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Hidden 4 yrs ago Post by Bert Macklin
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What? Nothing Lilie said made a lick of sense regardless of context. An aquatic cat turned rainbow tiger was preposterous enough without the sorry excuse of an explanation but Ben was also greatly concerned as to why she felt the need to follow it. His sense of time had been warped slightly by the numerous illusions but he was more than certain that their time was running out. If she was convinced it was a challenge, her action in following the mysterious creature was taking them off course. He would like to think the challenges were purely beneficial but without an accompanying riddle he could not see why this was the right decision.

The two did eventually come to a stop but Lilie's silence gave Ben anxiety. What if it's an illusion? Or worse, an opportunity from the practical to steer us away? Ben thought. Before he could express his urgency however what sounded like thunder cracked nearby. Normally that would have at least called for action but as he reached into empty pockets and had yet to have his sight restored, he realized he was useless. He strained his ears though the action was unnecessary; they were told to leave.

A small bump told him that Lilie had backed up into him and he saw it as good a sign as any. His touch was a little clumsy but he was certain he now held her by her shoulders. She was frightened; but why? There was little threat to what the voice said and his initial assumption was that it was an authority figure of sorts.

"Forgive us, we've lost our way," Ben said. "We assumed the creature had been part of the practical. We will leave quietly."

If this man posed any danger he would think of another plan. For now, diplomacy to clear up the confusion was first and foremost. He hoped his words were enough to clear up the confusion.
Hidden 4 yrs ago Post by Achronum
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“I serve the Princess. Turn around and complete your exam.” Was all the man said as he put himself between the grove and the pair. His stoic expression didn’t change the entire time but he stared unwavering at Lilie the entire time he spoke.

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Hidden 4 yrs ago Post by Hero
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Eris watched Max for a moment, almost as if he was waiting. His eyes were still sharp, but it wasn't unpleasant or accusatory. It was closer to curious than anything, but something seemed to click in his head. The blonde had to admit he liked what he was hearing--at least something positive was coming out of this cursed night--but he figured pushing it would just result in taking a few steps back. Instead, he chose to give his attention back to the television. For now, anyway.

"Lesson learned," He replied airily, leaving his phone next to him as he made himself comfortable on the couch. "Bien joué, little one. Now, I'm going to spend the rest of my night on this couch and watch my soap opera, Lady Anabelle is about to find out her husband isn't dead and is about to marry his older brother." He chuckled as he changed the channel. "It's so stupid, I love that people can come up with this crap."

He sank into the couch and propped himself up on a few pillows, watching the show with great interest.


Blah blah blahing with @Scribe of Thoth




They must have reached the border of the practical if one of the princess' workers was telling them to turn around. But the cat lead them here, there should have been a reason for that, right? Lilie was entirely confused and a little uneasy at how stern the man was. Maybe it was some sort of mistake? She did want to ask, but she had to admit she was definitely feeling her inner goodie-two-shoes kicking in with full force. Not like she could protest without getting them both in trouble--no way did she want to fail just because of something dumb like this!

Lilie slowly nodded, trying to look away from the man as she gingerly pried Ben's hands off her. "S-Sorry," She added, slowly looking at the man, but he didn't so much as move the entire time. Okay, time to go for sure. "Um...here, let me..." She turned Ben around first, still feeling the man's stare at the back of her head. She looked back timidly, regretting it and looking away immediately. Okay, she got the message, he didn't have to be so weird about it!

Once she was sure of the right direction, she cleared her throat. "This way, Count Eve," She took him by his sleeve and dragged him away, though she didn't learn her lesson as she looked back over her shoulder again. Geez, why was he just staring like that?!

Now that they were away from...all that, she let out a sigh. "Sorry about that, I thought I was onto something..." She apologized to Ben first. "I should've known better, even the tiger was a little scared as he walked towards the hut. Poor kitty...I feel so bad..."


Taking on the challenge with @Bert Macklin.
Hidden 4 yrs ago Post by Bert Macklin
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It would seem that the man was a servant of the princess. Ben presumed he meant Ryner but he wouldn't rule out a servant of Nox lingering around. There was no hostility to be found even if there was a persisting sternness. He was guarding something but with his lack of sight Ben couldn't take a guess at what specifically. A certain section of the forest that forbade students was possible but without knowing his surroundings he hadn't any other clues. However, a certain train of thought came to mind even if it was a stretch; Nithrexal had been a quiet whisper that left as suddenly as it came. That was certainly something to be guarded if that was the truth.

