Bert Macklin

Of Blood and Magic

The soft laughter had done much to assure Ben that he was, in fact, in the right place. It seemed callous to place distrust in the academy's mages, but his wariness and discomfort was nearing his limit. He stood to his full height as she took his hand off her head, although he wasn't sure how he felt about Lilie picking up on his doubt. Without his sight, he wasn't nearly as aware as he should be of his surroundings and naively assumed it would be the same for everyone else. Fortunately she took his mistake in stride and he shared a laugh with her. At the very least one of them was getting some enjoyment out of this!

Afterwards he noticed Lilie's quiet response. Perhaps her nerves were getting the best of her, he thought. No matter, come hell or high water, he would encourage her. He raised their hands up slightly, as he stared at the spot where he hoped her head was. "Worry not. The fruits of your labor will ensure your success," Ben said.

He patted her hand (after a few missed attempts) in comfort as he overheard a female voice next to them. A countess was mentioned along with Lilie and Aaron Starag—it seemed that fate favored him today. Her voice came from his right, and she mentioned that Aaron was one spot over, which meant the young man was on his left. He turned his body slightly and stopped when he realized he had no way to tell where exactly he or anyone else around him was.

No matter, well wishes were best carried by words. "Best of luck to you, Mr. Starag," Ben said before turning back to Lilie and raising his voice. "And to everyone else as well. We are in your capable hands."

Of Blood and Magic

He seems awfully ruffled all things considered, Ben thought as he watched Eris saunter ahead. He supposed that his rant was sufficient enough to be considered a victory, or at the very least he hoped so as he had stopped paying too much attention after he decided to infantilize him. How utterly comical, the idea of two grown vampires holding hands without any romance between them while being introduced. Which was funnier to him, that or the flipped narrative of Eris defending his mage? He did chuckle once he was sure he could get away with it, albeit he did notice one or two odd stares here and there. There would be those that would seek to defend the hackneyed actor—now that the thought crossed his mind, he supposed he should probably see a sample of the acting before dismissing it entirely—and Ben chose to keep quiet.

He followed Eris to the lines and broke away to one of the shorter ones; people were understandably still hesitant. He had his own reservations, but Her Highness made it clear that there was no escape. And if Varis Sinnenodel could bare with it then he would follow suit.

Ben gave the mage a smile and nod of approval. "Whenever you are ready," He said.

Initially he made the attempt to pocket the necklace given to him, but putting it in his pocket wasn't recommended. He took the mage's words to heart and slung it around his neck as the mage uttered the needed words. His vision blurred and then darkened considerably as if every single light was flickered off. I really don't like this, He confirmed his initial thought as he was lead away, uncertainty dominating his every step. The disorientation did absolutely nothing to alleviate his worries, either.

Having to rely on Lilie like this is going to age me another half-century, Ben sighed inwardly.

The mage informed him that they had arrived. Once he was released, he instantly tried to reach for something. His hand touched something soft at first, his fingers dragging slightly and feeling something sticky. What in the world had he touched? His other fingers could feel flesh, oddly enough, and it took him far longer than it should have to realize he was groping someone's face. He raised his hand upwards, soft locks meeting his touch, and he rested his head on top of a head. Or so he hoped.

"This is extremely disorienting and uncomfortable," He voiced his disproval with a hint of an apologetic tone. "What is this stickiness I feel?" He asked hesitantly.

Of Blood and Magic

Ben predicted that Eris would get to his wardrobe; only the timing was surprising. Of course, he had no idea what he was talking about nor did he know of any Thomas A. Andersons—although the tame name painted him as some sort of office programmer—but he wasn't going to concern himself. The coat was more of a comfort item and a remnant of getting dressed by another for decades during the colder seasons, and if he was being honest, it made him feel confident. That particular tidbit would not be shared to the actor who would undoubtedly mock him for it, but instead he would swat his hand away from his person.

"I was politely listening to your poor lie about your relationship with your mage," Ben said. "But seeing as how it is time to gather, I believe we have no further need for any more conversing. Unless you can think of a better lie than that; I find time does reward us with the words we wish we had said. Nonetheless, the best of luck to you and Mr. Alderman...I hope a nice bath awaits you at your dorm once this is all said and done."

He stood tall and satisfied as he made to leave. He stopped, however, as a particularly amusing opportunity crossed his mind as the princess spoke. Eris would most likely have a spring in his step until he was out of sight, and he did briefly consider that he was going a little too far, but seeing Eris act his cold, stone heart out was too good to pass up. Ben turned back to Eris once the speakers were finished and gave him a polite smile.

"Shall we?" He asked as he gestured with one hand to the lines.

Of Blood and Magic

Ben could honestly say that Eris had set a new record for him: this was the fastest time he had regretted engaging with someone. He couldn't decide which moment he disliked more and appreciated none of it. He was honestly more annoyed than bothered, but there was the satisfaction of knowing he must have touched a nerve with the actor to have so much effort spent on him. He would have to address the issue of who Lilie chose to confide in sooner than later, but he had to admit there was the strangest eagerness to continue this asinine conversation. Now to properly dissect the messy yet charming insult.

Ben started with, "Your concern is appreciated but unneeded. The relationship between Miss Dionne and myself is a positive one, so you needn't worry yourself unless you're trying to tell me you've taken an interest," He said calmly. "I can't say I'm entirely surprised with your interest in fornication, I'm sure sleeping your way to the top is common in your industry."

Seeing as he very much believed in tit-for-tat and utilizing what little information he had, he continued, "But how rude of me, you went out of your way to ask how I was, and I didn't get to ask the same. Forgive me, truly, you have my humblest apologies. It must be so difficult to have absolutely no respect from your own mage." He distinctly remembered Mr. Alderman's bare interactions with the actor whenever he did see the pair together. "Think he'll tank the practical out of spite? I would like to think he cares about his grades, but you have to admit, this is a prime opportunity for him to enact any sense of vengeance and exercise what little power he has over you. You must have been quaking in your boots when you first heard about all this...but judging by the absolutely defeated expression you bore on the bus ride here, I'd wager you had a good cry in the shower instead."

He reached over and gave him a reassuring pat along with a smile. "You have my sincerest condolences. How are you feeling?" He asked.

