WeepingLiberty

Of Blood and Magic

Amaris Marivaldi

_{Interacting with: Victor @ReusableSword, Benjamin @Bert Macklin, Varis @Achronum, and Eris @Hero}

Amaris’ eyes glanced across each of the gentlemen who spoke, her expression remaining unchanged as she waited for them to speak their quite predictable grievances. They never changed, though she did find herself a bit surprised that Victor involved himself at all this time around. She had been starting to wonder if he was set on remaining mute for the entirety of the engagement, not that she would have blamed the count. If she had to venture a guess, he was likely having about as much fun as she was; perhaps far less.

“You’re one to talk about concepts of ‘too eye-catching’, Eris. Even the dead couldn’t ignore the sight of you.” She responded flatly, before her expression turned to that of resignation.

“But all I’m hearing so far are excuses for lack of imagination. If we can have an instructor who has all but married a pineapple, there is absolutely someone out there who would take interest in a mage with a genetic abnormality such as Lilie’s. Count Astorio did get one thing right, though, about knowing your audience. Since the Count Sinnenodel takes offense to ‘pretty words’ I will try to make this as direct as possible.” The Countess shot Varis a sharp glance before returning to an alternating pattern that eased across each of the other attendees.

“If it is the breeding you are so concerned with, hiding her condition reflects poorly on your so-called business practices. Would you continue to do business with someone who lied to you? You might be able to get away with it once, but it would permanently damage your reputation and threaten future deals. Trivial talents such as singing or painting aren’t exactly genetic so what use is there in making them your display for a mage you don’t plan to keep. Perhaps, if it were your goal to send her off to a vampire looking to have a child of his own, those would be important, but even then there is little need to bother hiding the genetics as the abnormalities don’t pass to our kind. Alternatively, appealing to the niche market can yield you an unpredictable but potentially higher profit due to the exclusivity of the deal.” Amaris paused as her eyes shifted subtly in the direction the mages had headed off to gather.

“Count, that girl has lived with this condition her whole life. If the words of her appearance bothered her that much she would have done something about it while the choice was still hers to make. You say it is to protect her but all you would be doing is reinforcing the very harm you sought to avoid; given words physical form and stuck them to her like knives. Those words would dig at her every time she looked in the mirror and saw a complete stranger. Tell me how that is any better?”

Of Blood and Magic

Amaris Marivaldi

_{Interacting with: Benjamin @Bert Macklin
Mention: Varis @Achronum and Eris @Hero}

The Countess fought the urge to roll her eyes as Eris opened his mouth followed shortly by Varis. At the very least, the expectations she had set concerning the attendees remained intact but it was no less disappointing to have them validated so quickly. Naturally, nothing could ever please the idol who spent his time riding the thin line between adoration and all out worship. As for Varis, well, he was the sort to throw tantrums if there was even one detail of anything at all that he could not control; that much he had proven publicly with his outburst at the exams.

For every second she spent surrounded by the other nobles, and the token celebrity, the more difficult she found hiding her displeasure at the gathering. Despite the internal struggle with her annoyance, outwardly she still held tight to her polite demeanor. She calmly set her own glass down before returning her attention to Count Eve with the same smile she’d forced onto her face since her arrival.

“A diamond painted blue does not a sapphire make. Seems such a shame to lose out on such a rare opportunity by cutting away all the aspects that make her unique and replacing them with average. Regardless, it was a lovely debut performance. I’m sure with your attentive care, she’ll live up to your exact expectations.” To say Amaris felt disappointed would have been a severe understatement. She had tried not to put any stock in their earlier encounter but Amaris still had found herself hoping that Benjamin might have provided more of a shake up to the dynamic. However, so far all she had gathered from the group coming together was that he was just another noble playing the same ridiculous game as the rest of them. There was no thought put into the personal wellbeing of his mage, no care given to the actual cultivation of her talents. There was only what he expected her to be capable of and the forced growth of that which he approved of. But that was only to be expected of a man who viewed the girl as nothing more than a possession, right?

At least Varis is honest about what he does.

Of Blood and Magic

Amaris Marivaldi

_{Interacting with: Benjamin @Bert Macklin}

A Gift In Sync

_{Interacting with: Madalyn @Achronum}

Amaris’ face lit up as she heard Maddie exit her room and make her way closer, the mage stepping into view in her beautiful, black dress. She took a moment to admire the ensemble, excited at how well the details had come together. The design was a simple one that had been selected to complement her own ensemble, yet it held an elegance all its own. Singular in color, the black served as a lovely canvas to showcase the lace that drew the eyes up from the waist and along the arm; or rather it would have had something else not caught the Countess’ attention instead.

“Oh, Maddie.” Her smile softened as a considerable amount of tension left her body. Placing the bottle carefully with the other objects on the table, Amaris approached the girl and reached slowly for the pendant hanging from her neck. Even from a small distance, Amaris could tell it was high in quality, but a closer look revealed all the finer details of the craftsmanship. The beauty of the piece was captivating but it was more than that to the Countess. An emotion she couldn’t quite describe swelled within her chest, a feeling she fought hard to keep from overwhelming her.

“It’s almost as beautiful as you are.” She moved her thumb as if to brush the crest but hovered just above the object so as not to risk dulling the shine.

“House crests can prove to be inconvenient to come by, I can’t imagine it was all that easy for you to acquire this. You must have gone well out of your way.” Amaris mused as she continued to admire her partner’s selection. When it had come to Cassandra, Amaris knew how trapped her partner was likely to feel with a crest displayed by more conventional means. It was the driving reason behind designing a card customized to her affinity so as to find the middle ground of their individual desires. With Maddie, however, Amaris was once again at a loss at what to do. This time around she was faced with a girl who was more than aware of where she stood in society’s eyes and always seemed one step ahead of her noble’s expectations.

As gingerly as she had lifted the pendant, Amaris returned the crest to its natural resting place around her partner’s neck. Her smile had taken on a tone of amusement as she turned from Maddie and plucked the small gift box from where she had left it on the table.

