New Orleans, Louisiana [Wednesday evening]
Everyone had worked hard during the day to ensure that by the time the queen and her entourage showed up Wednesday night, the apartment was at least somewhat presentable. Sookie had left the witching stuff to the witches, instead making sure that there was plenty of warmed TruBlood and places to sit.
This was, by far, the weirdest event she'd ever had to play hostess for.
Rinoa
Rinoa was setting bowls of powder out on the floor, checking a sheet of instructions to make sure each one was in the right place. And that she wasn't screwing up the order. She couldn't recognize most of these on sight.
"Sorry," she said, double-checking the sheet for what felt like the hundredth time. "I'm not used to ... my magic doesn't usually involve ingredients."
Tara
"This smells funny," Tara noted, as she pinched one of the dried herbs between her fingers carefully. "Do we think it's supposed to smell like this?"
It was, but it wasn't like she used it a lot.
Karla
"I think so," Karla said with a nod. "I recognize it from some of my potions."
Okay, technically from one of her poisons, but she didn't think that would be helpful to point out.
"I'm used to using ingredients and things in my Craft, but not quite like this," she added, checking her own copy of the sheet. "So, really, I don't mind you checking again and again. I'd prefer to not screw this up in front of the vampire Queen of Louisiana."
Rinoa
"What's she like, anyway?" Rinoa asked, sniffing the bowl with a frown. Okay, no more sniffing that particular bowl, because that one was just plain foul. "She's not going to go crazy on us if she doesn't like the results or anything, is she?"
They could totally handle a vampire queen, but it was best to know these things ahead of time.
Tara
"I don't think Sookie would have brought us here if she was the kind of vampire to go crazy," Tara said, but she sounded doubtful. "Karla? Y-you met her."
Karla
Karla was silent for a moment, considering. "She seems genuinely upset about Hadley's death," she said. "But she was also asking Hadley's cousin for help, so it's not like she could be all that imperious. She's worried, though, and about more than just Hadley's death."
Another few seconds of thoughtful silence. "She's old and she's a Queen, which means she's powerful and unpredictable. But she's also pragmatic enough not to go crazy if we can't do this, I think. Not when she doesn't know what we can do. And it would cost her our help."
Rinoa
"All good points," Rinoa said. "Let's see if we can't just pull this off, so we don't have to worry about it, anyway."
She flushed a second before admitting, "Besides, I've never tried this before and ... it sounds like such a neat spell."
Was that wrong of her?
Tara
"No, it does," Tara said, trying to be reassuring. "And ... if we try, we can quit worrying about it, right?"
She held out her hands. "I'm ready when you are."
Karla
Karla reached out to clasp hands with Tara and Rinoa, tapping into the energy collected in her Sapphire. "Everything's as ready as it's going to be, I think," she said. "Let's show this Queen just what three witches from Fandom can do, shall we?"
Sophie-Anne
Sometime during the witches' setup, Sophie-Anne had arrived, with Andre by her side. She'd taken a seat where Sookie had offered, but mostly was watching the girls as they worked, staying quiet and sad as she observed.
Eric
From the opposite side of the room, Eric sat as well, quietly appraising Sophie-Anne's demeanor.
He was a vampire, and vampires ended up permanently dead if they didn't stay observant, especially around royalty.
Bobby
Magic was sort of... out of Bobby's purview, he had to admit. So mostly he was just trying to stay out of the way of the people who knew what they were doing.
Warren
Warren was right on board with that train of thought, taking a seat beside Bobby and boggling. You know. A little.
"I think it's safe to say that I have no idea what they're actually doing, over there."
Bobby
"Stuff that we should stay well out of the way of," Bobby said, with all the authority of... someone who'd watched Dr. Strange at work a handful of times, actually. "Messed up mojo almost always ends badly."
Warren
"Messed up mojo," Warren echoed, blinking over at the girls again. "Badly how?"
Bobby had spoken like a bit of an authority on the matter, so now Warren was kind of curious about the guy's experience with this sort of thing.
Bobby
"Well there was the time a demon kind of accidentally got loose and we had to put it back, and it turned the other-Warren into a budgie," Bobby shared. "And then there was the time a hot dog stand tried to eat me." Although that instance had been more-or-less what the spellcaster had been aiming for, it was still pretty messed up as far as Bobby was concerned.
Warren
"I'm beginning to wonder if turning into a budgie is some kind of rite-of-passage that all Warrens have to endure at some point or another," noted this particular Warren, pursing his lips a little. "And I think that hot dog stand was a little confused, huh?"