Alas, in his current condition it wouldn't bode well to press against any resistance. However much he desired to explore he was still bound by the spell and with a regretfully skittish mage. He was going to have to make sure Lilie described the area in as much detail as possible. Even if it turned out to be unrelated to what his father had bid him find it could possibly still lead to something. Any semblance of progress would do at this point. For now, I can use this if Father decides to ask for a report on any findings, He thought.

Ben frowned at Lilie's words as she spoke of the creature. What a gentle soul, feeling pity for something that was likely fabricated to begin with. "It has been a long night for both of us, physically and mentally. It's best we take what we can get and leave," Ben said. "The 'kitty' was likely magic used to deter us from our goal. There isn't any need to feel pity for something created to purposefully lead us astray. For now, hone your memory so that we may leave."
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Hidden 4 yrs ago 4 yrs ago Post by Obscene Symphony
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Maybe he was right, but that didn't mean she felt good about it. Lilie frowned to herself as she looked around for any hint or clues, but she felt distracted by that man’s stare. Why was he looking at her like that, anyway? It was an honest mistake! And now that poor kitty was gone. If they had just hit a border then he should have just shooed them away!

As tempting as it was to try to go back and walk around, even now she was having trouble keeping up the spell. The all too familiar tearing was starting up, and as she wiped her eyes, she figured it was best to cut their losses. She was so disappointed in herself, they maybe could have gotten one last challenge in, or maybe even had completed this one if she hadn't lost focus or knew more or something.

Taking in a deep breath, she made sure to concentrate before firing up the spell again. Fortunately a nearby symbol caught her attention and she noticed that the kitty had led them amongst the underbrush--just like the clue had told them. She deflated a little at the realization, but she did notice it did take them another way. Maybe Ben was right.

For now, she focused more on getting them out. It wasn’t until then that she realized how weirdly tired she was. She didn’t just feel tired physically--though she could really just collapse into a bed right now--but she felt like she was somehow drained mentally, too. Was this what it felt like to exhaust her magic reserves? Well, not really exhaust, but considering how it was a struggle to keep it up, it was pretty close.

Luckily they made it out to a very familiar and kind face. Princess Ryner seemed happy to see them, but Lilie couldn’t really feel accomplished or relieved. She felt like she should’ve done better, feeling a little ashamed and finding it hard to be as enthusiastic as usual. At the very least she did force a smile, feeling like if she was too down it’d probably send the wrong message.

There was no greater feeling in the world than being greeted with sight after such a long period of blindness. The darkness faded and were he not a gentleman with dignity he would have cried as soon as they had stepped into the clearing. The relief was immediate and he was all too grateful to be greeted warmly by Her Highness. In any other circumstance he would have reveled in the chance to have a full length conversation, however, his mage’s lack of enthusiasm clued him in that she was probably tired from the ordeal.

After politely excusing them and wishing her a pleasant evening, the pair walked where instructed to leave the spoils of their travels and then entered the car to be whisked away to their dorms. Ben barely muffled a groan of relief as he was all too happy to be off his feet. There was a small ‘tsk’ of disappointment as he looked himself over and noticed the many nicks and tears in his clothing followed by a small shake of his head. Fortunately clothes could be replaced.

Ben looked over to Lilie but paused at her pensive expression. His frown matched hers for a moment as he inspected her. There were a few scratches and her clothes had also seen better days.

“It won’t be long until we arrive. Fret not, we can see to your injuries and replace anything too torn,” Ben said.

Lilie had left everything they had picked up, but she had to admit she was gonna miss the little warm heart stone. She was tempted to ask if she could keep it, but decided not to, instead following Ben to the cars that would take them back to their dorm. She held onto the thermos Salem had given her, wishing she could drink some, but it was probably cold by now. She’d have to thank him again for it.

Sliding into her seat, she chose to stare out the window. The practical had been a lot harder than she thought it was going to be. Magic was a lot harder than she thought it would be! At least they would pass since they managed to get out before the time limit, but she was definitely going to have to change things up going forward. More studying, more practicing...she needed to get a better handle on her affinity, too.