“I’m not sure I quite have the words to express how much I appreciate this gesture. It would be dishonest, however, if I did not admit my relief. I wasn’t sure at first how you might react but I think I might have been worried over nothing.” She chuckled a bit as she revealed the contents of the box resting on her left palm. Stored within was a relatively simple silver chained bracelet of familiar design; a singular charm facing outward toward the mage. As she displayed the gift with her one hand, the Countess lifted her other arm to show off the bracelet dangling from her right wrist. It didn’t take much sleuthing to see the two bracelets were identical to one another, right down to the Marivaldi crest charm.

“It might be a tad overkill to add to tonight’s ensemble, especially with such a show stopping piece such as that, but I wanted to give it to you regardless. I thought these might be a fitting representation of our relationship and the agreements we’ve made together, the balance between duty and friendship. For now it is but a name that ties us together, but it is my hope that someday these chains are filled with charms that tell a story far more meaningful to us both.” Amaris spotted the time as she finished speaking, her eyes widening slightly at the reading it was showing her. Had it really gotten that late already? Whatever thoughts Maddie had on the matter would have to wait lest they should prefer the consequences of a late arrival to a Varis event.

“Well, we should be on our way. I wouldn’t want to miss this performance of yours.” The Countess smiled as she neatly slipped the lid of the box back into place and set it down on the table. Grabbing her belongings, Amaris conducted one last check before ushering them both out the door.

Upon the pair’s arrival, Maddie was directed away from Amaris to an area where the rest of the mages would gather while she herself was stuck in the parlor with the rest of the nobles plus Eris. She left the majority of the conversing to the boys, giving her input only when necessary. The Countess was sure there was a trap somewhere to be had, hidden expertly between honey dripped words and within empty compliments. What exactly Varis had planned, though, she could not say. It was for that very reason that she was relieved once the performances began, beginning with Lilie and the song she had prepared for them.

It was a beautiful song that she thought suited the girl’s voice well, but she couldn’t sense her heart in the notes much at all. If Amaris was to venture a guess, the choice in song was likely made by someone else. The piece didn’t seem particularly difficult, and more or less suited to her current experience, which pretty much ruled Varis out as a candidate. It was most likely offered to her by the Count, who could be rather thoughtful in his selections but also a little too practical in her opinion. All in all, Amaris enjoyed the presented talent and was sure to offer a kind smile with her soft applause as the girl took her leave from the spotlight.

Up next was her own partner, whose performance had very much been kept secret from her. As usual, Amaris had given the mage free range over her decision over what she wanted to do for her presentation. Had she known the girl intended to break out fire for her talent she might have tried to dissuade her, however she found great amusement in the situation after getting over her initial shock. If even she was a bit nervous, Varis must have been losing his absolute mind. Fire was not something he could just insult into submission, a chaotic element that took orders from no one; only suggestions. This much she had learned during her time with Cassandra, but she also trusted Maddie enough that such a decision hadn’t been made lightly… and proper preparations had been put in place just in case.

She watched the flames with a vague sense of nostalgia as well as a keen sense of curiosity. As engrossed as the Countess was, she couldn’t help but wonder where Maddie had picked the routine up. Fire was far from her own affinity, and it certainly wasn’t Lilie’s. While not Aaron’s either, he likely had the talent to teach but his connection to Varis would likely deter her from reaching out or him from accepting. As for the other two boys, she wasn’t even sure if Maddie knew their names. Wherever she had learned it, Amaris was impressed at how much the girl had picked up in what was a relatively short amount of time.

Just as she had before, a kind smile and soft applause followed her partner as she made a hasty escape from the center of the room. She couldn’t blame the girl, especially when she herself wished to make the same escape. Such thoughts were put on hold, however, as the next performer made his appearance. If she remembered correctly, this was the boy tied to Eris. He seemed less than thrilled to be in attendance but set to work all the same. Amaris hated to admit it, but she found herself captivated by what she saw. An affinity to metal was one she was least familiar with as most of the magics she had read about were more… well natural. Yet, here he stood manipulating the pieces of metal as if they were nothing more than soft clay in his hands.

Amaris did end up startling some, resisting the urge to jump as the phone in her bag buzzed unexpectedly. There were very few people who had her number and even fewer who were likely to use it; most of which were under the same roof as her. It only took her a moment to realize what had happened as the boy performing spoke up, her confusion turning to amusement as she returned the now still device back to its rightful place. Then, just like that, the sculpture was complete and the performance was over… or rather it was almost over. Whether it was part of a planned routine or simply a personal flair, the mage collected his materials more dramatically than necessary and took his leave without so much as a glance back.

What followed was much less energetic than any of the performances to come before it. Salem, whom she recognized as the trouble maker Victor had made mention of in addition to her distanced observation of his training regiment, quickly set to work on some sort of drawing or painting. As a fellow artist, she knew the work wasn’t easy to make entertaining to others. Yet, as much as she wanted to remain appreciative of the talents being displayed, Amaris found herself bored. Watching someone paint was simply just not as interesting to her as creating the image herself. While she did try to remain attentive, she almost didn’t notice when Salem had concluded his piece. She was able to catch a quick glance before Aaron took the result away, the image of Eris flashing by her on its way to its new home.

Last, but certainly not least, was the host’s very own mage: Aaron Starag the light mage. Part of her had hoped to see some sort of display of his affinity. After all, light mages weren’t exactly a dime a dozen. However, Varis had other plans it seemed, as the boy set to work setting up a beautiful cello. While not what she had been excited for, his talent could not be ignored. The notes that filled the room were even more entrancing than the instrument that produced them. It wasn’t a piece she was familiar with, but she had little doubts that it was one of the more challenging ones. Varis wouldn’t have it any other way. Still, the boy seemed confident in his movements, moving from note to note smoothly and without hesitation. It seemed the more she witnessed of this mage, the more impressed she was at his ability to step up to the never ending challenges of having Varis for a noble assignment.

