In Nomine - The Botanical Gardens
Max sighed as he stared at the roses in front of him. The problem with calling heaven was that you often got the answering machine. And you never knew how long - if ever - it was going to take for heaven to get back to you. Sighing, he grabbed his jacket and headed for the Botanical Gardens. It was one of his favourite places in Melbourne - there were just so many places to get lost in the leaves and greenery, the ebb and flow of life and the endless possibilities that came with grafting and cross pollination…much easier than trying to re-create the dodo anyway.
“Hello! Hello!”
He was near the ornamental lake when he saw her, sat down on a picnic blanket and feeding the geese with bread-crusts. She was quite short, if well proportioned, and wore loose clothing made from eastern patterned cloth. She would, he reflected, not have looked out of place in the serving line at Crossways on Swanston Street. Actually, she’d probably like the place. The voice was cheerful, melodic and extremely well rounded. He could almost feel the exclamation marks.
“My lady,” he said, inclining his head as he walked towards her.
“You take a great risk invoking me, Maximillian,” she said in reply, “Tea?”
“Please,” he said, sitting down on blanket opposite her. It was, he felt, rather odd to have such a serious conversation in such a cheerful manner.
“So what precisely did you want to talk about?” she asked, dropping in two lumps of sugar - just how he liked it. “You do not seek reinstatement with Janus?”
“Ah - not exactly,” Max said, “Technically, Janus has indicated he no longer requires my services. As such, my servitude has reverted to Eli, and I am uncertain of whether he would wish me to return to Janus’ service or move on.”
“I see,” she said, “Then what have you come to talk to me about if not yourself?”
“Zebadiah.”
The tiniest flicker of…something…passed over her face, “What of him?”
“I believe he seeks redemption.”
“And he is not here himself because…”
“Because he is ashamed, Mistress.”
“Oh, call me Novalis, please,” she said, waving her hand absently in his direction, “Just be careful, Max. You may still be nominally a servitor of Eli, but that won’t mean much to Dominic, should he take a disliking to you.”
“He already has, Novalis.”
“Perhaps. I have no illusions regarding Dominic’s intentions, however even he may well prefer a redeemed angel than a dead demon.”
“Perhaps, depending on how much he feels the redemption cost.”
“There is that,” she said, offering him a plate of sandwiches - on whole grain bread, of course, “I have been monitoring Zebadiah,” she continued. “So what exactly about his struggles interests you?”
“I wish to help.”
Novalis smiled then, “You would, wouldn’t you? Commendable - although incredibly dangerous.”
“I know,” Max said, “He could be playing me.”
She looked at him then, and her green eyes seemed to bore into him, “In your current state he may be more inclined to open up to your help…”
“…or to drag me down if the other players don’t get me first.”
Novalis inclined her head.
This is what I suggest…
Right - that's about what I have for Max, so far. sols_light what do you think? Do you need more? If so what sort of character info are you after? I can probably come up with something else.
“Hello! Hello!”
He was near the ornamental lake when he saw her, sat down on a picnic blanket and feeding the geese with bread-crusts. She was quite short, if well proportioned, and wore loose clothing made from eastern patterned cloth. She would, he reflected, not have looked out of place in the serving line at Crossways on Swanston Street. Actually, she’d probably like the place. The voice was cheerful, melodic and extremely well rounded. He could almost feel the exclamation marks.
“My lady,” he said, inclining his head as he walked towards her.
“You take a great risk invoking me, Maximillian,” she said in reply, “Tea?”
“Please,” he said, sitting down on blanket opposite her. It was, he felt, rather odd to have such a serious conversation in such a cheerful manner.
“So what precisely did you want to talk about?” she asked, dropping in two lumps of sugar - just how he liked it. “You do not seek reinstatement with Janus?”
“Ah - not exactly,” Max said, “Technically, Janus has indicated he no longer requires my services. As such, my servitude has reverted to Eli, and I am uncertain of whether he would wish me to return to Janus’ service or move on.”
“I see,” she said, “Then what have you come to talk to me about if not yourself?”
“Zebadiah.”
The tiniest flicker of…something…passed over her face, “What of him?”
“I believe he seeks redemption.”
“And he is not here himself because…”
“Because he is ashamed, Mistress.”
“Oh, call me Novalis, please,” she said, waving her hand absently in his direction, “Just be careful, Max. You may still be nominally a servitor of Eli, but that won’t mean much to Dominic, should he take a disliking to you.”
“He already has, Novalis.”
“Perhaps. I have no illusions regarding Dominic’s intentions, however even he may well prefer a redeemed angel than a dead demon.”
“Perhaps, depending on how much he feels the redemption cost.”
“There is that,” she said, offering him a plate of sandwiches - on whole grain bread, of course, “I have been monitoring Zebadiah,” she continued. “So what exactly about his struggles interests you?”
“I wish to help.”
Novalis smiled then, “You would, wouldn’t you? Commendable - although incredibly dangerous.”
“I know,” Max said, “He could be playing me.”
She looked at him then, and her green eyes seemed to bore into him, “In your current state he may be more inclined to open up to your help…”
“…or to drag me down if the other players don’t get me first.”
Novalis inclined her head.
This is what I suggest…
Right - that's about what I have for Max, so far. sols_light what do you think? Do you need more? If so what sort of character info are you after? I can probably come up with something else.