Ben’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts, and she gave him a sheepish nod. Fortunately her boots were okay, but her tights and coat had definitely seen better days. As she smoothed it out, she noticed a bruise on her hand that she hadn’t seen before. She wasn’t too surprised to see it, but it did remind her of something.

Lilie looked at Ben, frowning. “Oh, yeah, I’m okay, no need to worry,” She assured him, pausing for a second. He looked like he was back to his usual self, but she felt like she should check on him, too. “Um...how about you? You seemed really shaken back there.”

Ben had almost let the incident in question slip his mind. Personally he would have much rather put the entire ordeal behind them. There were a few concerns he would have liked to address privately but seeing Delia was not something he was eager to speak of. He did not hide his past but he did not like to speak on his greatest failure. His reluctance aside, this was an opportunity to reveal his motivations. There was also the possibility that she would hear it elsewhere.

“The young lady you had seen chained was a mage I met in boyhood. Her name was Delia Mallory and she served under one of my father’s vassals as his tertiary mage,” Ben said. “She had an uncanny ability to steer a conversation in any direction she wished and was more than happy to occupy my time at my father’s request. Her master, however, was not nearly so kind to her or those who served him.”

“Today was the first time I had seen the bruises on her arms and legs, ones I had known were always there; Delia always wore modest clothing to hide what the duke had done, but she struggled to hide the marks on her neck. No matter how many times I asked she would not confirm and would instead drive my attention elsewhere. I was young, inexperienced, and gullible, believing that so long as I could keep an eye on her, she would be safe. I mistakenly assumed that because she did not make an issue of it that I had overplayed the situation as it was common to see the odd injury here and there from numerous servants from nearly every vampire I had met. She had successfully convinced me that there was no problem despite her injuries and despite the ever so small flinch anytime the duke raised his hand. Were I wiser I would have traded for her purely for her ability to deceive.”

“Alas I was wrong. In hindsight I now realize the violence escalated because of my inquiries. I believe he had a sick pleasure of knowing I was right and enjoyed watching Delia do her best to convince me to doubt reality. Biased, yes, but I cannot think of any other explanation. He favored injuring her neck and eventually she died of a tracheobronchial injury: a crushed windpipe due to an extraordinary amount of pressure on the neck. His initial claim that it was an accident was as obvious a lie as any and I swore I would see justice. I took every bit of evidence I could get my hands on, gathered as many testimonials as I could manage, and brought him before the Council. I ‘won’.”


Lilie listened patiently as Ben talked--honestly, she wasn’t expecting him to open up about it. If they met when he was a kid, then she was probably long gone. She didn’t have to dwell on that for too long as he continued, her expression going from politely curious to somewhat horrified. It was like hearing her biggest fears coming true, and she had to admit it did scare her a little knowing it happened while Ben was around.

Well, he wasn’t really in a position of power like now? He was a kid, so it wasn’t like he could really do anything about it. It was still really sad to hear, though, especially since it was like she didn’t want to be helped. But that couldn’t be true, right?

She raised her eyebrows as she caught the way he mentioned his victory. “You…’won’?” She repeated slowly. “What do you mean? If you won, then that means that the guy paid for what he did, right?”

The hollow look in his eyes was something Ben could not easily hide. In the back of his mind he did realize he was a little too open at the moment. Still, he pressed on. “Officially, yes. The Council ruled in my favor and Duke Gerthin was to pay a fine for the destruction of property and loss of a mage life. A fine he paid in five years so he could sequester more funding for his dam. The ordeal was all but forgotten at that point and I was shamed for bringing it up to the officials. My father in particular was less than pleased to learn his son had pressed charges against one of his own vassals. Were it not for my mother, I am sure I would have been punished extraneously.”

“What?!” Lilie couldn’t stop herself from blurting out her shock. He did the right thing and he was still punished?! “Wouldn’t your dad be happy to know he had such a cruel person under him? It’s--Someone died. That has to mean something, right?” She asked, shaking her head. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing right now, a tiny, terrified part of her realizing that this was literally the house she was going to be serving from now on. She looked at Ben nervously, waiting for his response.

The silence that followed was deafening. Ben need not speak anymore on the subject but it was clear Lilie wanted him to say something. He would not fill her head with empty promises and honeyed words that could be used against him if the worst would happen. It would be too cruel to do so. Even as the thought crossed his mind he still struggled to find what to say.