Once his performance was through, Aaron returned to his duties of supporting the host in whatever tasks deemed necessary. The music playing from the phonograph helped to ease her nerves somewhat, but it was not enough to completely break through her distaste for such events as the official introductions were made and the first of the bottles were opened. Varis was as inflammatory as usual as he named each of the attendees in order. She was careful to maintain a calm and polite exterior as the Count spoke the name of her Lord. Once he was through, she turned her attention to Benjamin and smiled warmly.

“Likewise. It’s nice to finally have the formal introductions out of the way, don’t you think?” She allowed her eyes to coast over to the direction of the mages before returning to the guest of honor.

“I thought Lilie’s performance was rather lovely. If you don’t mind my asking, I’m curious as to what made you choose that song in particular?” Amaris sipped slowly at the first glass, somehow not at all surprised by how sweet the blood turned out to be. It was far sweeter than what she had gotten used to with Maddie but was well within her preferred profile. There was an immediate sense of guilt the Countess felt for enjoying the flavor so much, but she refused to show even the slightest hint of her displeasure by instead nodding at it approvingly.

Of Blood and Magic

Amaris Marivaldi

_{Interacting with: Madalyn @Achronum}

“Why must these things always be so formal? Would it kill the man to relax every once in a while?” Amaris griped as she finished styling the last strands of her hair. It was unusual for her to bother with such a thing as hair, yet the Countess had gone out of her way to learn how to tease, curl, and slyly pin the mass of hair all to one side of her head. Even she wasn’t entirely sure what drove her to put in such effort into extra details. Perhaps the events of the past month had influenced her in some way, maybe it was the ease of knowing Maddie would be by her side rather than facing the event alone, or maybe she just wanted to feel a little more like an actual Countess for once. Whatever the drive, the result was a beautiful set of raven colored curls cascading down her left shoulder. With the last strands tucked into place, Amaris pushed herself away from her vanity and toward her closet.

Hanging apart from her regular stock of clothing was an opaque protective sleeve that contained the dress she had ordered specifically for Varis’ event. The last of the alterations had been completed ahead of schedule which meant Amaris had been forced to stare at the garment bag for nearly a full week before the party. As annoyed as she had been, however, the Countess figured early was far better than late or not at all and had instead set the piece aside until the day of. Though, now that the day had finally come, Amaris fretted over whether her choice had been the right one or not. Was it formal enough for Varis’, nay Eris’, standards for such an event? It was far too late to change her mind at this stage but that didn’t stop the anxiety from filling her head. Doing her best to shake it off, Amaris reached forward and carefully unzipped the bag to reveal her gown.

Awaiting the Countess within was a single shouldered chiffon dress that had been dyed in such a way so as to create a gradient, ombre-esque effect. The majority of the gown had been kept a deep and dark shade of purple but down toward the hem the fabric had been significantly lightened. Along the left side of the torso, as well as the shoulder on the opposite side, had been embroidered with silver beading to accentuate the waist and add a little flair to an otherwise simple design. Casting aside her robe, Amaris loosened the back and carefully slipped into the gown before expertly tightening the ribbon work that seamlessly camouflaged the zipper. With everything situated to her liking, Amaris stepped lightly into a pair of silver heels and returned to her place at the vanity.

“Well, now that I see it coming together… I suppose it isn’t all that bad. What do you think, Getsuga?” She asked of the snake whose lifted head was the only response she would receive. “You’re right, it’s not quite done yet. Just a few more touches though and then I can go check in on Maddie. We should be getting close to time.” A quick peek at the time confirmed her suspicions as the Countess shuffled around for a few items. Despite Eris’ fervent criticism of her lack of accessory, Amaris had failed to stock up on her own set but she had been able to call home to borrow a few pieces for the evening. She donned a pair of silver dangle earrings and a silver bracelet that consisted of a single charm represent her house crest. “Alright, enough of that. Surely, there is a limit to how far out of my comfort zone I am expected to venture.” The Countess sighed.

With a final mirror check, Amaris plucked a matching clutch and a small gift box from her vanity. Stepping out from her room, the Countess made her way to the common area so that she could gather the rest of the night’s necessities. She set the box and clutch down on the table so that she could head to the kitchen with free hands. “Maddie dear! How is everything coming along?” Amaris called out as she set to work double checking the expected party favor. She pulled the bottle from its designated storage space and gave it a once over, checking for any imperfections that might have served as an unintentional insult to the host. To her eyes, nothing seemed amiss about the gift that contained Maddie’s blood. Even the label that Amaris had commissioned for the object was in perfect condition, something she was determined to guarantee until it had been handed over at the very least. Satisfied with what she saw, the Countess withdrew a long, velvet drawstring bag embroidered with the Marivaldi house crest and carefully slid the bottle inside before tying the satin ribbon into an elegant little bow.

Amaris returned to her belongings with bottle in hand to wait for her partner, working through her mind anything and everything they might need for the evening ahead.

Ref Pics

Dress


Hair

Of Blood and Magic

_{Dates: November 9th - December 6th}

11/??: Ben and Amaris

The Gift

“I thought the clerk said it was supposed to be somewhere over here.” Amaris grumbled to herself as she continued to scan the shelf for the desired title. The Countess had been overdue on an update to her book collection and thought she might stock up on a few titles that she couldn’t get at the academy library. Already she had gathered a small stack of novels varying in genres bundled in the crevice of her left arm while she ran the index finger of her right along the spines she was searching through. The final title on her list was a guide on the mixing of paints that she had been trying to get her hands on for about a month or two and that had finally come back into stock, however, she was struggling to locate it where she thought it should have been.

“Maybe it’s one more ov-” Amaris spun around to check a nearby set of shelves but found her path unexpectedly blocked. Having failed to notice the presence of another shopper, Amaris wound up slamming straight into the solid force resulting in a rather unceremonious fall. The stack of books she had been holding onto scattered around her as backside met ground, though she ended up looking more stunned overall than hurt by the fall. “Oh, I’m so sorry. I didn’t see you standing there, are you alright?” She asked from the ground, head tilted up to address whoever she had collided with.

Curiosity had led Ben to the bookstore; after a few months getting acquainted with the academy grounds he decided it was past time to get familiar with the small town nearby as well. The bookstore was quaint but filled with all sorts of literature ranging from educational to recreational. A book to pass the time would do him well, he had decided, and so he spent the better half of an hour perusing the shelves.