Squall
Squall had been watching the magic closely, to see if Rinoa got hurt or whatever, but he decided he felt like chiming in to the conversation. "Your world sounds like Fandom," he muttered.
Bobby
"There are some... definite similarities," Bobby had to admit. Like the rampant abuse of time travel. Or the aforementioned objects coming to life due to demonic influence.
Warren
"I just want to note for the record that my world is a lot like Bobby's world, and I've still never been attacked by a hot dog cart," Warren offered.
It seemed kind of important that he clarify something like that.
Squall
Squall nodded. "Noted." It was important to give it the recognition it deserved.
Jono
If anybody needed Jonothon, he was going to be giving looks to the snacks. It seemed mildly more productive than getting in anybody's way, and he didn't know if he really trusted the vampires enough to want to get too involved, really.
He'd found a place to sit, at least, and was eyeing the food with a still-as-the-grave demeanour about him that might almost give the vampires a run for their money.
Kennedy
Kennedy sat back in a corner of the room, leaning back on her hands and just watching. She was smart enough to stay out of the way, and the whole idea of what this spell was supposed to do gave her the not-so-minor wiggins, but she did have to admit she kinda enjoyed watching them work.
...one more than the others, granted, but still. It was, in its own funky way, fascinating.
Also, it kept her from being too grossed out by the bottles of TruBlood.
Okay, it was mostly that.
Rinoa
Rinoa took the other girls' hands, taking a steadying breath before nodding.
It was still unusual, letting her powers mix with anyone else's, but there was something comforting in it, as well. It felt steadier and more grounded when all three of them focused. Less like she could get lost along the way.
Under her breath, she began chanting softly, hoping she was pronouncing the odd syllables correctly. The magic was, hopefully, not going to be fussy about vowels.
Tara
Tara kept going with the chanting, feeling her conscious self fade away as the power moved through her. Apparently, the magic didn't care about precise pronunciation.
Her eyes squeezed tightly closed as she waited for the room to build itself around them.
Karla
Karla began adding the herbs, sprinkling some into bowls of water, into candle flames, and onto the ground next to them. It was hard remembering the proper order and gesture while chanting something else, but that's why they'd gone over the instructions about a billion times.
Around them, the ghostly images began to rise up, gaining solidity as they did.
Hadley
Everyone was treated to a view of the evening Hadley had been enjoying before she'd died, as though put together with fog.
On the floor sat a young woman who looked remarkably like Sookie, her fair hair winding down over the back of the rather unremarkable shirt she was wearing. She was painting her toenails, dipping a ghostly brush into a ghostly bottle of polish, and while they couldn't hear anything, the presence of a small radio near her and the way she bobbed her head indicated she might have been listening to and humming along with music.
At once, her head jerked up, and she looked toward the door. She screwed the bottle back together, her mouth forming 'Just a second!' though she made no sound.
The apparition of Sookie's cousin moved toward the door, peeking through the peephole and miming opening it with a small smile.
In an instant, she spasmed in pain before melting into ghostly parts onto the floor. After a moment, the mist dispersed, leaving behind nothing.
Sophie-Anne
As she watched, the queen stayed still, stifling only a small yelp as Hadley was clearly staked. "Oh, my Hadley," she whispered. "My sweet girl."
Karla
"She knew her killer," Karla said quietly. "It was someone she trusted enough to let in with no hesitation. She was welcoming."
Tara
Tara's head bobbed in agreement as she blinked away some moisture in her eyes. "But ... they didn't come in," she said. "They were willing to risk somebody spotting them so they could do it fast. God, Sookie, she looked like you."
Sookie
"We've always looked alike," Sookie agreed softly, not trusting her voice and still staring at where Hadley's remains had fallen. "She never even saw that coming. Oh, Hadley."
Rinoa
Rinoa shivered. It was unnerving, seeing the last moments of someone she had never met. More so considering the resemblance to Sookie.
"I ... I'm sorry," she said, sympathetically. "It's ... I feel so helpless. Watching that, unable to do anything."
It was only a reconstruction, but seeing the girl light-heartedly paint her toes, and being unable to warn her ... this must be why Ellone had tried so hard, to change the past.
Kennedy
Kennedy was, to tell the truth, a little creeped out by that spell, but that took a backseat to how the events the creepy spell had shown them... pissed her off, actually.