It was only after a pregnant pause that he continued, “It meant Duke Gerthin was callous with his mages and my father would send those he deemed unworthy his way while keeping any he valued close to him. Otherwise it meant nothing. Delia’s death was simply something that happened. I can’t tell you that she is the last mage to have died under his care, either, but I have been expressly forbidden from embarrassing my father in that avenue any longer. I keep to my business and he to his. That is simply how it is done in Pierce Devan Eve’s Branch.”

The car came to a halt afterwards and Ben opened the door without waiting. He apologized to the driver and walked to the dorm. He did not realize this conversation would make him feel so tender. No, it was only because he was faced with seeing her face perfectly recreated, plucked directly from his memories. He thought at this point in time that wound would have healed.

In his haste, however, he did realize Lilie was expecting more out of the conversation. Reassurance, most likely. He did not believe she would attract anyone’s attention except for a point of mockery, but he couldn’t promise anything. Not yet.

“As long as you are under my care, I will do what I can to keep you safe. You needn’t worry about my problems; they are purely my own. Since my mother’s death I have done my best to remain quiet about my beliefs. So long as you keep your head down, we can minimize any chance of danger,” Ben said.

It was like a giant weight was pressing against her chest after Ben basically confirmed exactly what she was thinking. Oh boy. Lilie stared at him, watching as he just left the car. Once she was alone, she couldn’t help but hold her head in her hands for a second. She wasn’t sure why she was surprised--this was her life now.

Hearing the car door open, she straightened up, thanking the driver as he helped her out. She felt like she was going to throw up, but she made sure to take several deep breaths before following Ben inside. She was ready to head straight to her room to cry when he talked to her again. Well, at least he wasn’t going to go throw her to the wolves, so that was good.

Lilie nodded, rubbing her arm as she noticed just how upset he was. Ben! Upset! She was seriously considering that he was a robot with how he barely had any emotion, but that entire situation with Delia looked like it really bothered him. She wished she knew what to say to him about it, but honestly, she was still pretty much in shock over the whole thing. “...I think you did the right thing. I’m sure she would have been happy to hear you tried to do justice for her,” She tried to comfort him. “Even if you feel like it did nothing, I’m sure you’ve saved a lot of people without knowing it. Maybe your family doesn’t appreciate it, but someone could have.”

Ben was always convinced Lilie’s virtuous traits were less of a boon and more of a source of worry, but hearing such sweet, sincere words coming from someone who had no reason to lie was refreshing. He would battle his guilt on his own as far be it from him to ask anyone to shoulder his burdens, but this helped.

“I hope so,” Ben said. “I’m retiring to my room. Have a pleasant evening, Lilie.”

The white haired girl nodded again, deciding that she’d have a nice, warm bath. Once she started the water, she let her thoughts buzz around for a second. She really did wish she could do more, but even now she felt so helpless. Letting out a long sigh, she peeled off her clothes before nestling in the tub, another sigh of relief escaping her. For now, she was just going to relax--tomorrow, she’d start improving herself.


Finishing the practical with @Bert Macklin.
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Hidden 4 yrs ago Post by WeepingLiberty
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Amaris Marivaldi

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Right, non-violent.” Amaris repeated back as her fingers absently brushed at the memory of a cut on her face. It had long since faded by this point with nothing to prove it had ever existed aside from a text she was bound to share with no one. The Countess looked back at the board and shook her head.

Technically, any face on that card is on this board but the House wouldn’t go so far as to cheat us like that, now would they?” She shot a glance at the dealer before returning to her partner. “Perhaps no longer being bound by blood has something to do with her family. After all, she couldn’t be too attached if she’s allowing her ‘brood’ to destroy that which is her own kin. But what gets me is the blind friendship to Lady Sinnenodel of all people. Most of the people on this board know better than to take their eyes off of the snakes let alone get close with their Lady. Not to mention, Lady Sinnenodel might be many things but she is no fool. Betraying a Noila in any capacity rarely serves one’s best interests.
Hidden 4 yrs ago Post by Scribe of Thoth
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Huh. Max expected more from that. Maybe not Eris demanding an explanation but at least a snide comment or two. He just... conceded. Max must've put the leech in check more skillfully than he thought. Sure, he was abrasive and hardly proactive at the chickenshit political games vampires play at all the time, but Eris had to have known from the moment he stepped in the door in a hoodie that Max fully intended to topple Eris' entire house of cards that day. The mischief didn't just end the moment Eris was out of sight and Max was alone with the favorite pet.