He had planted himself in front of one such shelf as he had chosen a book on the art of tea making when he was bumped into. Had it not been for the resulting crash of books, he would have been embarrassed to admit he hardly noticed the contact. Snapping his book shut on practiced habit, Ben looked around for a moment before laying his eyes on the countess. This was one way to make a first impression; gone was the formal introduction he had crafted for the soiree later this week.

Ben dutifully placed the book back in its place before offering the countess a hand. “My sincerest apologies, Countess Marivaldi,” He said.

“Ah, thank you.” She responded as she accepted the man’s offered hand, righting herself once again. Amaris took a moment to brush out the wrinkles on the bottom of her sweater before returning her attention to the person standing before her. His face was somewhat familiar to the Countess however she found she could not place him further than as one of her classmates. Clearly he knew who she was as he had addressed her by her family name but that only served to add to a creeping feeling of guilt that she could not do the same.

“Seems the embarrassments are stacking up for me today, I don’t believe we’ve been properly introduced. You know my name but I do not know yours.” Her smile was apologetic as she stooped to quickly scoop the books that had fallen closest to her.

Ben mimicked the countess as he knelt down to help gather the scattered books. Once they were all picked up he would stand. It was not surprising that the countess did not know who he was, although he briefly had a minor sense of deja vu to when he had met Count Sinnenodel. The princess had advised him that the two were opposites however so he did not expect a repetition of that meeting. At least, he hoped not.

“We haven’t met as far as I am aware,” Ben said. “I am Count Benjamin Pierce Eve. I had hoped to properly introduce myself this weekend.”

“Of course, Count Eve. I was looking forward to making your acquaintance later, but I suppose it doesn’t hurt to get it over with early. Please, feel free to call me Amaris if you’d like.” The Countess shuffled the weight of her books around so that she had a better grip on them, determined to keep them off the ground for the foreseeable future. “Nothing quite like inadvertently trying to tackle someone to make a first impression. Hopefully I’ll find the opportunity to correct that. ” Amaris couldn’t help but to chuckle at the situation she had found herself in. At the very least it had momentarily distracted her from the frustrations of her search.

“So what brings you through? Looking for something specific or just taking a look around, if you don’t mind my asking that is?” The Countess couldn’t spot anything in his possession that resembled a purchase, though she could have written it off as the Count having not found his desired item just yet. It was also, unfortunately, the only subject of conversation she could think of to continue moving away from what was already an unfortunate first meeting.

The first name basis was unexpected, but he had heard more than once that the main branch of the Marivaldi family was odd more than once. Perhaps this was an attempt to break the ice, albeit one he did not expect for some time to come. He laughed politely as she did, but he could not help but notice she seemed to struggle with her books. As far as he was aware she was a pureblood vampire. She was, however, the current heiress, surely there was little reason for her to lift a finger in her home. Transitioning to having to do things herself must have led to a lesser strength.

“A look around indeed. The academy’s library is expansive but I prefer to take my time with my readings and am always looking for books to add to my collection,” Ben said. “A healthy bookshelf is always a wonderful sight.”

Ben then looked to the countess’ books. “You seem to be struggling, would you like me to carry them?” He asked.

“I couldn’t agree more. A shame I couldn’t transport my personal collection when I came to the Academy, but I have to admit that it is a beautiful opportunity to expand my library.” Amaris found herself taken somewhat by surprise at the Count’s question, her eyes trailing down to books she had gathered as he offered to assist her. She hadn’t thought of herself as struggling with them per se, but even she couldn’t deny that she hadn’t exactly been displaying her best so far. Ever since her experiences with the recent exam, Amaris had found herself feeling somewhat out of sync. She couldn’t say that she felt particularly sore or fatigued but a minor disconnect between her mind and body. To her it had been proof that she had a lot more room for improvement than she had previously thought.

“Well, it would be rude to decline such a polite offer. I wouldn’t mind the assistance if you’re insisting but in return, how about I help you pick out something new for your collection?” She countered. There was still the one additional book she had to find but she figured shopping around with him might make for a decent opportunity. What better way to learn a little about her fellow noble than in an environment far more relaxed than some party?

Ben held his arms out until the books were passed to him and nodded in agreement. He hadn’t originally planned on buying anything but now was as good an excuse to make a purchase as any other time. His initial desire to read more about tea making would be set aside as he skimmed the books in front of him. What would be a good topic to research? Crossbows were his initial choice but he was unsure how the countess would react to that. Something gentler perhaps. He remembered he did intend to give Lilie a small reward for her hard work after the practical; perhaps it was overdue, but it was a start.

"I'll take any advice on a reward for my mage, then, if you would be so kind," Ben said. "I'll admit I have never been one for gift giving."

“Certainly. I find gifts to be an interesting beast, they sort of force you to face the reality of your relationship to the recipient. You can really learn a lot from a gift.” Amaris smiled warmly at the Count before her expression was consumed by thought. He had used the word reward over any other phrasing when he had made his request. For her that usually meant something positive, a selection that ought to be more personalized than it was random.

“A reward should probably be more about her than it is about you so what would you say are some of Lilie’s interests are?” The only information she had about the young mage had been second hand from Cassandra, and even then she never pushed for information. So far, all of her attempts to befriend the girl had failed. Each time Lilie had either cooly cast her off or had found an excuse to flee the area whenever Amaris had tried to reach out. She couldn’t understand what she might have done wrong to warrant such avoidance, but Amaris had little choice other than to respect it. Because of these failures, Amaris knew next to nothing about the Count’s mage. Her hope was that Benjamin might know more about Lilie than she so that they could pick out something properly.

Ben wasn't entirely sure if he was in complete agreement with facing any sort of reality, but at the very least he wasn't concerned with the current pleasantness between himself and his mage. At this point in time he could comfortably admit they had found some semblance of a groove between them. Their rocky beginning would eventually be seen as a distant memory if he had anything to say about it.