Maybe it was because Hadley looked so much like Sookie; maybe it was the contrast of her abrupt death with what she'd been doing just before; that was all thinky stuff she didn't have time to pick through beyond 'something shitty went down here, and it made me mad.'
...because she couldn't do anything to stop it, possibly. Whatever the reason, she balled her hands into fists, set her jaw, and didn't say a word.
Eric
As one of the few people in the room who'd known Hadley (albeit not well--a few games of yahtzee hardly made them soulmates), Eric watched the reconstruction with great interest.
His brain was moving as fast as it was able to as he witnessed the murder while he worked through the various members of the Queen's court and the likelihood in his mind of them being responsible.
To the average person watching him, he looked vaguely bored.
Squall
Well, of COURSE it was a murder. That much had been pretty obvious since the meeting with the queen, hadn't it? Squall was much more concerned about the way the girl dissolved into mist.
"What kind of weapon was that?" he asked.
Sookie
"Stake," Sookie volunteered, finding her voice a little hoarse. "That's why she didn't leave a body, exactly. They must've cleaned her up well and good, though. Vampires sort of...do their best Wicked Witch of the West impression all over the floor when they get staked."
And she wasn't going to volunteer how she knew that, since Sophie-Anne probably already knew, anyway.
Bobby
Bobby winced, one hand reaching up almost unconsciously touch the spot over his own heart where the stake had been driven through last year. It wasn't really the same, after all, he wasn't a vampire and had survived the experience, but... yeah.
That she looked so much like Sookie, that bothered him too. Which is why his other hand was reaching out for hers.
Rinoa
Rinoa shuddered, but tried to follow the logic. And come up with something helpful.
"So they came to her door, did .... that, and then stayed to clean up?" she asked. "That's risky, isn't it? What if someone else had been there? Or stopped by later?"
It felt tasteless, asking about details like that, but it might ... help them figure out who did it? Somehow?
Raven
"Whoever did this had to surprise her or she could have called for help, could she not?" Raven said quietly. She'd felt no pain from the ghostly recreation of the murder, but just the sight of it made her feel ill -- especially because of Hadley's resemblance to Sookie. "But once the deed was done, they could clean in quiet."
Jessica
"Since she was a vampire could she have called for her Maker like how my Maker could can call for me?" Jessica wondered aloud. She glanced at Sophie-Anne. "So if whoever staked her missed, they'd be in a world of trouble, wouldn't they?"
Sophie-Anne
"She didn't call me," Sophie-Anne said quietly after a moment. "But I felt it. I just didn't know...it was like this. But that was how we'd realized she'd died, and not just disappeared. I felt it."
Karla
Karla had gotten up and drifted over to the door, brushing her fingers over the wood. The plaster of the walls hadn't kept the emotion residuum of the murder, but the wood...
"Nothing," she said quietly. "I mean, I get Hadley's fear and surprise and even a burst of--" she shut her mouth with a snap, darting a sympathetic glance towards Sophie-Anne. "But there's nothing from her assailant. No anger, no fear of getting caught, nothing. Whoever killed Hadley was a professional."
Sophie-Anne
Sophie-Anne looked to Andre, who produced a handkerchief for her wordlessly. "Thank you," she said to Karla, not using the handkerchief yet, even as a little bit of blood appeared at the corners of her eyes. It was obvious she was maintaining composure, though. "This was not just intentional. This was planned."
Sophie-Anne
After the reconstruction, when the lights were lifted, Sophie-Anne was still sitting where she'd perched beforehand. The only sign of real distress was the finger she'd pressed against her lips in consternation, until her gaze flicked first to Sookie, then around the group.
"This is bad," she said simply, quietly. "Hadley was clearly killed, rather than anything natural, as we might have hoped." She sighed, clearly an affectation, as she exchanged looks with Andre. "Thank you," she added, looking to Karla, Tara and Rinoa. "Your services have been invaluable, and I am in your debt."
Sophie-Anne stood up, brushing her hands over her skirt. "Tomorrow evening, the king and I are hosting a ball, to celebrate our recent marriage. I'd like to invite all of you to attend, if you will. It isn't merely thanks, though -- after this display, I suspect more than ever that something isn't right, and you all seem more than capable of understanding and preparing for the worst. It's black tie, so be sure to dress appropriately. And you will be checked at the door, so be sure to be conscious of that."
This clearly wasn't an invitation so much as a politely-worded order.
Kennedy
Pssht, just because she could tell it was a politely-worded order didn't mean Kennedy wouldn't say something that might make people sigh a little.
