Vampire: A City by the Sea

[Cynical Cat]

"I would be delighted to accept," he replied and took her instructions as he guided his horse.

[rhoenix]

As for Aziz, despite the drama erupting in small parts around him, strode with calm. Turning to his sponsor, he nodded in thanks before speaking. "You have my gratitude, Karaja," he said in Arabic.

"Now," he said in Italian to the same Karaja, "shall I ready myself for this now? It will not take me much time."

[LadyTevar]

At her door, a young manservant awaited her return. He was a little surprised to see her ride back, but he recovered quickly, ringing a bell to summon two more manservants from within, followed by another, better dressed man.

Lydia spoke to the well-dressed one as her servants helped her from the horse. "Marcus, this is Lord Konstantin Karpaty, our guest for this evening. See that his horse is well-treated ... and fetch my lorica and spatheon. There will be fighting this night." Marcus was obviously her head retainer, as he began snapping orders in Greek to the others.

Lydia herself stepped to the door and opened it for Konstantin. "Please be welcome in my house," she said, remembering some of what she knew of Tzimisce customs. "If there is anything I may acquire to make you comfortable, please let me know."

[Charon]

Karaja nodded. "As you will. I will stay here. There is more to this plan, I believe, than Thorkell has let on." Karaja paused. "Hopefully."

[Cynical Cat]

"You are gracious lady, but there is nothing I require at the moment," said Konstantin.

[LadyTevar]

The villa was smaller than the Prince's house, yet still obviously the home of a moneyed person. Lydia let Konstantin into a well-appointed parlor, ignoring the young woman who quickly finished lighting lamps. The young mortal shivered at Konstantin's face, before curtseying to her mistress and rushing out. "Now that there is privacy...," Lydia said, removing her cloak and laying it over a chair, "what did you mean to accomplish by angering Thorkell?"

[Cynical Cat]

"Nothing," Konstantin said. "His stupidity provoked me. I am, it appears, still to used to thinking of myself as lord rather than servant."

[LadyTevar]

"Or else in a war, and not merely this cattle-raiding?" Lydia added, motioning him to take a seat. "This is not the East, m'Lord."

[Cynical Cat]

"I am quite aware of that. No lord so incompetent at war or raiding would last in the East," said Konstantin. "A mere raiding party would be a smaller band and thus escape such detection. Twenty is too large for stealth and too small for strength. It is the perfect number for failure, but our Warlord has decided to give them the opportunity to do damage before they die, thus demonstrating he as is incompetent as his counterpart."

[LadyTevar]

Lydia snorted delicately. "He is Norse. He simply wishes the fight."

As she said that a soft knock came to the door, then two of her maidservants entered, bringing a small folded pile of some cloth, a long arming sword in its sheath, the belt wrapped around it, and a manservant entered, carried the burden of chain mail.

Marcus was in the lead, bowing first to Lydia then to Konstantin as the guest. A question was asked in rapid-fire Greek, to which Lydia replied in the negative. Marcus covered his frown quickly, having the maids set down their burdens and rush off with him, leaving the manservant to stand and hold the heavy chain until they returned.

"These raids seem to have started when Maria killed the last Prince, who was a good friend of the Prince of Milan, if I am correct," Lydia stated, crossing to pick up her blade, drawing it out several inches to inspect the steel for rust. Satisfied, she resheathed it. "They have been dueling thus for nearly a century."

Marcus returned, the two ladies carrying between them a folded wooden panel. They unfolded the three leaves, showing brightly painted scenes from far Cathay, and one of the maids picked up the cloth they'd left and stepped behind to aid her mistress when Lydia decided to change.

It was clear Lydia's household was well-run, either by herself or by her retainer Marcus.

[Cynical Cat]

"Gangrels fight on the side of the Tzimisce in the East. I know them. The Norse value cunning very highly. He's strong, but he's either foolish or he has another agenda."

[Comrade Tortoise]

Florien watched impassively during the confrontation between the Carpathian and Thorkell. The foreigner was correct of course. But pride, one of the most common of sins prevented the older vampire from seeing his own incompetence. He would have to have a chat with this Konstantin when things were more quiet.

Still, he was bound by the idiot's wishes. He needed to get home, feed, and arm himself.

He strode through the streets with purpose until he reached his home and looked up to the guard post

'Hallo, öffnest du die Tür Thomas, wo sind Juergen und Nils?"

"Sie sind innerhalb."

"Danke Gott. Kommst du hierunter. Wir werden uns in die Schlacht"

"Jawohl Meister"

On his master's orders the archer came down from the guard post and followed his master inside, there he found the other two playing chess in the Dining Hall of the manse.

"Ich brauche ihn" he said as he moved into the other room to take his robes off, and put his armor on. It was not much. Leather and ring mail, but it suited his purposes. He also strapped on his quiver, which contained an equal mix of broad headed and bodkin arrows, and sword belt.

It hit him while arming himself that with the numbers of enemies such as they were, they were too few to force their way into the city, and too many to be stealthy. What could Milan hope to accomplish here? Well, that is what interrogations after battle were for he supposed. There would undoubtedly be prisoners.

"Juergen, Nils, Thomas,Kommen Sie alle hier. Sie wissen, was zu tun ist." he said. He took his dagger and opened his wrist. Each one took it in turn to briefly feed upon his blood, becoming stronger, and more resilient.

When this was done, he walked down the winding staircase to his prisoner, and tore into the man's carotid artery without hesitation. He was hardly innocent after all. He drank, and continued to drink, the man screaming and writhing the whole time, until Florien finished and licked the wound on the man's neck closed and the man slipped whimpering into unconsciousness.