"She is a simple child, fortunately; the effort is appreciated more than the gift itself," Ben said. "While I have been raising her vocal abilities I have noticed she has a few mortal talents: floral arranging, a few crafts that consist of folding paper into different shapes, and cooking. The latter is my assumption purely by view and scent, of course, but she has mentioned her family owns a bakery. I safely assume that takes skill to remain in business through generations."

“Simplicity sounds rather refreshing.” Amaris mused, running through the Count’s list in her head. From what she was being told Lilie’s hobbies weren’t just simple, they were elegant and yet so temporary. What beauty Lilie could create from flowers and scraps of paper could be made eternal with just a few dabs of paint from upon the Countess’ canvas, but she supposed that was the point. How mortal indeed.

As for her baking, the Countess couldn’t help but draw a comparison to her own Maddie and her cooking, after all, that was how she was first introduced to the mage. Scanning the immediate area, Amaris searched for something that might relate to the hobbies the Count Eve had observed.

“We could try the crafts section to see if they have any recipe collections that might interest her. Alternatively, something concerning the language of flowers might help to inspire more diverse arrangements… and who knows, maybe it will come in handy for a future exam.”

Crafts would likely be the right direction, Ben agreed. The mention of a 'language' confused him for a moment. Floral arranging was considered an art to some but considering it a language came off as strange to him. It must have had to do with what they symbolized. At least, that was his assumption; he couldn't say for sure as he had little knowledge on the subject. Now he was truly curious to learn more and with the perfect alibi to boot.

"A language involving flowers would certainly appeal to someone named after one," Ben said. "I can't say I have any knowledge in that area. Do lead the way."

Amaris nodded her head and led the way to the section marked for crafts. It was filled with miscellaneous topics ranging from cooking and baking to activities such as knitting and drawing. The diversity in available information excited the Countess and she made sure to mentally note a return for herself at a later time; there was no telling what she would be able to find for Maddie or herself if given enough time. Looking around, Amaris finally spotted the subsection dedicated to all things flora.

“It’s an interesting concept. We’re so used to languages of a spoken or written nature that it’s easy to overlook the subtlety of a visual one. While I might have a limited knowledge on the flower portion, it’s not too different from color theory.” Glancing around, the Countess searched for a place to start their search. A few titles caught her eyes, though they turned out to be mostly about tips for proper growth and maintenance of varying species. She considered pulling a volume to suggest an opportunity for Lilie to cultivate her own garden, but she wasn’t quite ready to give up yet and offer an alternative.

Amaris scanned further down the aisle to where some of the encyclopedic volumes sat before finally spotting what she originally had in mind. Gently pulling the object from its place in the row, Amaris smiled down at its title; Floriography: An Illustrated Guide to the Language of Flowers. Opening the cover to peek inside rewarded the Countess with pages upon pages of vibrant colors and excerpts detailing each species’ history, meaning, and uses. With a smile, Amaris turned the decorated cover in the Count’s direction so that he could see it as well.

“It’s a very intricate practice, or so it would seem. Just by changing the color of a single flower you can completely change the nature of the message. I wonder what it has to say about lilies. Shall we take a peek?”

The power of floral language could prove useful down the line if he decided to enlist Lilie’s services in his home. He wasn’t aware of those intricacies Amaris spoke of. It completely fascinated him and he found himself eager to learn more. Lilie wouldn’t mind a second handed gift, or so he hoped.

“I’m interested,” Ben said.

“Let’s see…” She hummed, thumbing through the pages until she came across a few excerpts concerning lilies. “White lilies appear to represent majestic beauty and purity. How lovely.” Amaris sighed before shifting her gaze to the water lily.

To her recollection, Cassandra had never come right out and told Amaris about Lilie’s affinity, although the Countess had pieced together a guess through many context clues and several class observations. If she had guessed correctly, Lilie was supposed to be a water mage. So what did the book have to offer on that? “But a water lily is indicative of eloquence and persuasion. All good qualities to live up to where namesakes are concerned.”

Purity was accurate; the child was hopelessly naive. It was a dangerous trait to have but Ben would be lying if he didn’t admit that it stirred something in him. He was more sympathetic to her than his other mages, albeit he always thought it was because of her background. To most he supposed he could understand why it was seen positively even if he did feel somewhat concerned about it.

Regardless of meaning Ben did find himself enjoying the language. He couldn’t say he was an expert in botany and simply saw them as decorative more often than not but it was interesting. He wondered who decided what each flower meant. This was going to be a fascinating read, he could already tell. The subtle art of messaging his allies and foes could be accomplished with a simple bouquet. What a comical thought!

“She is a little frail for my taste and a lack of background is curious for one assigned to nobility, but...the princess has her reasons, I’m sure,” Ben said. “Either way I will see to it that she lives up to her namesakes’ meaning.”

“Perhaps. Or she might have no reason at all and everything was left up to the whims of fate. But who are we to know such things?” She countered with a shrug and short laugh. Amaris wondered about the probability of the Count having heard about the removal of her first partner. If the princess had a reason for such a match-up, she still couldn’t fully figure it out. The Countess shifted her eyes back down to the book with an amused grin.

“You know, it’s sort of ironic. I had pulled from a similar cask of knowledge to this during the exam. How fitting that it might become a reward for someone’s performance from the same event. So what do you think? Does it meet your approval or should we look for something else instead?”

That was certainly one way to look at it. Ben smiled politely at the countess’ laugh and put the thought out of mind for the moment. He wasn’t foolish enough to question the princess directly nor was he keen on getting on her bad side. For all his talk of remaining neutral he was being quite opinionated. A correction would follow. Instead he eyed the book for a moment before looking around.

“One or two more in addition to it would do well,” He said. “Starting up a mage’s bookcase is a reward in and of itself, don’t you agree?”

It was mostly an excuse to keep looking around but he wouldn’t go admitting that much just yet. His intentions, however, were completely sincere.