"So when you say black tie," she spoke up, head canted to one side and eyes narrowed in curious speculation, "how literal do we get to be about that?"
Then, as the implication of 'checked at the door' really sank in, she frowned. No weapons? Well, crap.
Rinoa
Rinoa bowed her head, once, acknowledging Sophie-Anne's thanks. She had to wonder, idly, if it might come in handy, having a vampire queen in her debt. It might be one of those things it was better to leave alone.
"We'll be there," she said, before taking in what Kennedy had said. But in an entirely different direction than how the other girl had meant it.
She flashed a quick look at Sookie. "I'm ... afraid we didn't ... pack for that," she said, "but we'll manage."
Shame she hadn't thought to bring her prom dress. Thankfully, she had plenty of Daddy's money to replace it.
Andre
Sophie-Anne glanced at Andre as Rinoa spoke, giving him a slight nod. He pulled his wallet out, flipping through, and handed a platinum card to a stunned Sookie. "You will take them shopping," he said with a nod. "It's very black tie, miss," he added to Kennedy. "The ladies are in gowns, the men in tuxedos."
Karla
"No ladies in tuxedos?" Karla asked, raising a slim brow. "Pity."
What?! Females in tuxedos were very attractive, all right? Besides, if she protested maybe Kennedy wouldn't need to.
"We will, of course, make certain that there is nothing inappropriate to be found on us," she added smoothly.
That didn't mean they'd be weaponless of course. That was what netherverses and vanishing items were for.
Eric
Eric gave Karla an arched brow of his own before turning his attention to Sophie-Anne and Andre. "It will be a great honor to attend, your majesty."
If you were one who liked your dances with a heaping dollop of political intrigue and the possibility of maiming and death, which Eric just happened to.
Squall
Squall gave the queen a polite bow, and muttered his thanks. Politics sucked.
On the plus side: dancing.
Raven
Raven looked paler than normal. Being in a room with Eric, Jessica, the queen, and her servant was difficult, but she could manage. A whole ball full of vampires? She was trying not to start hyperventilating and just barely managed a polite nod.
Jono
A reaction like that, Jonothon couldn't help but notice. She didn't have to let it show on the outside. He knew some of her history with vampires, and he had some fairly powerful observational skills, considering. His brow knit a little bit in concern, and his hand reached for one of hers.
Silently, just between the two of them, he murmured an, //I'll be right there, luv.//
And there were some weapons that couldn't be confiscated at the door.
Raven
Raven squeezed his hand gratefully, leaning her head against his shoulder.
"Thank you," she murmured softly.
Privately (or as private as she could hope for, since she wasn't skilled at telepathy) as well, she added, I feel foolish for being so frightened. I will not allow my fears to get the better of me.
Jono
//Don't feel foolish about it,// Jono replied, squeezing her hand lightly as he leaned his head, letting what was left of his cheek rest against her hair. //A bit of fear is healthy.//
Especially when you were walking into the den of a bunch of predators.
//They'd have to go through me, first. You'll be fine.//
Raven
I know I have 'Issues,' as they say, Raven sighed, giving him a small smile. One day, perhaps, I will overcome them. But in the meantime, your presence will surely make me feel safer.
And she'd keep reminding herself if she demoned out, she'd likely ruin her dress.
Jessica
"I get to go to a ball?" Jessica said, practically bouncing. "Oh my god that is so cool!"
Rinoa
The whole situation was tragic, and probably dangerous, and she was really, truly sorry about Sookie's cousin. Also, someone had just whipped out a platinum card and asked Rinoa to shop. Her face hadn't changed expression, thankfully, but her internal monologue might have allowed a brief 'woo!'
One that she was very ashamed of, yes.
Rinoa was going to hope and pray that none of the vampires were telepaths.
"We are humbled by your generosity," she said, instead, giving her best respectful sort of bow. She was going to leave the specifics of that vague. If it was rude to thank her for the platinum card, then she would lie through her teeth and say she meant the ball invitation.
Emma
None of the vampires were telepaths, but Emma was doing an admirable job of keeping a straight face.
To the queen, she simply inclined her head slightly, silently. Emma had nothing more to add that others hadn't already said, and she was already speculating on how much work it would be to get Kennedy into a dress without too much bitching.
Jono
Jono, for his part, just gave a shrug of his shoulders. A very black tie event? He could think of things he'd rather do than mull about around a bunch of stodgy plonkers with fangs. But an invitation like that was difficult to refuse.
//Looking forward to it.//
Stodgy. Plonkers.