Of Blood and Magic

The bump registered right away with an apology on the tip of his tongue, although for the first time in his life, Ben actively held back on a sincere apology. Of all the students attending, why in the world did it have to be the self-centered spotlight-garbling—

"My name is not Benson. It's Benjamin," First things first, that correction needed to be established. How in the world Eris got Benson instead of the easy-to-remember Benjamin was beyond him. Of course, by engaging in the correction, he had unintentionally made the poor decision of engaging Eris. If their first conversation was any indication than this was going to be brief but painful. No matter, he has dealt with worse from much more important people. Were he unable to deal with a diva then he didn't deserve the count title.

That said, Ben didn't want to cause a commotion—Count Sinnenodel was doing enough in embarrassing the nobility as it is, had he no shame in throwing a public tantrum in front of Her Highness?—and so opted for a friendlier conversation. Eris wanted to know why he was nervous, as if he cared, so Ben could indulge him. "Any hinderance to the senses for such a time would shake anyone. It clearly has an effect on even the most stubborn," He said as the count's tantrum finally came to a close. "All we can do is believe in our mages and their abilities." No matter how small and fragile they may be.

Of Blood and Magic

I do not like this, had been the first thought that had come to mind once the details of the practical had come to light. The initial thrill of getting to participate and get up close and personal to his mage's prowess had hurriedly been overcome by both shock and dread once the finer details had been revealed. Ben was more than happy to offer any and every assistance he could muster; if it would help Lilie with her studies, he would provide her with the finest in the realm no matter what the cost. That thought and all its good intentions backfired spectacularly, however, as he did not realize that having that sentiment was dangerous, especially if the 'no matter what' portion included paying the price of his own vulnerability.

The thought was a touch dramatic, sure, but after the reveal of what had happened during the first night of the Revel, his concern suddenly didn't seem so farfetched. Were he completely honest, he would have to admit there was an additional worry that had recently revealed itself: Lilie had put some distance between them. He naively thought they had made genuine progress, and she remained ever polite and they had yet to argue again, but something had changed. If he only knew what he had done to cause her to erect a wall between them, but there had scarce been any time to properly ask. In a sense he supposed the practical was one way to get them alone long enough to ask, but he wouldn't blame her if she was unwilling to talk. After all, she had to focus on her task.

And that led to his personal discomfort. He could be surrounded by a hundred guards with a hundred mages and his own personal mages shielding him, and he still would not warm up to the idea of being willingly blinded. Obviously it was meant to be some sort of trust exercise. He did not like it one bit. Part of him wondered if it was despite having positive intentions, he hadn't had complete trust in Lilie just yet. Perhaps it was penance; after all, she was a mage. Victor Astorio praised her battle prowess. Ben himself had seen her practicing her magic every day late into the morn. There was no reason for distrust, but the idea of relying on someone so small just came off as comical.

Alas, the decision was not his to make. And when the announcement came, Ben would stand tall and composed. Lilie offered him a wave that he returned, and then he walked towards the intended gathering place. Ben did not hide his displeasure, but he would bear with it. He only hoped that this would be done with quickly. Not that I think the fates are on my side, he thought, a small chuckle of nervousness escaping him.

Of Blood and Magic

_{Dates: September 21st - October 7th}

September 21st: Ben and Eris

Another First Impression

The Academy grounds were lovingly well kept. The attention to detail was exquisite and made for a welcome distraction as Ben roamed the area. Nithrexal, Algeria. Both terms that he had yet to properly understand. The latter was what he currently had Geoffrey looking into but finding the former was squarely on his own shoulders. He couldn’t say whether or not he knew what he was looking for, but unfortunately, the break meant that he would have very little to report. Perhaps it had been too optimistic to believe he could have garnered something in the matter of a few days, and maybe his father would be reasonable for once, but that may have been too much to ask for.

The Revel had been a good time to map out the area—at the very least having an accurate representation of what the grounds were like now would help to compare it to the plans his father had given him. That said, he did like watching the other students have fun. While he wasn’t used to seeing mages freely roam, he did find it endearing whenever friends were clearly having fun with one another. He truly had been born into the wrong position, wanting nothing more than to join them, but he wouldn’t want to disturb or make things uncomfortable.

He strolled past a crowd of gossiping vampires, pausing as he thought he heard a familiar name. Once the crowd dispersed, only a blond vampire remained. Ah, yes, he had heard a rumor that the actor had decided to grace the school with his presence. He had actually seen The Blood War more than a few times; it was Eleanore’s favorite film. That said, he knew very little of the entertainment industry and even less about the actual actor, except for the name and face.

The blond walked his way, staring at him. It took longer than it should have for Ben to notice he was actually walking right up to him. “Hello,” He greeted him.

Eris approached the unrecognized vampire. After everything that had happened the night before, he was a little more paranoid than usual, especially since he was just staring at him. At least he had a pretty face, but he looked a little young to be here. Barely a century old was his guess.

“Hello indeed!” Eris replied, putting a hand on his hip. “I don’t believe we’ve met.”

Ben paused, apparently waiting for an introduction that never came. That was rude, but he supposed that he should have probably introduced himself first. He reached out for a handshake. “Count Benjamin Pierce Eve, a pleasure,” He said.

Eve? What? He thought he had already schmoozed with the lower leveled nobles. Pierce, too, why did that sound familiar? Eris slowly took his hand, trying to rack his brain until it hit him: no way, another Eve?! No! What the hell happened? His jaw was hanging a little bit as he tried not to laugh, but he did put a little more energy into the handshake.

“A pleasure indeed, who knew the Eves had such a cute little vampire in their ranks?” He couldn’t resist the comment, chuckling as he gave the count a quick up and down look.

Ben took back what he said before; the lack of introduction wasn’t rude, this was rude. He didn’t miss the condescending tone, the look, or the comment. Yes, he was likely younger than most of his peers, but age meant little in lieu of accomplishments, and he was certain he had done more than make movies and pose for magazines. Why had he been expecting more from this actor?

“That is correct, I am the new representative of the house,” He said. “Judging from your tone, I assume you had some business with the previous representative?”

“No, no...I’m just surprised that the noble house has chosen to swap out vampires so quick in succession,” Eris admitted. “Lucky you, getting to join in on the fun, right?”

