[Masq] πρώτη Συνάντηση
(People kept asking for this scene. Finally put it down in writing.)
~1650, Undisclosed location~
Maria loosened the shift from her shoulder and turned her head. The deep lacerations across her back felt healed enough, she twisted her arm and reached along her back to feel smooth, clear skin along the scapula.
Candlelight flickered dimly across the room, but the ambient glow of the moon highlighted what it couldn't touch from the narrow window. The hosts had been gracious enough to afford her a room, but the onus of protecting herself from the daylight that would pass through it was entirely up to her. Magic blocked the rays, but she'd need something else as a safeguard, just in case.
She edged herself off the bed. The room was minimal, but functional. She wasn't expecting luxury. In fact, this was a step up compared to some Chantries she'd been sent to. She hadn't expected to be granted sanctuary at all. Yet, here she was. Her legs steadied themselves, the sprains and bruising had also finally finished healing fully. Good, she thought. She could walk without a limp, now. Tonight she'd start on her end of the deal. They hadn't liked the blood requirements, but if they wanted protections that included them, they were going to have to force themselves to pay the cost.
But first things were first. She looked over the meager appointments, the bare minimum of what Hospitality afforded. This wouldn't do, but she wasn't in a position to ask for more. Not just yet. She turned around, facing the window. Curtains first. Something thick, but vibrantly colored. She flexed out her fingers, testing the magical tapestry. "De sanguine est substantia." She smiled as the deep burgundy cloth tumbled from her outstretched hands. Perfect. I'll have to use the same color for something velvet, next.
Stoneking had awoken that night from the cellar and stepped into the wall, he made his way up and out of the castle, the stone moved to accommodate his movements with ease, like water or soft mud. He took flight and did a few stretches before heading off.
He started low and flew over the trees and scanned the outer line of the domain, Slanic had taken great care to explain his domain to Stoneking, and he wouldn't fail his comrade. He came back after a few patrols and saw the castle ahead, he debated what to do for the night but something he noticed drew his attention. A light. That tower wasn't used, it was vacant. Slanic was in his study by now, he made his way there. He felt the heat of his rage start to burn within, it caused him to move with swiftness as he did a few pass overs of the Castle.
No, no signs of conflict. Thieves? Hardly, Slanic would have eaten them for even thinking such. Stoneking landed on the roof and listened closely, he heard the sounds of soft movement within, and eventually made his way to the window. Initially he looked over the edge of the roof, but just as he did the light was blocked by a heavy set of curtains. What....Well, that's rude..
Once she'd hung those, she took a few steps back. What next? She gazed across the unadorned walls. I know just the thing. She'd heard about the Venetian glass-work for mirrored surfaces and even seen a few. It won't be a perfect replica, but it will be close enough. It would at least do till she could craft the set she'd need for later rituals. Maria set a few nails securely in place and dwelt in thought for a minute on the construction, its dimensions and composition, lightly tapping her chin with a finger and shutting out the rest of the world.
When she was content with her mental formula, she stretched her hands out again, drawing them together and then bringing them apart with the incantation. The mirror settled on the hooks, polished to show a perfect reflection.
He carefully swung himself down and reached through the stone around the windows, grabbing the curtains he pulled them back open. Careful, just a bit more. There, now....who is...Αχ , τι ομορφιά. Stoneking shook his head a bit, he cleared out the funny thoughts. They were foreign and confused him, she was a person and yet....Sorcery! Magic! She was going to enthrall you! His blood boiled as he felt the rage building. He was going to kill her to insure she didn't corrupt Slanic with her power.
Maria stared with widened eyes into the mirror, paralyzed for a moment with a gut dropping sense of horror.
It had been weeks since she'd seen her own reflection properly. Not much had changed, her visage was forever locked in youthful adulthood. A few locks of hair were still wild from her time abed in recuperating. None of that was shocking. She had a rather pleasant face, after all. What was shocking was the creature looming immediately behind her, visible in the new mirror, taking up the entire background. It- he - stood well over six feet, with a wingspan that could have taken up most of the room itself. Scratches and scars scored its chest and arms. He began to stoop lower. Whether or not it was to grab, reach, attack, or talk, she didn't know or care.