[preplayed with all those people I keep listing, and NFI, NFB, with OOC always welcome. :) And of course much groveling to angelo_wings for the code. warning for ghostly violence.]
This was, by far, the weirdest event she'd ever had to play hostess for.
Rinoa
Rinoa was setting bowls of powder out on the floor, checking a sheet of instructions to make sure each one was in the right place. And that she wasn't screwing up the order. She couldn't recognize most of these on sight.
"Sorry," she said, double-checking the sheet for what felt like the hundredth time. "I'm not used to ... my magic doesn't usually involve ingredients."
Tara
"This smells funny," Tara noted, as she pinched one of the dried herbs between her fingers carefully. "Do we think it's supposed to smell like this?"
It was, but it wasn't like she used it a lot.
Karla
"I think so," Karla said with a nod. "I recognize it from some of my potions."
Okay, technically from one of her poisons, but she didn't think that would be helpful to point out.
"I'm used to using ingredients and things in my Craft, but not quite like this," she added, checking her own copy of the sheet. "So, really, I don't mind you checking again and again. I'd prefer to not screw this up in front of the vampire Queen of Louisiana."
Rinoa
"What's she like, anyway?" Rinoa asked, sniffing the bowl with a frown. Okay, no more sniffing that particular bowl, because that one was just plain foul. "She's not going to go crazy on us if she doesn't like the results or anything, is she?"
They could totally handle a vampire queen, but it was best to know these things ahead of time.
Tara
"I don't think Sookie would have brought us here if she was the kind of vampire to go crazy," Tara said, but she sounded doubtful. "Karla? Y-you met her."
Karla
Karla was silent for a moment, considering. "She seems genuinely upset about Hadley's death," she said. "But she was also asking Hadley's cousin for help, so it's not like she could be all that imperious. She's worried, though, and about more than just Hadley's death."
Another few seconds of thoughtful silence. "She's old and she's a Queen, which means she's powerful and unpredictable. But she's also pragmatic enough not to go crazy if we can't do this, I think. Not when she doesn't know what we can do. And it would cost her our help."
Rinoa
"All good points," Rinoa said. "Let's see if we can't just pull this off, so we don't have to worry about it, anyway."
She flushed a second before admitting, "Besides, I've never tried this before and ... it sounds like such a neat spell."
Was that wrong of her?
Tara
"No, it does," Tara said, trying to be reassuring. "And ... if we try, we can quit worrying about it, right?"
She held out her hands. "I'm ready when you are."
Karla
Karla reached out to clasp hands with Tara and Rinoa, tapping into the energy collected in her Sapphire. "Everything's as ready as it's going to be, I think," she said. "Let's show this Queen just what three witches from Fandom can do, shall we?"
Sophie-Anne
Sometime during the witches' setup, Sophie-Anne had arrived, with Andre by her side. She'd taken a seat where Sookie had offered, but mostly was watching the girls as they worked, staying quiet and sad as she observed.
Eric
From the opposite side of the room, Eric sat as well, quietly appraising Sophie-Anne's demeanor.
He was a vampire, and vampires ended up permanently dead if they didn't stay observant, especially around royalty.
Bobby
Magic was sort of... out of Bobby's purview, he had to admit. So mostly he was just trying to stay out of the way of the people who knew what they were doing.
Warren
Warren was right on board with that train of thought, taking a seat beside Bobby and boggling. You know. A little.
"I think it's safe to say that I have no idea what they're actually doing, over there."
Bobby
"Stuff that we should stay well out of the way of," Bobby said, with all the authority of... someone who'd watched Dr. Strange at work a handful of times, actually. "Messed up mojo almost always ends badly."
Warren
"Messed up mojo," Warren echoed, blinking over at the girls again. "Badly how?"
Bobby had spoken like a bit of an authority on the matter, so now Warren was kind of curious about the guy's experience with this sort of thing.
Bobby
"Well there was the time a demon kind of accidentally got loose and we had to put it back, and it turned the other-Warren into a budgie," Bobby shared. "And then there was the time a hot dog stand tried to eat me." Although that instance had been more-or-less what the spellcaster had been aiming for, it was still pretty messed up as far as Bobby was concerned.
Warren
"I'm beginning to wonder if turning into a budgie is some kind of rite-of-passage that all Warrens have to endure at some point or another," noted this particular Warren, pursing his lips a little. "And I think that hot dog stand was a little confused, huh?"
Squall
Squall had been watching the magic closely, to see if Rinoa got hurt or whatever, but he decided he felt like chiming in to the conversation. "Your world sounds like Fandom," he muttered.