He wasn’t sure if that was a compliment or more condescension, but he wasn’t sure he wanted to stick around to find out. Normally, he believed in taking the high ground and being the bigger person, but he would like nothing more than to knock the man down a peg. At the very least it would let him know he was not someone to be trifled with so nilly-willy.

“Lucky me indeed. It isn’t every day that I get the opportunity to meet the esteemed Eric Samael,” He said quite plainly with a smile.

Eris laughed, crossing his arms as he wondered how sheltered the guy had to be to get his name wrong. At least, that was his first assumption, until he realized he was smiling. Okay, he wanted to see if he could get under his skin. Fortunately, Eris had heard Eric as a mistake so many times that he already had the name patented, so it didn’t bother him.

“Eris. It’s Eris,” He corrected him. “And yes, you are lucky, I’m so glad you realize it.”

Ben wondered how a misnaming could possibly upset the actor. He couldn’t possibly be the first person to misname him. Maybe he had a fragile ego, or perhaps he didn’t appreciate the retaliation. Whatever the case, it was a small victory that he would take. “My sincerest apologies, Eris,” Ben said. “You must understand, I am still getting to know the student body and have many people to meet.”

This was some really bad passive aggressive insulting right now. At least, Eris thought that was what it was. That, or he was that dumb. But if it was an insult, he couldn’t exactly let him get away with that.

“Oh? Think you’ll last longer than the countess?” Eris asked, grimacing. “Well, you’re better to look at, so I really hope you do.”

Now Ben felt that Eris was trying to get in his pants. If so, he was doing a terrible job at it. Seduction should leave the target feeling wanted, not belittled. He would have to be on the lookout for any future interactions with this one for certain, but if he was this bad at seduction, then he shouldn’t need to worry about him getting too close.

“I have no plans on leaving, rest assured,” Ben said. “If you’ll excuse me, I’d like to continue to explore the campus.”

Eris tried not to laugh at that, stuffing his hands in his pockets. “Last longer than a month and I’ll believe that,” He said, walking past him. “Good night, Count Eve.”

Sweet honey iced tea, the stereotype that all entertainment actors were terrible is something that should not be practiced, but Eris was determined to fall in line with it. Ben was much too happy to be relieved of his presence and would continue his walk as if nothing had happened. If he was lucky, he would successfully avoid the irritable man for the next four years and would not have to interact with him very much.

September 23rd

Attending the academy for less than a handful of days and then immediately returning home was a little jarring, but the Revel had been a treat to enjoy nonetheless. The decision to use the day of freedom to familiarize himself with the grounds was a done deal, a majority of his time spent theorizing on how to go forward. Ben didn’t get the chance to introduce himself to all the nobles just yet, making a note to do so once classes resumed. At the very least, he managed to get a summarized version from his mage with some surprising details.

For one, the Sinnenodel count was the teacher’s aide for their Treaty Law class. Lilie was on good terms with the mage, Aaron Starag, but had little to say about Varis Sinnenodel other than his intimidating presence. How the redhead managed to be so when he barely stood above her was beyond him, but he chalked it up to a complaint on his class ruining her chances at perfect grades; apparently, nothing she wrote was worthy. Ben would have been surprised if the opposite was true, but he wasn’t entirely concerned with the heir. Not yet, at least.

As for the Astorio count, he had a surprising side to him. Ben was aware he was of a minor branch, but didn’t seem to share the same distaste the rest of his family had. Lilie assured him that he was kind, and aside from an incident in the arena that she sheepishly tried to backtrack on, he was supportive of her abilities. And apparently to the point of training her alongside his own mage. Lilie sang his mage’s praises as well; Salem Spellman was a dear friend, and one she often communicated with via phone.

The Marivaldi countess was not someone Lilie was familiar with, because apparently any attempt at interacting resulted in the mage running away. How she could insist that an Astorio meant no harm but actively avoided a Marivaldi had boggled his mind for longer than he wanted to admit. She excitedly spoke of the mage (a now common thread he noticed), who was her partner for affinity exercises. Ben supposed he would have to meet the countess in person and see if either she had unintentionally spooked his mage or if her worries were for naught.

The only other vampire of interest was the actor attending, whose name was practically screamed wherever he went. The student body had yet to tire of him, and from what Ben himself witnessed, the actor was all too happy to oblige. He vaguely remembered his name coming from Duchess Anita upon mention of his mother, another popular socialite. He seemed friendly enough, but his polar opposite came with the mage assigned to him. Or bought, according to a few rumors he heard. His name was Maxwell Alderman, but Lilie noted that she felt that he didn’t like her much. Ben sympathized with him; being stuck with such a figure must have been cumbersome.

In short, he would need to add ‘information gathering’ to his mage’s repertoire.

The night was nearly done when Benjamin decided to step into the training grounds, catching the end of Noah’s lessons. His swordsmanship left little to be desired, even in the face of a much more experienced opponent. Look at him go. Ben swelled with pride as he watched, deciding to take out his phone to take a picture. At the sound of the shutter, the pair came to a stop, much to his disappointment. After a moment of deliberation, Noah was dismissed, and he came running to Ben.

“Hello!” He greeted him as he caught his breath.

“It’s been so long since we’ve last seen each other, hasn’t it?” Ben joked as he motioned for Noah to follow.

The pair began to walk to the Luscin wing of the servants’ quarters as they quickly caught up. Ben was too used to always being around the growing young man, and while their time apart was brief, it was still nice to see everyone carry on in his absence. He was more than happy to let Noah chat his ear off, his enthusiasm infectious. In all honesty he was relieved; Noah’s immense disappointment had worried him for some time, but fortunately he put himself completely into his studies and training. He was particularly looking forward to his Awakening in January, already taking suggestions from his father to give him a headstart on his magical training.

Said father was sitting at his desk when the pair arrived, briefly looking up when Noah closed the door. The papers in his hand were put away neatly, hands folded as he leaned back in his seat. “Welcome back,” Geoffrey greeted the pair before looking at his son. “Why don’t you go get cleaned up, there’s a few things I need to discuss with our liege.”

Noah straightened up a touch as he was addressed. “With all due respect, Father, I humbly request to be informed as well,” He stated. “I believe as part of my training that I should start getting a feel for anything discussed with our count.”

He’s wising up, Ben thought as he had to suppress a snicker. That said, if it was something that could be freely discussed, he was certain Geoffrey wouldn’t have made the suggestion in the first place. He turned to the younger Luscin, gesturing to the door. “Be quick, then you can return to the conversation,” He suggested kindly.