This guy was definitely not as crafty as he thought he was, in any case.

"That sounds awful. You have fun," Max dismissively muttered as he paced back to his room. Even Eris' taste in bad TV was quintessentially Eris. Instructional manuals on mage rearing were more Max's speed - especially the ones written by well-meaning but ultimately patronizing 'activists' who hadn't yet managed to differentiate mages from poodles. Then again, Eris probably ranked his dog and his mages on the same level anyway, so he wouldn't get the humor. Nobody got the humor around here. He didn't talk to anyone enough to even know if they'd get it except Aaron. What the fuck, was the Retriever really his best friend now? He didn't even like that guy.

Max flopped face down on his bed with a groan, letting the muffled sounds of Lady Anabelle's unconvincing acting from the other room drown out his thoughts. It didn't work. Was this how workaholics like Ismene formed? High society was so insufferable and full of backstabbers that a mage had to simply bury themselves in their work to distract from the boredom? He'd assumed the tedium of secretarial work was just as bad, but he wasn't even out of school yet and Eris already had him wrapped up in the nobility's literal mind game. Explained why the leech took his loss so gracefully back there; he was probably weighing the benefits of bossing around an uncooperative asshole that had some drive against some easily-managed basket case and decided it was easier to trick a wolf to serve than train a sheep to hunt. Now he'd even spoiled his own victory. Great.


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Hidden 4 yrs ago 4 yrs ago Post by Scribe of Thoth
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Hidden 4 yrs ago Post by Obscene Symphony
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All things considered, the group’s reaction was actually better than Aaron was expecting. Awkward silence and discomfort was something he was intimately familiar with, so the expected hush and strange looks actually relaxed him rather than set him on edge. Given the stigma against the Mental faculty, he’d half-expected them to ask him to leave (or worse) as soon as the admission left his mouth, so as far as he was concerned, he was in the good.

He chuckled at Diego’s comment, taking a sip of his tea. “A whole fuck ton of trouble” was certainly one way of putting it. His decision alone had caused him enough trouble with Varis already, and if Hannah was to be believed, that was just the merest tip of the iceberg. “No, no, he’s not wrong,” he commented to Lilith, setting down his glass with a friendly grin.

“I’ve heard… something like that,” he continued, directing his attention to Alexander. He put on a pensive face, considering his answer. He certainly wasn’t about to spill his actual reasons to a group of perfect strangers, but he didn’t expect them to believe he did it for the hell of it either—unless he wanted to start up a new rumour of him as some sort of devil-may-care thrill seeker like Hannah. Ha.

Luckily, being a Sinnenodel had its perks. “It seemed like the best option to me,” he answered cooly, flicking his earring for emphasis. “We all know the Sinnenodels like their mind games, so Mental magic was the next logical step. It never hurts to get an edge.”

His reasoning was received well enough; Hilda was still a little squeamish, but Lilith apparently appreciated Aaron’s forward thinking and the rest of the group didn’t have much negative to say. In fact, despite his major choice, they continued to receive him well, doing their best to include him in their banter and even going so far as to invite him to a group chat. Aaron was a little apprehensive, but luckily it was just a regular old digital chat, no brain-connecting involved. He’d probably keep it muted and just check in from time to time, but he had to admit it was kind of nice to be included.

The evening continued at its lively pace, and to his complete surprise, by the time his curfew alarm went off Aaron was actually a little sad to leave. The group was also sad to see him go, earning him a few indignant “boos” when he stood to leave, but one mention of Varis was all it took for them to let him go unmolested. He left them with a friendly wave and a promise to keep in touch, setting off for his dorm with a new spring in his step.

He had to smile. Somehow, the visit he’d one-hundred percent expected to end in utter humiliation had somehow managed to elevate his mood even beyond his little tussle with Ralph: so much so that once again, he even caught himself humming. Twice in one night, that was unheard of! So much so, in fact, that he started to wonder what on earth was so stuck in his head that he was compelled to hum it.