Bobby
"There are some... definite similarities," Bobby had to admit. Like the rampant abuse of time travel. Or the aforementioned objects coming to life due to demonic influence.
Warren
"I just want to note for the record that my world is a lot like Bobby's world, and I've still never been attacked by a hot dog cart," Warren offered.
It seemed kind of important that he clarify something like that.
Squall
Squall nodded. "Noted." It was important to give it the recognition it deserved.
Jono
If anybody needed Jonothon, he was going to be giving looks to the snacks. It seemed mildly more productive than getting in anybody's way, and he didn't know if he really trusted the vampires enough to want to get too involved, really.
He'd found a place to sit, at least, and was eyeing the food with a still-as-the-grave demeanour about him that might almost give the vampires a run for their money.
Kennedy
Kennedy sat back in a corner of the room, leaning back on her hands and just watching. She was smart enough to stay out of the way, and the whole idea of what this spell was supposed to do gave her the not-so-minor wiggins, but she did have to admit she kinda enjoyed watching them work.
...one more than the others, granted, but still. It was, in its own funky way, fascinating.
Also, it kept her from being too grossed out by the bottles of TruBlood.
Okay, it was mostly that.
Rinoa
Rinoa took the other girls' hands, taking a steadying breath before nodding.
It was still unusual, letting her powers mix with anyone else's, but there was something comforting in it, as well. It felt steadier and more grounded when all three of them focused. Less like she could get lost along the way.
Under her breath, she began chanting softly, hoping she was pronouncing the odd syllables correctly. The magic was, hopefully, not going to be fussy about vowels.
Tara
Tara kept going with the chanting, feeling her conscious self fade away as the power moved through her. Apparently, the magic didn't care about precise pronunciation.
Her eyes squeezed tightly closed as she waited for the room to build itself around them.
Karla
Karla began adding the herbs, sprinkling some into bowls of water, into candle flames, and onto the ground next to them. It was hard remembering the proper order and gesture while chanting something else, but that's why they'd gone over the instructions about a billion times.
Around them, the ghostly images began to rise up, gaining solidity as they did.
Hadley
Everyone was treated to a view of the evening Hadley had been enjoying before she'd died, as though put together with fog.
On the floor sat a young woman who looked remarkably like Sookie, her fair hair winding down over the back of the rather unremarkable shirt she was wearing. She was painting her toenails, dipping a ghostly brush into a ghostly bottle of polish, and while they couldn't hear anything, the presence of a small radio near her and the way she bobbed her head indicated she might have been listening to and humming along with music.
At once, her head jerked up, and she looked toward the door. She screwed the bottle back together, her mouth forming 'Just a second!' though she made no sound.
The apparition of Sookie's cousin moved toward the door, peeking through the peephole and miming opening it with a small smile.
In an instant, she spasmed in pain before melting into ghostly parts onto the floor. After a moment, the mist dispersed, leaving behind nothing.
Sophie-Anne
As she watched, the queen stayed still, stifling only a small yelp as Hadley was clearly staked. "Oh, my Hadley," she whispered. "My sweet girl."
Karla
"She knew her killer," Karla said quietly. "It was someone she trusted enough to let in with no hesitation. She was welcoming."
Tara
Tara's head bobbed in agreement as she blinked away some moisture in her eyes. "But ... they didn't come in," she said. "They were willing to risk somebody spotting them so they could do it fast. God, Sookie, she looked like you."
Sookie
"We've always looked alike," Sookie agreed softly, not trusting her voice and still staring at where Hadley's remains had fallen. "She never even saw that coming. Oh, Hadley."
Rinoa
Rinoa shivered. It was unnerving, seeing the last moments of someone she had never met. More so considering the resemblance to Sookie.
"I ... I'm sorry," she said, sympathetically. "It's ... I feel so helpless. Watching that, unable to do anything."
It was only a reconstruction, but seeing the girl light-heartedly paint her toes, and being unable to warn her ... this must be why Ellone had tried so hard, to change the past.
Kennedy
Kennedy was, to tell the truth, a little creeped out by that spell, but that took a backseat to how the events the creepy spell had shown them... pissed her off, actually.
Maybe it was because Hadley looked so much like Sookie; maybe it was the contrast of her abrupt death with what she'd been doing just before; that was all thinky stuff she didn't have time to pick through beyond 'something shitty went down here, and it made me mad.'