“...yes, sir,” It was reluctant but did Noah exited the room with a noticeable hurry.

Geoffrey stood from his seat as soon as the door was closed. He placed his hands behind his back as he sighed. “I understand that he wants to be included, but I genuinely feel he should focus on his studies more. Once he awakens, I’m certain his schedule will be filled with lessons,” He explained.

“His eagerness is admirable,” Ben replied. “He wants to be an adult already. I’m sure you can sympathize.”

There was the tiniest hint of a smirk on Geoffrey’s lips as he walked around the desk. It disappeared once he stood next to his charge. “I suppose it also has to do with a recent message from Countess Halladius. She has suggested that a connection between mages could be beneficial,” He stated as he produced a letter.

Ben did not have to read it to know what it meant. “A proposal before Noah awakens is quite bold. But I am not interested in a countess that has been seeking to take my mother’s place at my father’s side, less so if she believes I am naive enough to let her use me so obviously. Write back that it is under consideration to keep the barrage of follow ups from coming,” He dismissed it entirely. “By your remark, I can safely assume your son is aware.”

“He is. I apologize,” Geoffrey bowed his head. As he straightened, Ben noticed that there was the slightest hint of exasperation playing on the corners of his eyes. They must have had the same thought considering they had went through this before some decades ago with Geoffrey himself. But where Geoffrey had nothing but disdain for the process, Noah likely had a quiet excitement. His heartbreaker tendencies were infamous among the servants, and while Ben wanted to think that the possibility of having to settle down would erase that aspect, the opposite was likely to happen.

However, discussing Noah’s behavior without him present would get them nowhere. Instead Ben decided he would ask, “And what of your search?”

Geoffrey would already know what he meant by that. “The company behind the transportation is called Emerald Sun, operating mainly in Astorio and Noilan territories,” He informed him. “There is a minimal amount that does operate in Sinnenodel territories, however, neither the Marivaldis nor the Eves have granted them license to operate. One independant duke by the name of Horvath has granted them permits through his territory as well.”

Ben did not recognize the company nor the duke. Delving into unfamiliar territory was always a risk, but at the very least Geoffrey’s search was fruitful. Noilan and Astorio dominated deliveries did not bode well for him, but he couldn’t come to a decisive conclusion just yet. It would technically make sense for one of them to have obsidian, but why illegally? He supposed the easiest path was to confront the sole duke directly, but it felt too obvious. Not to mention it could very well be another red herring. His main concern also manifested in a lack of any hard evidence, or at least having little in the form of a possible bribe.

“Interesting,” Ben finally uttered a response. “We will need to come up with a plan going forward.”

“My personal suggestion would be to see if we could get in touch with either the company or the duke,” Geoffrey said. “But as always, I am at your command.”

Either choice was valid. He would need to carefully weigh both options. “Carefully see what information you can get on the company and the duke. Then we can see where to go from there,” He made the decision with confidence.

Geoffrey gave Ben a nod of assurance before his eyes went to the door. “Understood,” He replied. “And Eleanore?”

“Her own search has been fruitful,” Ben was pleased to inform him. “I’ve received updates sooner than expected.” It was relieving for the both of them, but the truth was that this search would likely take months if not years. Were it not for her enthusiasm, Ben would worry, but he had full confidence in his mage.

Their discussion wrapped up in time, Noah’s return marking the end. The desire to become an adult was frighteningly common in mortals, the rush to leave their adolescence behind disheartening. Ben hoped he would find the time to sit Noah down and see what the root of the issue was, but perhaps that was something better left to father and son. For now, he would simply enjoy the time he had with the two and strive for improvement on all fronts—he would seize his future with his own hands.

Of Blood and Magic

The sound of the door closing was accompanied by the smallest groan. Irritation aside, the night had been anything but dull. Ben had to wonder where the princess's praise for this mage had come from. Rude, uncultured, ignorant, and a myriad of other unpleasant words popped into his head as she had spoken. His image of a sweet, obedient mage had been all but shattered. Perhaps he had expected too much. His father was right, the house of Eve was the laughingstock of all the nobles, and now they were doomed to suffer the same even here. How was he to look walking around with a mage of shock white hair? It was as good as a scarlet letter. There was no hope of attempting to gain a relationship with either of the other nobles, and he felt utterly humiliated. But perhaps he was hasty with his judgment. If the princess was endeared to his new mage, then there must be a reason for it. Clearly, the girl hadn't been of sound mind and would certainly be the same person Princess Ryner had described. They could start with a clean slate tomorrow. If she was uneducated, then this was an opportunity to mold the young lady as he saw fit.

The more optimistic viewpoints served to calm him down, and after a minute of deliberation he made a decision to start his plans. When he passed the young girl's room, however, he found himself stopping. He wanted to verify her claim, and without any hesitation, he entered her room. After turning on the lights, he decided to stroll into her closet, shocked to see such few articles of clothing. Eleanore would be devastated if she had such few options! He squinted at the materials, finding them much too short for his liking. She was so small and fragile looking that he was sure she would inevitably give the wrong idea going around dressed like that! He shook his head, exiting both closet and room before he would take out his flip phone, placing several calls. Once Ben finished, he decided to visit his own room. Unfortunately, he could not bring all the weapons he desired, but this was as good an excuse as any to touch up on his traditional archery and dart throwing.

Of Blood and Magic

Now that Aaron was gone, Ben decided he needed to address his mage properly. The princess hinted that the pair had their little fun, and while he would not place judgement (seeing as how the Revel was a day to let go and technically she was under her previous mistress at the time) he did feel that laying out the rules would hopefully prevent any further embarrassment. Once he deemed himself recovered, he decided to return to the living room. Lilie hadn’t moved, fortunately, and he counted himself fortunate that she hadn’t retired to her room yet; they had much to discuss and he had to see exactly what he was dealing with.

“Miss Dionne,” He decided to see exactly what he was dealing with first and foremost physically. “If you could please stand for me for just a moment, sans jacket.”

Lilie looked up at the count, raising an eyebrow at him. She still couldn’t believe that she was getting another vampire, how unlucky was she? Ryner said Mariette was sorry, and she guessed that the pretty dress was another way of saying that, but she didn’t really know what to think. Maybe it was for the best or whatever, or that’s what she felt like right now.