Now that he was conscious of it, it took a moment for the exact melody to come back to him, but he got it after a few tries, listening carefully to his own song for anything recognizable. It was painfully familiar—or was it nostalgic?—but the name continued to elude him, forcing him to wrack his brain for several more minutes before it finally occurred to him. It was the music that was playing from Dawn in his trial with Max!

No, wait, that wasn’t right; at least, not completely. It sounded like it, sure—a tune Ryner often hummed as she worked—but it was too complex. Ryner’s tune was a very simple melody, nothing much complicated going on, but whatever he was humming had more to it than that. Stranger still, he could pick out bits and pieces of Ryner’s tune in the one he was humming. In fact, the more he listened, the more it sounded like a harmony of Ryner’s tune and… something else.

It was a small thing, and probably stupid, but it stuck in Aaron’s mind all the way back to the dorm, and even after Varis dismissed him for the evening. With nothing else to do and a bit of time to kill, he pulled out his cello and a notebook and quietly plucked the tune, drawing out a quick set of staff marks to record the notes. Once the melody was complete on paper, he scratched out the notes he knew to belong to Ryner’s tune, leaving only the harmony line.

The first time he plucked it, it sounded strange. But the more he tried it, tweaking the tempo a bit, the more and more familiar it became. Or, maybe familiar wasn’t the right word; it was more like it struck him with the strangest sense of deja vu, carrying a weird and eclectic atmosphere along with it. It felt like a memory at the edge of his mind, on the tip of his tongue, and if he closed his eyes he could just barely picture the scene it came from…

When he opened his eyes he was in another room, warmly lit with stone walls and low ceilings. Lined up were fourteen blank sarcophagi—wait, he hadn’t counted—but for some reason, he was not alarmed. The soft notes of a distant piano did wonders to calm him.

The music ground to a halt as Aaron’s hand gripped the neck of his cello, eyes flying open in shocked realization. That was it! It had been hazy before, but now it was clear as day: the harmony of whatever he was humming was the piano music from that strange room he’d seen at the end of Lady Sinnenodel’s little jaunt inside his head. But that tune harmonized with Ryner’s? That was strange; had the piano from his ordeal with his Lady been a construction of his own mind? He’d never been much good at composing, but it was simple enough; maybe Lady Sinnenodel had pulled the harmony out of some deep recess of his mind where he’d constructed it from the song he was so used to hearing Ryner sing.

Either way, with his curiosity sated—and a little more thoroughly than he would have liked—he decided to put the cello away and call it a day. He’d had more than enough strangeness for one night.
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December 7th, 4:55am - The Sinnenodel Dorm





The night before Varis’ soiree was a hectic nightmare. He swore that everything that could go wrong did. Art he was having delivered specifically for the event was delayed, the crystal blood glasses he demanded come from his personal collection were the wrong ones, the Academy still hadn’t delivered the extra chair and side table (he blamed Ryner through and through), the boy’s clothes had to have been sent back because they were slightly off and they were supposed to come in literally hours before the party now, and he couldn’t find the damn ring he wanted to wear for the evening. He’d already written the school and excused Aaron and himself from Friday’s courses―excluding Treaty Law because that blind Noila wasn’t undoing all the hard work he’d done so far―so they could spend the entire night and early morning getting everything set up as they rolled in.

And he was glad he did because of course the Academy’s hired idiots almost ran the boy’s bathroom door through one of his original Nianarh paintings. He’d never been so close to killing someone in his life. Then, because Malek was indisposed handling another order of business, the shipping company that overnighted the proper crystal blood glasses was two seconds away from tossing his package on the doorstep but thankfully, he moved faster than a butterfingered mortal and he’d sent the moron back to his truck in tears. Getting the boy to look presentable was an ordeal in and of itself. It wasn’t the clothes. No, black made him almost look like a proper show mage but it was the accessories and the hair and the make up. He thought the boy could handle it himself but after a quick look at the end, Varis had to redo everything. Fixing the tie clip, fixing the watch on the boy’s wrist, completely redoing his face, the tie was sloppy, etc. It was never ending and it resulted in a session just like the night of his Lady’s visit: fully involved in every step.