“A very generous reward, and one I fully support.” She nodded her agreement before putting her eyes back to work. “Depending on what skills you’d like to cultivate, there are plenty of options left. You could make her flower arrangements more self sufficient with gardening guides to compliment the floriography book. We can pop over two aisles to the cooking section and find some new recipes for her. You could also share a little bit of yourself with her by gifting a copy of one of your favorites to start off her collection as well.” The Countess found it difficult to curb her enthusiasm. She couldn’t tell what it was that she enjoyed so much, but, at the very least, it was a nice change of pace to be able to shop with someone other than just herself. While she wouldn’t admit it, Maddie had already done a far better job at making friends than she had, and the mage had only been at the school a fraction of the time. The Count was a long way from being anything considered a friend, but she didn’t get the sense that she was walking on needles like she did with Varis, which certainly made the whole ordeal much easier.

Cultivating skills from a mage that lived their life as a human was easier said than done. All of the mage’s talents were firmly in an area where humans could find usage and admiration but were otherwise useless to him. He honestly hated to admit that much no matter how true it was. Judging from the countess’ remarks, however, he couldn’t say that out loud without drawing some ire.

“All very good suggestions,” Ben said. “Let me see...”

Ben did not let his eyes wander too much despite the multitude of titles enticing him. He would have to return to satiate his curiosity another time. Which books would look nice on Lilie’s shelf? He did catch her tending to the flowers in front of the dorm so the countess’ suggestion was spot on.

“A gardening book will do nicely. After that, going over to the cooking section should round the trio off. Aside from magic books I don’t believe she reads for pleasure, though I could be wrong. I’ll double check her room for the future once I return,” Ben said. “Do you use this tactic with your mage as well?”

The Countess didn’t respond to his inquiry right away, instead hiding her face by reaching to check another nearby title. It was no secret how the Marivaldi’s could be with their mages. They had been branded mage lovers and she was more than aware how other families spoke about them when they weren’t around. The only ones who didn’t pull their punches were the other nobles, or at least that’s how it felt anyway. In her experience, the Eve’s had been the least hostile toward their doting habits, but she still felt like she had to be somewhat cautious. After all, just because the Count sought to reward his mage in a thoughtful manner didn’t mean that he shared the same views as she.

“Well, it wouldn’t be completely inaccurate to say that I do. I encourage Maddie to be vocal about her wants and needs though, so it does make the process a little easier on me. Ah, here we go.” Amaris slid a title she had been eyeing earlier from the shelf and gave it a once over. There was enough information about native flora as well as more exotic species to try her hand at. Satisfied with the selection to accompany the guide, Amaris turned back to the culinary arts subsection the pair had passed previously.

“You are welcome to take my advice with a grain of salt if you must though. Count Varis has already beat you to any insult or criticism of my so called ‘tactics’ that you could possibly imagine. To be honest, taking what you need and ignoring the rest would be doing me a kindness.” The Countess never lost her smile, however, the energy behind it was no longer quite as full. She gently pushed a book she had been previewing back into place as she discovered its focus to be on baked dishes instead of pastry creation. Sliding her finger across the spines, she made her way down the row until she found another promising text.

“I have a question, if you’ll humor me…” She said after a moment, skimming through the pages curiously. “If you had to choose one mortal trait or ability to inherit, what could you see yourself picking?”

Ah, so the two already had the pleasure of meeting. The Sinnenodel count had yet to live up to the expectations Ben had heard so much about; while he would keep his wits about him, for now he needed to placate his father's wishes and get along with all the nobles. Still, even a coiled serpent was dangerous and he would be a fool to underestimate him. Right now he was a little more invested in the countess before him, however, and her words gave him pause. Encouraging a mage to be vocal sounded bizarre if he was being completely honest. Perhaps the heiress preferred a more hands off approach. He supposed that was one way to go about it but the idea didn't sit well with him. Mages only lived so long and had a tendency to focus on things that didn't last and not utilize their abilities. He felt part of his duties were to guide his mages to playing their parts to the fullest. However, he was also speaking from a position of less privilege. Comparing himself to an heiress was not only pointless but also counterproductive to the conversation but he did feel he should try to look into what she considered 'kindness'.

Her followup question was puzzling to say the least. Ben didn't have to think very long for a response and his father would argue that he had plenty of replies ready. It may have been something the countess herself had considered.

"If I had the choice, I would like nothing more than to understand a mortal's idea of passion," Ben said. "Even knowing nothing they create could ever compare to someone that has had centuries of experience behind them, the zest they use as they put their very souls into their work is admirable." And more often than not gave Ben the strangest shades of green. He thought about the strange paper arrangement he had seen in the dorm. "Odd, I know, but it is difficult to explain. There is a beauty that can't quite compare to even the best of vampiric abilities."

Amaris’ smile was a bit brighter this time around as she closed the recipe book and added it to the two others they had picked for Lilie. It wasn’t often that she got to ask her odd little question and receive such a well throughout response. He wasn’t the sort she would expect to dismiss or take offense to the question as someone like Varis would, but the Count seemed too structured and formal for a response she would have expected from someone more like herself. The Countess found his response rather warm and sincere… perhaps she didn’t need to be quite so wary after all.

“Passion, hm? I have to say Count Benjamin, you surprise me.” She gave the Count a look of approval as she spoke, flipping the much smaller stack of books around so that the books about flowers sat on top. “What I respect, admire even, about passion is how unapologetic it is. Art created from passion is for no one but the artist, any praise or outside acknowledgement comes as just a bonus. It sort of reminds me of Lilie’s flowers, actually. No two are exactly alike and each are beautiful in their own right, but they can either be incredibly resilient or especially fragile. Care too little for it and it will wither and fade away, care too much and you risk smothering it. I’d like to think that we could be capable of experiencing true passion for ourselves if we really wanted to but we always seem to care too much.”

Amaris flipped the stack around once again so that the collection of recipes was back on top. “I’m almost embarrassed to admit that you’ve put my own answer to shame. Shall we?” Amaris motioned to the seemingly complete stack of titles the pair had collected between them. She would have to ask the front clerk again about the one title she had been looking for when she bumped into the Count, but for the time being Amaris could settle for what she had found already.