Once she made sure her foot was alright, she wobbled a little as she stood, staring at him as she shrugged out of Aaron’s jacket. Now that she thought about it, if he actually stuck around, she wasn’t really sure how she felt living with a guy. He was handsome, like all the other guy vampires were, but he seemed stuffy. After a few seconds, she realized that she was staring for too long, quietly laughing at herself. Geez, those coolers were too good, she felt funny in a great way.

“I got to interact with two hot blonds tonight,” She giggled to herself.

Ben did not get the joke, if that could be called one. Instead he suppressed a sigh and gently lifted her face to his as he inspected her facial features. Large eyes, small nose and mouth, but a little on the plain side. He supposed other mortals would find her cute at best, maybe with another few years she’d lose the baby face and gain a more mature appearance. Then again, there was the hair, an extremely hard to ignore detail that he wished Her Highness would have at least hinted at. He drew a critical line down her figure; she was a little too thin. He would have to look at her diet and exercise regime, either she overworked herself or wasn’t eating enough. He felt her arm with his free hand, shaking his head in disapproval. She must have barely met the age requirement, but that much was just as much a pro as it was a con.

Lilie made a small noise in protest as he kept turning her face. Why was he touching her face? Well, chin, technically, but still, it was weird. The way he was looking at her made her feel some type of way, too! It felt invasive, the fuzzy, warmth fizzling away as he turned her face this way and that, his little poke earning him a look from her. What was she, a show dog?

When she had enough, she squirmed back out of his grip, hitting the couch and clumsily falling onto it. “What are you doing?” She asked as she scooted away from him.

Ben was equally confused by her actions. “I’m inspecting you?” Her questioning led to him questioning as well, even though he was certain he did nothing out of the ordinary. He shouldn’t have assumed that he would have gotten a trained mage after hearing about the Starag attending, but had it been too much to hope for someone at least familiar with vampire-mage dynamics? The princess had literally plucked a literal no one out of who knows where and placed her with him. But he would persevere. There would be time to properly educate her, properly guide her, and all that was needed was to undo eighteen years of habit.

“If I had made you uncomfortable, I apologize,” He started there, seeing it as a good place to begin as any as he decided to sit on the armchair closest to him. “I won’t speak for Countess Mariette nor your previous partners, but I have my own standards that I will be holding you to, as well as expectations and duties for you to fulfill. Going forward, you and I will be working as a team.”

A team? Lilie eyed him suspiciously, wondering if he was being honest. She didn’t appreciate the touchiness, but at least he was sorry. So that was good. As long as everyone kept their hands to themselves, she could listen. Not like anyone else ever told her what she needed to do or anything.

Nodding, Lilie accepted as she sat up. “Sure! Sounds like a plan, boss,” She saluted him.

At least it was the right spirit and not to the contrary. Ben matched her nod as he mulled over what to talk about next. There was one thing that also came to mind, but he wasn’t completely sure how well it would go over. Then again, she was being receptive. “Indeed. As part of my expectations, I want you to remain courteous at all times, think before you speak or act, and above all, carry yourself with dignity. Your lack of background is but a bump in the road and easily overcome with a bit of discipline. I will take it upon myself to polish you up and guide you as needed.”

He paused for a moment to let her absorb that before he continued with, “Now, for a few rules. Firstly, I expect any orders given to be followed without question. Second, I have no issue with inviting anyone here, but you must inform me of visitors. Thirdly, I would err on the side of modesty when it comes to your wardrobe.” He cast a weary glance at her exposed shoulders, the length of the skirt a little concerning as well.

Oh boy, now that he was talking a lot, the count was reminding Lilie a lot of Varis, except less condescending and a little fancier. Well, they’re both counts, so she guessed this was normal. She wasn’t sure what he meant by a ‘lack of background’ but since he had asked about her ‘family’, she understood. And then he had rules! Wow! They were kinda lame but at this point having any of her vampires actually interested in teaching her whatever was awesome!

Except for the wardrobe part.

Lilie followed his gaze down before looking at him, frowning. “You mean my clothes?” She asked. “I don’t dress like this every day. Mariette gave it to me for the Revel. I’m usually more casual.”

“How casual do you mean?” Ben decided to ask.

“Uhh...shirts and skirts? And sometimes jackets and hoodies?” She felt like it was a really weird thing to ask, but answered.

Ben wasn’t too surprised at her response. It would have been too much to expect, but adjustments could easily be made. He gave himself a moment to properly articulate what he wanted to say, clapping his hands together. Improvements were always exciting if he was being honest, he recalled helping Eleanore adjust to his house. If he could bond with Lilie through that as well, then that would be the biggest benefit.

“Right, then, I’ll clarify,” He replied, clearing his throat. “It’s actually quite easy to remember, nothing above the knee, nothing above the elbow, no cleavage, no see-through fabrics, and personally I prefer simplicity, but I wouldn’t want to restrict your choices.”

What?

Lilie didn’t mean to stare, but it looked like Benjamin was just as crazy as the other Eves. And he chose to be crazy about clothes. Why? And he said he didn’t want to restrict her but also just smacked her with a bunch of rules about what she could wear? Was it a joke? It had to be a joke, she barely had cleavage to show off! But he didn’t seem to be joking. Pursing her lips, Lilie had no idea what to say. She felt like all those requirements were going to make her look like a grandma. What was wrong with looking cute?

But maybe she was jumping to conclusions. Hopefully. “Is this just for parties and stuff? Or do you mean all the time?” She really, really hoped it was the earlier one. And she could understand that a little, even what she was wearing right now was a lot nicer than anything she owned. “Cause if not, that kinda eliminates like...everything I have,” She said quietly. “I mean, I don’t have anything see-through but--I don’t have long skirts. And most of my shirts are t-shirts. I usually just put a jacket or vest on top. But um...if I just got rid of it all, I wouldn’t have anything.”

That wasn’t surprising, either. He would simply have to take matters into his own hands, fortunately that was an easy fix. Having more admissible clothing would help more than harm, and unfortunately, they were going to need all the help they could get. Appearance, etiquette, educating⁠—it would take time to get her presentable for anything. He was excited for the challenge, seeing her as more of an unpolished diamond.