The shriek came loud and piercing before she whirled around and stumbled a few steps away, her back facing the wall. The creature stopped in his forward motion with what could pass for confusion crossing his expression. He grunted something that sounded like English, but her mind was racing too fast to parse it. Was he trying to say something? She knew Gargoyles could talk like humans well enough, the last one she had encountered launched many eloquent threats and curses in her direction while she tried to kill her. She had heard many stories of House and Clan's former slaves, now all bent on the destruction of the Clan that made and cared for them after their ultimate show of defiance.
Which was obviously what this one was here to do. She saw his look of murderous intent.
She turned to face him, a shriek startled him. It wasn't a shriek of battle, but fear. He knew that, his memory kept that much for him. He was unsure why, Did she not come to corrupt the Castle? Was she not an enemy of Slanic and my Family? She made a mirror, she used magic. She was a sorcerer but she was easily scared. This....isn't right.
Stoneking stopped and tried to figure out what to do next, he wasn't built for this. He stood on the other side of the glass, he tried desperately to remember the words he was taught from Slanic in their last lesson. "Am....Friend." He struggled so much with those two words, and they felt weird. he wasn't used to speaking vocally. Slanic and him spoke in their minds, where Stoneking felt safer with the Carpathian.
The simple chair was just within arm's reach. She launched it at the creature with more strength than she expected to have, but it proved to be utterly futile. The wood shattered as it made contact, parts striking the mirror she had just spent her energy creating. It shattered, shards striking against the armored skin. Not a scratch, not a sign of damage. It may as well have been nothing. His form grew larger as he appeared prepared to strike.
He beamed with some pride, he did it! He spoke English! He was truly impressed with himself, and he looked up as a shadow movement caught his focus, and then a chair came at him. He instinctively flexed his muscles and his body into War form. He watched the glass shatter, the chair and glass shattering some more against him. He stood there, debating putting a fist into her pretty face, but Slanic was Home, and he had Rules.
So this is how I die. She put up her hands, wondering if she should begin an incantation or a prayer. She imagined she did not look like anything close to the fearsome sorcerers like the Elders of House and Clan. It was all she could to do stand up straight without shaking. He began to raise one clawed hand, but then dropped it. He still did not move otherwise, and continued to stare. There was some sort of rumbling noise, much like a growl, but no attack. His facial expression moved to anger, but he had lost the rabid edge he had moments ago.
"What are you doing here?! GET OUT!" She tried to sound intimidating. Commanding. The way she was supposed to sound. It didn't work. He continued to stare, a slight tilt to his head. There was a terrible moment of awkward silence, neither appeared quite certain on what was supposed to happen next. The Gargoyle appeared to make some sort of internal decision. He spoke again, the same slow, deep voice. "Είμαι πέτρα βασιλιά" He tapped at his chest, indicating himself. A sound rolled out, syllables. What was that, Greek? She had been a terrible student at Greek. Her hands lowered slightly, more curiosity at the strange turn of events than that of lowering her guard. Her mind made a hasty attempt at a sloppy translation. Rock Lord? No. Stone. Stone something. Wait, is that supposed to be a name?
She screamed at him, he barely understood but he knew two of the words well. As a Gargoyle, they heard them a lot when Tremere wanted to take over a place but not fight him. GET OUT! He tilted his head a bit, then placed a hand to his chest. "Είμαι πέτρα βασιλιά" With that he turned and fell off the ledge and headed for the ground before catching the wind and taking off. He headed to the main keep, the Library. He was allowed to visit Slanic, and there would be a discussion tonight. The beautiful Lady of the Tower was a new discovery and he had questions.
Maria watched the creature throw itself out the window. She became increasingly aware that she was still breathing rapidly, an extension of mortality she hadn't quite shaken yet. When it seemed that her death had been temporarily delayed, she walked over to the bed and slumped dramatically.
She hadn't been told there would be a Gargoyle in the castle. Maybe she should have taken her chances with a run through Sabbat territory after all. But the deal was set. She wouldn't be leaving any time soon. She was truly surrounded by those who despised her and would render her to ash at any moment, if she gave them the slightest excuse. Her hands covered her face as she shook, not knowing what else to do but try not to break entirely under the force of her own despair.