Ben hadn’t expected a positive response but it was a pleasant surprise nonetheless. He didn’t have to worry too much about his views as the heiress certainly lived up to her family’s ideals. It was a reassuring thought but it didn’t mean he should make any assumptions. He did think of it as a positive for the moment, taking solace in finding some common ground with the countess.

“Forgive my curiosity, but what would your answer have been?” Ben asked.

“I’ll tell you, but you’re going to think it’s silly. I’ve come to find that I’ve grown envious of their ability to eat. Their fondness for food is so different from our own craving for blood; and it goes well beyond mere survival. From what I’ve observed, food can be used to convey deep emotions to another being without either one ever speaking a single word. Not to mention the sensory experience that must accompany such varying textures… It must be quite something if our embraced willingly put themselves through discomfort for it.” She responded, curious to see how the Count would respond.

An unexpected response for certain. Perhaps it was Lilie’s cooking that swayed him to believe it wasn’t a silly thought; he was often content with the scents of what she made and tasted her sweet blood as a substitute for the pastries. Emotions and food being mentioned together was also the first he had ever heard of such a thing. Ben gave a small hum of acknowledgement as he considered the response. Taste was certainly something mortals had over them and he did hear an amusing rumor about a professor's love for odd fruit. At the very least Amaris was not alone in her desire to taste food.

"I've always thought food to be inconvenient myself, but I also feel the need to feed ourselves in general is terribly inconvenient at all. Many a spilled glass over documents would support this," Ben said. "I thank you for sharing and indulging in my request."

“You were the one indulging me, remember?” She chuckled as the pair approached the counter with their selections. Peeping the time, Amaris carefully placed the much smaller stack down so that she could accept her own pile from the Count’s possession. “Ah, sorry to cut things short but I still have some details to work out to get ready for the weekend. Thank you for your assistance with these, I hope it wasn’t too much of a bother.”

Ben figured he should get going as well. Fortunately checking out wouldn’t take too much time. He gazed at the covers of the books picked out, his finger tapping the spine. He would have to come back for the tea making book. "Not at all, Countess. Forgive me for taking up so much of your time," Ben said. "I will let you know how Lilie receives your suggestions; I may need your expertise in the future."

“Looking forward to it, I hope she enjoys them. As for recommendations, feel free any time. One’s collection could always use more additions.” Amaris offered. Once everything had been situated, the pair could finally go their separate ways but the Countess found herself disappointed to lose the company. Perhaps the upcoming event wouldn’t be a complete bust after all.

Of Blood and Magic

Amaris Marivaldi

_{Interacting with: Madalyn @Achronum}

“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.”

Of Blood and Magic

Amaris Marivaldi

_{Interacting with: Madalyn @Achronum}

Why must everything be a riddle? Would it be too much to ask for a single baseline of information around here? Amaris griped to herself in silence as she tuned in to Maddie’s words. The mage had a slightly different take on the identities they were choosing from, following a path that pointed to the daughter over the father. Maddie’s assumption was that the father had passed on in some form or fashion whereas her own theory had only taken into account the father’s absence from the events. She had to admit, following Maddie’s path narrowed down the selection considerably, which would give them a far better chance at figuring it out. Yet, they were still running into the issue of no one person completely fitting the description they were gifted.

“The dealer’s response to my question about the order of our selections was just that it would be the easiest portion to discern. If you have an inkling that we’re talking multiple selections here, we might only be getting one riddle split into three parts. He placed the cards down yellow, blue, and then red… The riddle sort of mirrors that order with ‘sun’ or ‘light’, ‘sea’, and then ‘blood’ so it’s possible those keywords might have less to do with the identities and more to do with how we place our bets?”

The Countess sat back and tapped her fingertips lightly along the surface of the table. She could see what Maddie meant about the subject favoring the daughter, however, Amaris still found herself in partial disagreement. While the subject did seem to be the daughter, each segment focused on the relationship and actions of another. To her, that might suggest that each of the selections would be the identities of those relations or her identity alone.

Deliberation wasn’t made any easier with the dealer’s presence, his smug attitude throwing the Countess off her game. She couldn’t rely on nearly anything he said or did. If the House desired their loss, Maddie and Amaris would find deception at every turn at this stage.

“I’m uncertain about the first bit. I think it could be about either the daughter or the father, but that would depend on the rest of the riddle. A Sinnenodel being the foe makes sense enough to me, so we could try to start there and work our way out… But who here truly considers the Sinnenodels a friend?” Amaris refrained from touching on the final portion as she was just as stumped as her partner. Every detail she looked into pointed her in a completely different direction.

“Or I could have absolutely no idea what I’m talking about and I’ve just doomed your exam grade.” She growled with frustration. The colors would have made so much sense but the phrasing of the lines just didn’t seem to fully cooperate with her ideas. Reading it one way she agreed with her partner while reading it another had her disagreeing with her partner. A riddle on top of another riddle; why couldn’t the dealer have just answered her damn question?

Of Blood and Magic

Amaris Marivaldi

_{Interacting with: Madalyn @Achronum}

The Countess should have suspected a change in rules other than the reward payout, but she found herself momentarily distracted by the reappearance of the trio of color. It was just like before with the ‘challenge’ of selecting a bell as she once again faced the three primary shades, this time as part of the cards and her now limited chips. She initially thought the whole thing absurd, as what was the point of anything they had done previously in the game now that everything had changed so much, but she couldn’t help the excitement that fueled her.

“You’re quite the magician. So if I am to understand this correctly, a victory on our part is a simple two thirds majority. Betting closes at the end, meaning we can change our bets accordingly at any time until then, and I assume we are free to decide together as before? Let me ask you this then; the order in which we are betting… is it a set order yellow, blue, red or is that also part of our riddle to figure out?” The last thing Amaris needed was to get tripped up on a technicality. There was something about the dealer that reminded her of the serpent, though she couldn’t exactly place what it was. She got the sense that a trap had been placed and that she had danced her way right into the midst of a spider’s web, yet the thrill of hunt only spurred her on more.