“Worry not for the moment,” Ben said as he decided to move on to another point of contention. “I’ll take it upon myself to guide you in the right direction. By the time you’ve graduated, I’m confident you’ll exceed expectations.” He would need to make sure to check on her grades and provide extra tutoring if need be.

“One last thing, and you may retire for the night,” He nearly forgot one of the most vital points. “I prefer my blood with a bit of a chill too it, but not too cold⁠—if the dorm has a wine cooler, you may store your bottled blood there. I prefer to feed for breakfast so to speak, so I ask you take the bottle out of the cooler at approximately 5 p.m. just before the evening. You may leave it wherever it’s convenient, either the dining room or the kitchen will do.”

Lilie’s lips formed a small ‘o’ as she listened to Ben. He wanted it bottled, but she had no idea how to do that without stabbing herself and bleeding out. Unless he wanted her to use that terrifying catheter with that giant needle. Her eyes flickered to the closet, biting her lip nervously.

“Uh...I don’t know how to use that thing,” She said meekly. “Arianna and Ike--Countess Arianna and Count Ikelos never fed, and Mariette used to just drink from me.”

Right, she wouldn’t have any experience. He had forgotten that she came from a human family. And a human community at that. At least she was teaching him a valuable lesson in that he needed to be more open-minded. However, he came to a crossroads, as he preferred blood from a glass as opposed to feeding directly from mages. In his opinion, it was much too intimate and awkward, and being so close just felt strange. That said, he couldn’t go long without feeding, so this was potentially problematic.

“Until you’re comfortable providing it bottled, I will...feed directly,” He supposed that he should get over his discomfort sooner than later. In an emergency, he should know how to properly feed from his mage. But if feeding from his own mage was odd, then feeding from a small thing like Lilie was going to be a challenge.

She was used to that, though getting super close with a guy was probably going to be weird. But it was only going to be weird if she (or he because he didn’t seem so sure) made it weird. So yay? The thought of having to get used to that needle was probably going to give her nightmares, but oh well.

She looked down at Aaron’s jacket, the thought hitting her very late--she totally stole his jacket! Well, he left without it. Either way, she snatched it as she stood, swaying just a little and wincing at her foot. But she could walk over and deliver it and tell Aaron how weird the count was.

“Okay, so, I’m gonna return this,” She draped the jacket over her arm. “And then...go to bed. Or we can talk! Whatever you want.”

Ben had little protest for that, although he was still concerned with the bad first impression. He would have to work on repairing that and apologizing sooner than later. “Shall I accompany you?” He suggested as he would stand as well.

Lilie couldn’t contain her giggle, shaking her head. “I’m just going next door!” She told him, shaking her head. “We’re neighbors with him and Professor Varis.”

The world truly was unjust. The Sinnenodel gets a Starag plucked from the castle itself. Either he has the princess wrapped around his finger or he was more dangerous than he thought. Meanwhile the Eve family has long since lost its prime and was awarded appropriately with what could very well be considered table scraps. It was an insult, really, but after the initial sting, he reminded himself that there was little to be done about it and he wasn’t suicidal enough to question the princess’ wishes.

It didn’t stop him from letting out a quiet sigh, however. “Very well, then,” He replied, dismissing her.

Of Blood and Magic

The princess’ offer was heartwarming and sincerely appreciated. Ben decided to accompany her to the door since his mage didn’t seem to be around. Their brief talk left him pensive for a moment; her history was a mystery he was keen on knowing, only to be reminded that he had ulterior motives for knowing so. He had gained valuable information on the school’s history that would hopefully take a step forward for his investigation, but it felt artificial in the face of his earlier promise to keep the peace. Of course, despite his father’s wishes, he fully planned on keeping said information for his own purposes, but he supposed he would simply cross that bridge when it came to it.

Just as he was about to bid Princess Ryner farewell, some movement not too far off caught his attention. It was a peculiar sight of what looked like a student carrying another on his back, but he had noticed they were coming towards this dorm. The young man was a noble blond wearing Noilan colors, the girl on his back pale with snow white hair. He seemed to take it in stride, but Ben was a little more concerned with the young lady. She looked like she was talking into his shoulder, the occasional giggle heard, but she seemed very comfortable with him with her arms embracing the young man.

There was an odd feeling in his stomach. Dread? No, that couldn’t be. There was nothing particularly wrong with what they were doing, moreso after he noticed something tied around her foot, but something about the pair didn’t strike him as entirely wholesome. As to why, he wasn’t sure.

“I believe the Revel truly is a night to let go,” He commented, unsure of what to make of the pair.

Ryner followed Ben's gaze and took a moment to watch the approaching pair. She smiled, far more affectionate than she meant but like Ben said the Revel was a night to let go. "And I'm glad it is. I believe Aaron's needed a relaxing night since the semester started. It's good to see him getting closer to someone. Do you know how to use these camera phones that came out recently? His mother would love a picture of him and Lilie like this."

It took a little longer than it should have, humouring Lilie’s tipsy comments with the occasional laugh or reply as they made their way to her dorm, for Aaron to notice the two vampires standing in front of the Eve dorm, and another second longer to realize who they were. Countess Mariette was nowhere to be seen, but there was a tall vampire with dirty-blond hair, accompanied by none other than Princess Ryner.

How did he always manage to stumble across her in his less-than-regal moments?

Aaron had no earthly idea who the other vampire was or why the two of them were outside the Eve dorm, but he couldn’t very well just walk past them, so he threw on his best available version of a polite smile and quickly set Lilie down when he approached. He had to give the Princess a bit shallower of a bow than he preferred, hindered by the arm he kept around Lilie’s waist to stabilize her, but the attempt was there. “Happy Revel, Your Highness!” he greeted, doing his best to sound less embarrassed than he was, “This is a surprise!”

"Happy Revel, Aaron. I see Lilie and you have been enjoying the festivities." Ryner chuckled but she turned to Benjamin. "Benjamin, this is Aaron, the mage I was talking about earlier, and your partner for the foreseeable future, Lilie Dionne. Aaron, Count Benjamin will be taking the Countess' place as the Eve's representative to the school."