...because she couldn't do anything to stop it, possibly. Whatever the reason, she balled her hands into fists, set her jaw, and didn't say a word.
Eric
As one of the few people in the room who'd known Hadley (albeit not well--a few games of yahtzee hardly made them soulmates), Eric watched the reconstruction with great interest.
His brain was moving as fast as it was able to as he witnessed the murder while he worked through the various members of the Queen's court and the likelihood in his mind of them being responsible.
To the average person watching him, he looked vaguely bored.
Squall
Well, of COURSE it was a murder. That much had been pretty obvious since the meeting with the queen, hadn't it? Squall was much more concerned about the way the girl dissolved into mist.
"What kind of weapon was that?" he asked.
Sookie
"Stake," Sookie volunteered, finding her voice a little hoarse. "That's why she didn't leave a body, exactly. They must've cleaned her up well and good, though. Vampires sort of...do their best Wicked Witch of the West impression all over the floor when they get staked."
And she wasn't going to volunteer how she knew that, since Sophie-Anne probably already knew, anyway.
Bobby
Bobby winced, one hand reaching up almost unconsciously touch the spot over his own heart where the stake had been driven through last year. It wasn't really the same, after all, he wasn't a vampire and had survived the experience, but... yeah.
That she looked so much like Sookie, that bothered him too. Which is why his other hand was reaching out for hers.
Rinoa
Rinoa shuddered, but tried to follow the logic. And come up with something helpful.
"So they came to her door, did .... that, and then stayed to clean up?" she asked. "That's risky, isn't it? What if someone else had been there? Or stopped by later?"
It felt tasteless, asking about details like that, but it might ... help them figure out who did it? Somehow?
Raven
"Whoever did this had to surprise her or she could have called for help, could she not?" Raven said quietly. She'd felt no pain from the ghostly recreation of the murder, but just the sight of it made her feel ill -- especially because of Hadley's resemblance to Sookie. "But once the deed was done, they could clean in quiet."
Jessica
"Since she was a vampire could she have called for her Maker like how my Maker could can call for me?" Jessica wondered aloud. She glanced at Sophie-Anne. "So if whoever staked her missed, they'd be in a world of trouble, wouldn't they?"
Sophie-Anne
"She didn't call me," Sophie-Anne said quietly after a moment. "But I felt it. I just didn't know...it was like this. But that was how we'd realized she'd died, and not just disappeared. I felt it."
Karla
Karla had gotten up and drifted over to the door, brushing her fingers over the wood. The plaster of the walls hadn't kept the emotion residuum of the murder, but the wood...
"Nothing," she said quietly. "I mean, I get Hadley's fear and surprise and even a burst of--" she shut her mouth with a snap, darting a sympathetic glance towards Sophie-Anne. "But there's nothing from her assailant. No anger, no fear of getting caught, nothing. Whoever killed Hadley was a professional."
Sophie-Anne
Sophie-Anne looked to Andre, who produced a handkerchief for her wordlessly. "Thank you," she said to Karla, not using the handkerchief yet, even as a little bit of blood appeared at the corners of her eyes. It was obvious she was maintaining composure, though. "This was not just intentional. This was planned."
Sophie-Anne
After the reconstruction, when the lights were lifted, Sophie-Anne was still sitting where she'd perched beforehand. The only sign of real distress was the finger she'd pressed against her lips in consternation, until her gaze flicked first to Sookie, then around the group.
"This is bad," she said simply, quietly. "Hadley was clearly killed, rather than anything natural, as we might have hoped." She sighed, clearly an affectation, as she exchanged looks with Andre. "Thank you," she added, looking to Karla, Tara and Rinoa. "Your services have been invaluable, and I am in your debt."
Sophie-Anne stood up, brushing her hands over her skirt. "Tomorrow evening, the king and I are hosting a ball, to celebrate our recent marriage. I'd like to invite all of you to attend, if you will. It isn't merely thanks, though -- after this display, I suspect more than ever that something isn't right, and you all seem more than capable of understanding and preparing for the worst. It's black tie, so be sure to dress appropriately. And you will be checked at the door, so be sure to be conscious of that."
This clearly wasn't an invitation so much as a politely-worded order.
Kennedy
Pssht, just because she could tell it was a politely-worded order didn't mean Kennedy wouldn't say something that might make people sigh a little.
"So when you say black tie," she spoke up, head canted to one side and eyes narrowed in curious speculation, "how literal do we get to be about that?"
Then, as the implication of 'checked at the door' really sank in, she frowned. No weapons? Well, crap.