But finally, finally, everything was done. Each chair had a portrait of a notable member of their house behind them from his own collection: Tennra Eve caught in the passion of her writing, Perion Astorio decapitating the traitor Donovan on the battlefield, Ralmevik Marivaldi dictating to a mage at a desk, Lady Sinnenodel because that was the only Sinnenodel worth of display in his presence, and Eris walking through the gates of Varis’ castle from a picture he liked on the security cameras Malek insisted they install. The Eve, Astorio, and Marivaldi pictures were selected just to irritate his guests. Tennra writing Varis’ favorite book on the natural inferiority of mages and humans, Perion to remind Victor what his Lord does to fake Astorios, and Ralmevik for the obvious sadistic fun. Eris’portriat had been made as a present to the actor several years ago but Varis had liked it enough that he kept it himself. And of course, Lady Sinnenodel above the seat of honor as the most important of the lot. Not that it would stay that way but he’d let her enjoy her ivory tower for now.

The sitting room was outfitted with dark leather chairs and rich cloth draped over the side tables with gold embroidery along the edges. He decided to keep with a simpler, older look, adding in an antique record player in the corner with an pleasant orchestration on the record, perfect for adding just a touch of background noise. Modern sound quality was fantastic and usually preferred for formal gathering when live music wasn’t an option but every one of these vampires were about his age. He specifically chose music from their childhood years, wanting to add just a touch of warm nostalgia to the room. The boy would have to crank it every record but that was the price you paid for ambiance.

And it would be good practice. Depending on how things worked out, Varis may well be destined to suffer through the boy’s presence as a show mage for the rest of his pathetically short life. He’d need to learn how to balance when to be seen and when to fade into the background. It would probably take a decade of work before he was capable of being able to do that without magic but Varis was very much a proponent of using whatever tool necessary to get the job done so he couldn’t fault the boy for that. Yet.

He’d figure out a way.

By the time Varis was satisfied with all his fussing, it was just about time for guests to arrive. He gave himself and Aaron one last look over. Both of them were dressed in matching suits, monochrome black for the most part and a rougher shirt to depth to the outfit. Aaron had a few gold accessories―a gold stud and chain ear cuff in place of the usual Sinnenodel crest, a gold ring, and a tie clip―but his hair offset the outfit well enough. Which he managed to tame into purposefully disheveled and left the ear with the earring visible. Not that it would help with his cardboard personality but every little bit helped, he supposed.

“Listen closely, boy. Tonight is your chance to prove that you aren’t as incompitent as I believe. It’s your first run as a proper, mostly proper, show mage and I will be taking notes.”Varis explained as he adjusted Aaron’s tie for the fifth time that night. “You know your job. Answer the door, invite vampires into the parlor, show the mages to the living room, and then retire for two minutes to organize the mages for their performances. Eve, Marivaldi, Eris, Astorio, you―that’s the order. Then, crank the phonograph and ready the blood. The colored crystal is for the cleanser, the clear for the tastings, and do not forget the tags I had you write out. I haven’t thought of a punishment yet but I can guarantee you, it’ll make everything else seem down right pleasant.” Varis went over the night for the millionth time this week as he fiddled with this and that on the boy. While Varis was, begrudgingly, sure he wouldn’t mess up on the technical details, Varis was more concerned about the role he needed the boy to play.

“And for the love of our Lady, do not put on that damn cut out smile you wear when you’re uncomfortable. A court mask is all fine and dandy but tonight your job is to be sweet. Charming. Interesting. Give them a real smile, figure out what they want to see, and be that. I want them head over heels for you in those brief moments.” Varis demanded, finally satisfied with Aaron’s appearance. It would be a touch of overkill, he knew, but he needed that sympathy for the boy at its height. He had a goal tonight and he needed as much ill will as he could get to make it all fall together. Flaunting the boy in the mage sympathists face would go a long way.

Which is exactly why they matched. Varis wore the same style suit, the same style tie, the same style shirt, but he boasted less gold. The only accessory they shared was the tie clip, a break for the eye, but Varis had even worn an earring on the same ear as Aaron: a diamond shaped onyx teardrop instead. If everything worked out, the big bad Sinnenodel would be exactly where he needed to be. He pulled out his pocket watch, the only silver on his person, and popped it open. Five minutes.

“Questions now or keep your tongue in your head.” Varis snapped the watch shut and tucked it away again.
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Aaron, for once, was not a mess.