Lilie swayed in place, happily using Aaron as support as he put her down. The princess was there to see them! That was so nice of her! "Happy Revel, Princess!" She waved happily, only noticing the stranger after the princess introduced them. It took her a second to understand that this was her partner. Lilie's smile fell as she looked at him, then looked at the princess, then at Aaron. She clumsily hobbled closer to Aaron, steadied only by his grip as she leaned closer to him.

"Did she just say that's my partner, 'cause I think I had too many coolers," She (tried to) whisper, not realizing her voice was louder than anticipated.

As he listened to the Princess - and did his best to ignore the other vampire taking pictures of them for some reason - Aaron couldn’t help but latch on to a few points: that the Princess had been talking about him, that Lilie had a new partner somehow, and that House Eve was an even bigger mess than he originally thought. By his count, this was… what, four masters now that Lilie had gone through? He’d thought the first three a fluke of Eve incompetence, happening all at once and all, but he thought for sure that this had already been put behind her.

It seemed Lilie was just as confused as he was, as she tried and failed to discreetly ask him what was going on and unintentionally only added to Aaron’s embarrassment. “No, no, you heard right,” he answered somewhat louder, looking sheepishly between Lilie and the vampires before turning his attention to Count Benjamin.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Count Benjamin,” he greeted properly, offering the Count another shallow bow and doing his best to salvage the situation.

Ben was all too proud to take the photos, the giddy excitement at being slightly more technologically proficient than before with his new phone taking precedent. His intentions were obvious, taking more than what the princess had asked for solely for his own amusement. He offered the pair a slight nod, offering the phone to Her Highness as he was introduced. That said, there was no hiding his surprise when the young lady was the one and same that Ryner had spoke of. He wasn’t expecting a number of things with his new partner; maybe he had been too optimistic. Ryner hadn’t mentioned anything about the girl’s appearance, a small frown on his face as he looked her over. Aside from the obvious intoxication, her pale features and bright eyes seemed extraordinarily so, her white hair striking him as an odd choice of dye.

Still, he remembered his place as he offered the pair a small smile. “The pleasure is all mine, Mr. Starag,” He returned Aaron’s greeting kindly before deciding to confirm Lilie’s assumption. “You heard right, Miss Dionne.”

Lilie's jaw dropped, though she immediately burst out laughing, covering her mouth as she shook her head. No way was she having another partner! This had to be some kind of joke! It was too funny to her as she barely held herself together, though she nearly fell over as she unintentionally put weight on her injured foot.

"Did Mariette run away, too?" She asked, letting out a sigh as she fully leaned on Aaron. "I guess I'm not good enough to say goodbye to."

That wasn’t the reaction Ben was expecting. It was a little disappointing, but to the mage’s credit, he supposed that being told that there was yet another change in representative may have dampened her spirits. He decided instead to focus on the pair, clasping his hands together as he gestured to the dorm.

“Before exchanging pleasantries, why don’t we step inside to better talk?” Ben gestured towards Lilie’s foot. “I can’t imagine you’re too comfortable like that.”

"Oh, Lilie." Ryner hugged her briefly. "Unfortunately, family matters called her away. I'm sorry it was so sudden but the gravity of the situation demanded it be handled immediately. She mentioned she regretted being as distant as she was but a death in a vampire family tends to wear them thin. Vampires aren't well known for handling their emotions in the healthiest ways."

"As for now, I must return to my official duties. Mostly keeping controlled substances," she gave Aaron a look before continuing, "from coming across my campus but we can't be everywhere at once. Aaron, would you kindly give Count Benjamin my personal number. Someone would absolutely love to have those pictures and it's no secret I can barely manage to call someone, let alone get a picture off of one. You all have a wonderful rest of your Revel. Good morning." She offered a slight bow and made her way off, humming contently.

The awkward tension in the air was palpable as Lilie threw what little politesse she knew to the wind and confounded her new partner, and Aaron was particularly sensitive to it, finding himself thinking of all the other situations he’d rather be in than this one until he was addressed. He didn’t miss the look the Princess gave him - he got that look enough as a hyper child running amok in the castle to know what it meant - and responded with a bit of a nervous grin, reminiscent of a child hiding something he’d broken. He offered a quiet chuckle as she teased him, nodding his assent to her order and bowing as she left, watching her go for a moment before turning somewhat more stiffly back to Lilie’s new partner.

“Well, Count Benjamin, I’ll give you Her Highness’ number and then I’ll be out of your way then,” he offered politely, glancing between the Count and Lilie in a way he hoped would be encouraging to the latter.

Ben gave the princess a formal bow, straightening up to face the two mages. That wasn’t the best of first impressions as a duo, but he supposed he had been a little too optimistic. Feeling that his new partner wasn’t too keen on interacting with him alone, he hesitated as Aaron decided to excuse himself.

“Won’t you come in?” Ben offered, gesturing to the dorm. “I’m sure Miss Dionne won’t want to end the date like this.”

Aaron’s breath caught in his throat at the word date, the mage coughing before immediately collecting himself. “Oh, no, not a date I assure you, I— we just—” he had to stop to clear his throat before more blathering nonsense came out. Making himself take a breath, he quickly glanced at his watch. 6am was mere minutes away, and Varis thought every time came five minutes early, but he couldn’t very well refuse the Count’s offer, especially with the task assigned to him by the Princess yet to be done. Continuing more calmly, he abandoned his former rambling, sliding his sleeve back over his watch. “Of course, Count Benjamin. I’d be happy to.”

Lilie blinked at Aaron slowly, a small smile creeping up in her face as she tried not to laugh. "Aww, I thought it was a date!" She joked, though she playfully nudged him. "Guess I can see why he'd think that."

She looked at the vampire for a second, more than a few thoughts swimming through her head, but none she could really focus on. Princess Ryner was comforting, but she felt like she shouldn't have expected anything better at this point. Oh well. She'd just have to see how long this one lasted.

"This is my best friend here, Aaron," She reintroduced him to the count, lightly bowing her head as she made an attempt to hop towards the door. "We're just gonna, uh, get the first aid kit." She told Benjamin.

How awkward, it seemed his mage was avoiding him. Or perhaps he was looking too much into things. But her body language and reintroduction of Aaron made Ben believe that maybe her current intoxication was to blame. At least, he hoped so.