Rinoa
Rinoa bowed her head, once, acknowledging Sophie-Anne's thanks. She had to wonder, idly, if it might come in handy, having a vampire queen in her debt. It might be one of those things it was better to leave alone.
"We'll be there," she said, before taking in what Kennedy had said. But in an entirely different direction than how the other girl had meant it.
She flashed a quick look at Sookie. "I'm ... afraid we didn't ... pack for that," she said, "but we'll manage."
Shame she hadn't thought to bring her prom dress. Thankfully, she had plenty of Daddy's money to replace it.
Andre
Sophie-Anne glanced at Andre as Rinoa spoke, giving him a slight nod. He pulled his wallet out, flipping through, and handed a platinum card to a stunned Sookie. "You will take them shopping," he said with a nod. "It's very black tie, miss," he added to Kennedy. "The ladies are in gowns, the men in tuxedos."
Karla
"No ladies in tuxedos?" Karla asked, raising a slim brow. "Pity."
What?! Females in tuxedos were very attractive, all right? Besides, if she protested maybe Kennedy wouldn't need to.
"We will, of course, make certain that there is nothing inappropriate to be found on us," she added smoothly.
That didn't mean they'd be weaponless of course. That was what netherverses and vanishing items were for.
Eric
Eric gave Karla an arched brow of his own before turning his attention to Sophie-Anne and Andre. "It will be a great honor to attend, your majesty."
If you were one who liked your dances with a heaping dollop of political intrigue and the possibility of maiming and death, which Eric just happened to.
Squall
Squall gave the queen a polite bow, and muttered his thanks. Politics sucked.
On the plus side: dancing.
Raven
Raven looked paler than normal. Being in a room with Eric, Jessica, the queen, and her servant was difficult, but she could manage. A whole ball full of vampires? She was trying not to start hyperventilating and just barely managed a polite nod.
Jono
A reaction like that, Jonothon couldn't help but notice. She didn't have to let it show on the outside. He knew some of her history with vampires, and he had some fairly powerful observational skills, considering. His brow knit a little bit in concern, and his hand reached for one of hers.
Silently, just between the two of them, he murmured an, //I'll be right there, luv.//
And there were some weapons that couldn't be confiscated at the door.
Raven
Raven squeezed his hand gratefully, leaning her head against his shoulder.
"Thank you," she murmured softly.
Privately (or as private as she could hope for, since she wasn't skilled at telepathy) as well, she added, I feel foolish for being so frightened. I will not allow my fears to get the better of me.
Jono
//Don't feel foolish about it,// Jono replied, squeezing her hand lightly as he leaned his head, letting what was left of his cheek rest against her hair. //A bit of fear is healthy.//
Especially when you were walking into the den of a bunch of predators.
//They'd have to go through me, first. You'll be fine.//
Raven
I know I have 'Issues,' as they say, Raven sighed, giving him a small smile. One day, perhaps, I will overcome them. But in the meantime, your presence will surely make me feel safer.
And she'd keep reminding herself if she demoned out, she'd likely ruin her dress.
Jessica
"I get to go to a ball?" Jessica said, practically bouncing. "Oh my god that is so cool!"
Rinoa
The whole situation was tragic, and probably dangerous, and she was really, truly sorry about Sookie's cousin. Also, someone had just whipped out a platinum card and asked Rinoa to shop. Her face hadn't changed expression, thankfully, but her internal monologue might have allowed a brief 'woo!'
One that she was very ashamed of, yes.
Rinoa was going to hope and pray that none of the vampires were telepaths.
"We are humbled by your generosity," she said, instead, giving her best respectful sort of bow. She was going to leave the specifics of that vague. If it was rude to thank her for the platinum card, then she would lie through her teeth and say she meant the ball invitation.
Emma
None of the vampires were telepaths, but Emma was doing an admirable job of keeping a straight face.
To the queen, she simply inclined her head slightly, silently. Emma had nothing more to add that others hadn't already said, and she was already speculating on how much work it would be to get Kennedy into a dress without too much bitching.
Jono
Jono, for his part, just gave a shrug of his shoulders. A very black tie event? He could think of things he'd rather do than mull about around a bunch of stodgy plonkers with fangs. But an invitation like that was difficult to refuse.
//Looking forward to it.//
Stodgy. Plonkers.
[preplayed with all those people I keep listing, and NFI, NFB, with OOC always welcome. :) And of course much groveling to angelo_wings for the code. warning for ghostly violence.]