Despite having just asked her question, the Countess’ mind was already at work breaking down what she could. The easiest place to start was by filtering out the gender of the selection, the riddle seemingly pointing to the ‘mournful man’ over his daughter but it was going to take a lot more than that to narrow it down. That had only eliminated five of the potential faces leaving more than she would have cared to sift through, but a better start than none. Amaris also thought it rather safe to eliminate the mages as well based on the daughter mentioned in the riddle. She doubted any of the children had spawn of their own so young, and certainly none that would have spawn old enough themselves to be turning anyone to ash.

Having narrowed her personal guess down to the house heads, Amaris shifted her gaze to her partner to see if Maddie had any thoughts of her own. As far as the Countess was aware, the noble representatives were in the same boat as the mages concerning offspring. Based on her assumptions, that left her with Count Lutheran, Lord Peiron, and the late Lord Ralmevik.

It’s been a while since I’ve looked at the family trees. Who all has daughters again? Amaris thought to herself silently.

Of Blood and Magic

Amaris Marivaldi

_{Interacting with: Madalyn @Achronum}

Amaris watched with keen eyes as the cards were flipped, their final bets resting on Aaron and the boy known as Salem. She was less concerned about a win or loss than she figured she would be, instead enjoying the thrill that accompanied the gamble. Until this game, she had always found reasons to not act, to shy away from taking sides on most subjects. For her, unless a win was a guarantee the game wasn’t to be played, but ever since her first nights at the academy this outlook had been challenged. It was becoming increasingly obvious that without a little risk, there would be no growth on her part… and if she, herself, could not grow what hope did she have of supporting her partner.

Despite the dealer’s confidence in their loss, Maddie’s smile graced the table as her image was revealed as the kill card. It came with a small sense of relief to the Countess who hadn’t realized that she had lingering thoughts on the matter. She didn’t doubt her partner’s honesty, but it would have been more of a hassle than she preferred to look into Maddie’s family. The last thing Amaris wished to do was betray her partner’s trust, or worse yet, force her partner into an uncomfortable position with her own family.

Having avoided the loss, Amaris turned her gaze to the drawing of the next card. If they were correct in selecting a mage, the odds of winning were much higher than that of a draw. The answer would be interesting regardless of who was shown, but Amaris couldn’t help but hold out hope for the Starag child’s reveal. It seemed the fates had other plans for her, however, as Salem’s card was revealed instead. An Astorio mage with a secret was an interesting subject indeed, yet Amaris couldn’t shake the disappointment she felt. Perhaps someday she would find a worthy conspiracy to fill her time.

“Way to go Maddie. Be it luck or instinct, you certainly have a decent amount of it.” She chuckled cheerfully to cover up her disappointment in the results. There was no need to ruin what was still a win for them.

A bell sounded from somewhere behind the dealer, assumedly some kind of signal meant for him; an assumption he quickly confirmed. A shift change. She thought the ideal rather humorous seeing as, as far as she was concerned, they weren’t based in reality. Why would a mannequin brought to life with magic inside a bubble reality need something so mundane as a change in shift? Be it an attempt at authenticity or some sort of mind game, the tone was set as the dealer held up two cards. She stared back at herself as the challenge was set before shifting her glance sideways at Maddie. Amaris could tell that her partner was beginning to tire, and was likely already more exhausted than she was letting on.

As much fun as the Countess was having, she couldn’t very well ignore her partner’s needs. A double or nothing final round… If she was correct, a win would grant them full marks so long as they could find their way out of the forest before time was up. While she wouldn’t feel the fatigue that prolonged use of magic brought, her blindness for the trek home would be just another obstacle for her partner to work through. Winning the round and thus successfully passing the challenge might very well be the only truly useful thing she could do to support her mage for the time being.

“I certainly hope this final round proves to be just as interesting as the rest. Let’s play.”

Of Blood and Magic

Amaris Marivaldi

_{Interacting with: Madalyn @Achronum}

“There are some secrets that are meant to be taken to the grave and yet here we are discussing one as if it were more like a family heirloom. If such a secret had any potential to discredit the Royal family the last place they should want it is in the hands of a Sinnenodel.” Amaris crossed her arms and scowled in frustration. “Still, the Starag family is considered a pedigree and they’re kept as such; it would be easy to claim their status as being ‘blessed’. The only issue is that Landar was the negotiator for human and mage protections. Treason on his part would have been the perfect excuse for the Royal family and the Moonlight Council to void the Treaty, it would have undone everything he ever fought for. What would the Royal family have to gain by covering something like that… up?”

Looking somewhat as if she had walked face first into a wall, the Countess trailed off in thought. If Maddie listened closely, she might have even heard gears grinding along from within Amaris’ skull. Closing her eyes and tilting her head back, Amaris imagined herself back at the lecture halls. Standing before her on the raised platform was Varis who, as usual, presented with an air of superiority that made it rather difficult not to chuck something at his face. There had been something he had said that had garnered her interest for once.

~~~

”Now the most interesting part of Article Three in my opinion, is the Starag Commandment…”

It was a subject that had interested, albeit somewhat passively, since she had first learned about the Treaty in her youth. Written by Landar himself, the Commandment was unique in the fact that not one member of the Council had contested its contents. That was more impressive a feat than the Treaty itself, especially considering that it was written by mortal hands. The installation had been widely regarded as more symbolic than influential, so perhaps that had been enough to placate the more traditional families at the time. Interesting as her theories were though, that hadn’t been what caught her attention. Not from that lecture anyway. Varis had gone on to explain something else of interest about the Commandment.

“...on a separate piece of parchment that is kept away from non-council members under Noila lock and key. There are no other images of the document, no scholars have permission to interact with it, only a few mages associated with the Council are permitted to maintain its integrity. Rumors have it that Landar created a powerful magical failsafe...”

~~~

“Oh… Now that sounds far too good to be true.” Amaris finally broke her silence, eyes opening to the world once again. “Still doesn’t give me much insight on a sister with a ‘lineage of healing’, but I would be willing to bet on him just for the hell of it. That, and he’s the only one I have enough information on to piece together a conspiracy no matter how outlandish it might be. Alternatively, we can pick one of the mages at random and hope for the best, what do you think? Feeling lucky?”