Once the trio entered the dorm, Ben made sure to close the door as he contemplated on what to say. Lilie seemed unamused by his arrival, almost cynical. It did wonders to shatter the image he had in his head, but he supposed that was his own fault. High expectations lead to massive disappointments, but he wasn’t about to go quietly, either. Instead, he decided to play it off, figuring that he would instead get to know the pair. Seeing an actual Noilan mage outside of the castle was a delight, at least.

“So...Miss Dionne, from what family do you hail?” He asked her.

Having taken a seat on the couch, Lilie wasn't expecting the vampire to stick around, but after she had told Aaron where the medical supplies were, he stayed. And wanted to talk to her. She raised an eyebrow at his weirdly-worded question, scratching her cheek.

"From...my family?" She replied slowly with a shrug. "Uh...Dionne? Like my last name? That's my family." She shrugged at him.

Her response was amusing; he supposed he should have been clearer. “What family did yours serve before coming to the academy?” He politely clarified.

Lilie slowly shook her head at Ben. Weirdo. "No one," She said. "I'm human. Or I thought I was, anyway, so I guess not. First mage in Hillsdale in...thirty years, I think they said. Something like that."

Aaron physically cringed in the other room when he heard the question come up, and returned with the first aid kit just in time to (hopefully) salvage it. “And how fortunate you are,” he interjected insistently, hoping Lilie would get the hint. He handed over the first aid kit and smiled, giving her a look. “Not only are you the first mage in your family, but now you’re lucky enough to have the honour of serving House Eve.”

"I guess," Lilie replied, more focused on her injured foot. Truthfully, she wasn't too honored by the honor of serving, but at least she didn't voice it. Her lack of enthusiasm was, however, clear on her face. "We'll see how long it lasts."

The look of surprise on his face was unintentional, but he had to admit it had been some time since he had been so flagrantly dismissed. And by a mage, no doubt. Ben tensed up slightly, his hand adjusting his collar as he cleared his throat. Perhaps she was testing him. She did have three other Eves and likely was unsure how he would treat her, so it was fair, if rude.

“For all intents and purposes, I will be the last Eve you serve,” He was a little too obvious with it, but he wanted to lay down the foundation sooner than later, and he wasn’t going to tolerate any further disrespect. “That being said, if you are uneducated, then it falls on me to ensure that you are both caught up to speed and exemplifying all the traits of a noble’s mage. For example, I would ask that you veer on the modest side and avoid any flagarancies. Your hair in particular should be dyed back to its natural color.”

Lilie slowly looked up from her foot to the Count, a little confused. Her mom didn't even let her dye her hair, what was he talking about? Her hand flew to her head as she tried to make sense of what he said, though after a few seconds, she let out a laugh. "Oh, no, no, this is my natural hair color," She explained as she pulled a few strands out. "I'm an albino. It's why I'm also super pale. Got really lucky with my eyes, though!"

Tonight was just full of unpleasant surprises. This time, there was no hiding Ben’s shock, his eyes wide with the admission. The first thought that came to mind was that the House had been assigned a defective mage, and Princess Ryner was all but done with them. The girl would get eaten alive at any social event, any offers for her hand would be little more than pity or some kind of joke, and she seemed extremely cavalier about the entirety of the situation.

“Really,” Ben managed to utter a word, swallowing hard. “How...unique.”

An awkward silence followed, and as he had throughout the whole conversation, Aaron felt distinctly, extremely uncomfortable. He had been invited in, yes, but he felt as if he were intruding on something very private - not to mention very tense. He really wasn’t sure what to make of it; part of him wanted to try and salvage the conversation, and the other part wanted to slink out the window and never look back.

Checking his watch again and inwardly groaning that it was now a few minutes after six, he finally decided to speak up. “Count Benjamin, I sincerely thank you for your hospitality, but my master is expecting me back and I see the two of you have much to discuss.” It was all so awkward it bordered on distracting Aaron from his train of thought, but he soldiered on nonetheless. “If it pleases you, I can write Her Highness’ number down for you and leave you and Lilie alone.”

Ben had nearly forgotten about the poor mage, suddenly feeling very embarrassed. There was no salvaging the first impression, nor did he think he could convince him to stay. Regretfully so, Ben would arguably make things worse by keeping Aaron around. He would have to apologize for putting him in such a situation.

“I’ll take you up on your suggestion, it seems that we have much to discuss,” He tried to be positive, but obviously the pair were at opposite ends and needed to lay out some groundwork. “Come, I’ll walk you to the door.”

Lilie tried not to pout, though she got serious as Aaron mentioned the word 'master' again. She stared down at her lap, wishing she could tell him to stay out of a selfish need for a buffer between her and the crazy-weirdo Eve, but if he really needed to go, she didn't want to get him in trouble.

She perked up considerably as she flashed a grin at Aaron. "Thanks a lot for tonight!" She told him cheerfully. "I'll make it up to you for ending it so early, I promise."

Having to stop himself from heaving an audible sigh, Aaron was nonetheless enormously relieved. He offered a warm smile and a, “Don’t worry, it was great,” to Lilie as he made to leave, pausing only to jot Princess Ryner’s number on a sheet from a nearby pad before joining the Count at the door.

He folded the paper in half, offering it to the Count. “Thank you again, Count,” he said courteously, taking comfort in his old regal habits, though he did lower his voice to add, “and please excuse Lilie, she’s… not quite in her right mind at the moment.”

Ben took the paper gratefully, pointing it at Aaron for a moment. “You have my thanks, Mr. Starag. I’m sorry we couldn’t talk more,” He apologized sincerely. “Please, don’t let this deter you from visiting, you’re always welcome here.” At the topic of his mage, he grimaced lightly. “As for Miss Dionne...I’ll have to handle that sooner than later.” The swifter, the better in his opinion, but it was best not to make Aaron more uncomfortable than he probably already was.

Aaron nodded his thanks, a little surprised at the Count’s hospitality. His comment about Lilie was daunting, a string of bad scenarios playing through Aaron’s head before he forced them away. The Princess seemed fond of the Count, and she never would have taken to him if she had any inkling he might mistreat his mages. Then again, she was friends with Varis… but Aaron supposed that wasn’t quite the same.

“Indeed,” he replied absently, glancing down at his hands before offering the Count a proper bow before leaving. “Good morning, Count Benjamin.”

“And to you as well,” Ben replied in kind, closing the door gently before quietly pressing his forehead against it, bemoaning that disaster of an introduction.