Stars knew why. By all accounts he should have been; that “delicate balance of order and chaos” Malek had described had been on full display for nights leading up to this moment, and he’d spent the whole time thoroughly swept up in it. Varis had him working like a dog, doing everything from writing out bottle tags fifty-two times until they were perfect, to cleaning the dorm until his hands cracked, and of course, no small amount of heavy lifting. The importance of this soiree had been all but beaten into his head for a week, and he’d been told in no uncertain terms that his performance tonight was tantamount to a matter of life and death. On top of that, deliveries were late or incorrect, the tailor had screwed up his fitting, and he’d almost been witness to the world’s first ever instance of a vampiric aneurysm when a deliveryman nearly nicked one of Varis’ paintings on the way to reinstall Aaron’s bathroom door. What was a well-coordinated dance back at Noila Castle was a hurricane in the Sinnenodel dorm, and though he’d never admit it, it was clear that Varis was teetering on the razor’s edge of containing it.

If anything, Varis was the eye of the storm. For all his tricks and mind games, the Count was an easy read when he was stressed, and the past few nights might as well have been a textbook demonstration. He checked off all the boxes; from simultaneously lamenting his lack of time and involving himself principally in every little task, to stinging Aaron’s ear with more insults than the mage could even remember, and of course, letting his perfectionism evolve from quirk to obsession, he was more a wreck than Aaron had ever seen him. After everything else he’d plucked through with a fine toothed comb, Aaron didn’t even bother beating himself up over the tantrum Varis threw over his appearance; every fault he found was either imperceptible or nonexistent, and Aaron had long since accepted that it was best to just quietly comply and let Varis go through his motions.

That wasn’t to say Aaron didn’t have his fair share of things to worry about. On the contrary; even beyond everything Varis had him doing, he had several of his own hurdles to jump. Notably, the piece he was set to perform at the party had been given to him that evening, and after a single nerve-wracking sight read in front of Varis, he’d only been given a scant hour between all their other preparations to get the piece ready to perform.

As well, he’d been stretched especially thin as of late, and not just because of the party. Alongside the increased intensity of his physical training and the added pressure of being Count Varis’ last line of defence against assassination, Malek had spent the month getting more and more creative with his little “awareness game”. He couldn’t be happy with just interrupting Aaron’s sleep with that awful little alarm clock trick; no, he had to mix it up every time by spawning the damn thing into his dorm at different times of day, in increasingly tricky locations, and on shorter and shorter timers to boot. Aaron was so wired from the exercise that it took him ages to fall asleep when he went to bed, and even when he did finally succumb to exhaustion, every little noise would jolt him awake again. Oh, but worse than all of it were the nights Malek didn’t send a clock. No, those nights the tension in his chest never got a chance to release, and he’d just drift anxiously in and out of half-sleep with no catharsis until 6pm rolled around and he was forced to face this rest of his night even more uneasy than he usually was. For a blessing, Malek had agreed to leave him be for the past few nights so he could finally get some rest in preparation for the party, but Aaron still had some impressive dark circles hiding under his concealer.

Yet, despite it all, Aaron Starag was not a mess.

Quite the opposite, in fact. He’d spent the night eerily calm, taking his tasks as they came with no time wasted deliberating or agonizing over whether he’d manage to somehow fuck them up. He had a solid plan in his head to perform his cello piece (it involved a little bit of simplification, yes, but it ensured he wouldn’t make a mistake and no one who wasn’t intimately familiar with the piece would be able to tell the difference), the order of the night’s events were competing with some of his lines for the title of "most deeply tattooed into his brain", and above all, he was focused. He wasn’t bothered by the new earring gripping his ear, the new ring in addition to his usual one, or even Varis’ incessant poking and prodding. He was so far beyond stressed that he’d moved into tranquility; there was so much to worry about that he didn’t even bother trying to run through it all. There was too much riding on this to melt into a trembling mess. He was calm and focused because there was simply no other option.

For once, Aaron Starag knew what he was doing.

So, when Varis finished his briefing, he simply bowed smoothly in acknowledgement, having nothing more to ask. It was too late now to be clearing up uncertainty, not that he could think of any. If he came across an issue, he’d just have to think on his feet. Otherwise, it was time to rely on his training (serving a party being some of the only worthwhile training the Noilas had given him, fortunately), get excited, and put on a good show.
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