"Feed him and make sure he does not die from shock. Getting his confession will have to wait until tomorrow I am afraid." He said in german to Neihuis

[LadyTevar]

"In this city, I would believe the second," Lydia admitted, stepping behind the panels. The painted cloth obscured view, yet the candle behind threw shadows that were descernable if one wished to watch.

Lydia's two outer garments were removed and laid aside with only a little help from the maid, then the underdress replaced with a shorter one from the pile of cloth, followed by a quilted gambeson. The manservant was finally relieved of his burden, and the chainmail jingled softly as Lydia slid it over her body, wiggling in interesting ways to slide it in place and settle the weight properly.

Only then did she emerge from behind the screen, her braided hair tucked under a linen coif, the chain mail extending up over her head protectively. Marcus belted the sword about her waist, and she gave one last jingling shimmy to settle the weight of chain and sword onto her hips. "If you wish, Konstantin, we have a grindstone you may use to prepare your weapons."

[Cynical Cat]

Old memories stirred as he watch the shapely Roman don her armour. He was no longer driven by carnal lust, but the man he had once been had felt it. She was still beautiful to look upon and he had the memories of couplings before his Embrace. "My weapons are fine," said the Tzimisce, pulling his mind away. "I thank you for the offer, gentle host."

[LadyTevar]

"Please, you may call me Lydia," she said with a smile, then frowned slightly. "I didnt introduce myself properly, did I... Lady Lydia Nikolakis, Chylde of Natalya Svyatoslva, Autokrator of the Lexor Brujah, formerly of Constaninople."

[Cynical Cat]

"A pleasure," said Konstantin, taking her hand and bowing over it. "Your hospitality is most excellent."

[LadyTevar]

A genuine smile crossed her face. "From a Son of the Dragon, that is the highest praise of all."

[Cynical Cat]

"High praise, not the highest," said Konstantin. "Still we have hours left in the night, who knows what it might bring?"

[LadyTevar]

"Besides a fight in the outskirts of town?" Lydia asked teasingly, letting her hand drop and taking a few steps away shaking her head. "I still wonder why they are attacking thus now. Twenty men arriving at night would make even the mortals suspicious of their actions."

[Cynical Cat]

"If they had havens set up, or had reason to believe they could butcher the opposition they ran into, then it would make sense. But a city with Gangrel and seers? No, I don't know what is going on. Cainite lives are valuable. I can see deceiving some fledglings into making this run, even siring just for it, but I don't know what Milan expects to gain except as a probing attack or a throw of the dice."

[The Silence and I]

Satisfied with the state of his weapons Ottar makes a decision and leaves the larger axe behind. He slings his shield over a shoulder loosely, easier to grab and make ready than he usually carries it, and tucks his battleaxe into his belt. He wears his chainmail over his clothing to better allow the mail to deflect blows. His head is left uncovered; his vision is hampered enough by the loss of his eye and he prefers seeing all of what he can.

So garbed he moves to the gates with time to spare. The prospect of battle is exciting, and while the newcomer had made a point about the situation it doesn't worry him. 21 men would never manage to damage the city, even if they got past the counter attack (ha!) the city would still hold. So, Ottar's duty to the protection of the city was satisfied. Besides, Thorkell was no fool. There is more to this than he'd been told, which was why he'd come early. Perhaps more would be explained when the rest of the Einherjar arrived.

[LadyTevar]

"If they had havens set up, or had reason to believe they could butcher the opposition they ran into, then it would make sense. But a city with Gangrel and seers? No, I don't know what is going on. Cainite lives are valuable. I can see deceiving some fledglings into making this run, even siring just for it, but I don't know what Milan expects to gain except as a probing attack or a throw of the dice."

Her grey eyes were troubled as she thought on that, focusing more on the past. "That is the trick of the desperate," Lydia answered softly. "It was ... hotly contested by the Elders. Ghouls we made in droves to stand the walls or sally forth. Fledglings..." she blinked back to the present, her eyes clearing. "No new Brujah joined the Lexor afterwards," she spoke with finality.

"I do not think Milan is that desperate," she said, changing the subject slightly. "Something more is under the surface here. The Prince already knew whom she would send. You were added at last minute."

[Cynical Cat]

"Of course they aren't desperate," said Konstantin. "They may, however, be that ruthless. The vitae costs are considerable, but if you have some disposable humans to make into Kindred and ghouls Milan can pay that price. Say removing the most dangerous human predators from the streets and dungeons, blood bonding them, and then lying to them about their chances. If Milan thinks the cost is worth it, then it could be done. What remains to be seen is what Milan hopes to truly accomplish and what this Warlord is playing at. Now, if you will excuse me, I must return to my horse and join the battle line."

[LadyTevar]

"Has the time gone that fast?" Lydia asked in slight surprise. "Hrmm... so it has.. both of our horses should be waiting outside."

Outside, Marcus was holding the reins of both Konstantin's steed, and of a bay roan mare, both saddled and waiting. The mare was no warhorse, but no lady's palfrey either. She had good lines, a wide chest, and well-formed legs. She was also used to Vampires, allowing Lydia to mount without complaint.

"The gate is this way, Sir Konstantin," she said, adding the title the Prince had called him by. "It is a short ride, so we will be there in plenty of time."

[Charon]

When Ottar arrived, Gudrun and Olaf were both waiting with a contingent of huskarls who fought for them, all of them old and battle-tested ghouls. Olaf was weaving the tale of one of Thorkell's exploits in the North, where he single-handedly burned down the hall of a rival lord who had turned to Christianty. Gudrun had opted for her larger waraxe while Olaf had little more than a spear and shield for weapons. Gudrun looked to Ottar as he closed. "Ah, Ottar! About time you arrived! We still wait on the others!"