamused look. “I thought we talked about bringing friends on work nights.” Evalyn shrugged sheepishly.

The TAs stood to flank her, their faces a poor imitation of neutrality. Kanalie looked rather amused while Alexander seemed irritated. The bedroom near them cracked open and a male vampire buttoned up his dress shirt sleeve emerged after a fast wardrobe change. He evaluated the room, shrugged, and dropped onto one of the couches, pulling out his phone and snapping pictures of the trio. Alexander shot him an exasperated look and Kanalie held back a laugh.

“Ryan, bring our guest here.” Rowan commanded. Ryan followed her command immediately, walking back out into the living room. “Welcome to our little group. I’m sure you understand why I’m not particularly pleased you’re here but we’ll make do. Tell me, what do you intend to do with what you’ve learned?”