Pride and Prejudice (Oamp)

[dmronny]

Re: Pride and Prejudice (Oamp)

"Perhaps an honorable exchange of boons as they call it could be done, though you offer a rather paltry exchange for something that likely lead to my final death anyways. I will tell you my superior and even where to look for him for the Malkavian's head." The Assamite smiled as he offered the deal.

For some reason the threat of final death didn't seem to faze the fanatic, which hardly came as a surprise to either Cainite. He also seemed rather adamant in that he would at least need something of equal worth for what they wanted to know.

 

[OAMP]

Re: Pride and Prejudice (Oamp)

Lexwyn's lip quivered for a second, then she shook her head. "Are you stupid..... no.... no.... just worthless..." She stood up, turned, and took a few steps, looking to see if Ulrich had crawled out of whereever he had been hiding yet. "You may axe him, stranger. I thank you for your assistance in this matter." She nodded back at Annabelle, waiting for the deed to be done before perhaps exchanging more pleasantries. She almost snorted a laugh out at the thought, death, then small talk, but such was the sad state of her kind...

 

[Sinfulwolf]

Re: Pride and Prejudice (Oamp)

Anabelle looked down at the hashashin, and stared into his eyes for a moment. "Saracens were as vile as Crusaders. Know this, there was nothing holy in those deserts," she said, almost with a snarl, and brought her axe down hard upon the bastard's neck.

 

[dmronny]

Re: Pride and Prejudice (Oamp)

The deed was soon done as the axe blade cleanly severed the Saracens neck and the body turned to dust before there eyes. Leaving 3 alone in the alley, a quick scan of the rooftops should Lexwyn look to see if the observer was still there revealed nothing. There was little remorse to be had and probably less reason for their to be any remorse. Anabelle had already killed her fair share of Saracens and one more was hardly going to make her feel bad.

Jourdain was still searching the alley for Ulrich, though he was now speaking much louder and in a slightly annoyed tone. The annoyance was more likely because the night was beginning to thin out and before long they would have to hasten for their havens.

 

[Sinfulwolf]

Re: Pride and Prejudice (Oamp)

Anabelle grunted as she saw the body dissolve, using her foot to kick around the dust so it wasn't wholly obvious. Frankly though, she didn't care. There were enough vampires running around stabbing each other in the back that she felt one headless hashashin would not be missed in London.

Gripping the axe she swung it upwards, resting the shaft along her shoulder as she looked to Jourdain, then back to the other woman. Carefully, quietly, she leaned against the wall to observe.

 

[OAMP]

Re: Pride and Prejudice (Oamp)

"Ulrich, please come out, it is safe! We must get back to your shop. Surely you have something there which can aid us in fixing you up!" Lexwyn joined Jourdain in the search, walking up beside him. In a quieter voice she addressed him. "Thank you for your assistance. That had quickly gotten... out of hand..." Lexwyn glanced back at Annabelle too, sizing her up more, but letting her be if she was content to stay back at the site of the struggle.

 

[dmronny]

Re: Pride and Prejudice (Oamp)

"I doubt if Ulrich is still about, an attempt on his life by an Assamite is probably more than his mind can actually bear. Perhaps it's for the better, the Malkavians have a tendency to lash out on anyone nearby." Jourdain said though he still continued the search to the end of the alley while calling out quietly.

At Lexwyn's remark of thanks he merely nodded and said. "It appeared as though you were handling the situation rather well from my point of view. I was rather afraid you would think we were interfering in a situation you were in complete control of. I trust you found Rodger's court without much trouble."

There was still a bit of the earlier haughtiness in his voice but it was no more than the typical Cainite would exhibit. Though something about the way he spoke or carried himself made him seem at least slightly untrustworthy. Anabelle seemed content with the wall she was leaning against though she did seem to be paying close attention to the conversation.

 

[OAMP]

Re: Pride and Prejudice (Oamp)

Lexwyn solemnly nodded. She feared as much, but it really would be nice if Ulrich had a bit more backbone that he typically showed. Just because the world was a very harsh place didn't mean she couldn't hope for a nice surprise every once in awhile.

"Perhaps so. I was unfortunately caught without a suitable weapon. Obtaining one was on the short list of things to do right away, but apparently this city waits for no one." Lexwyn noted the change in Jourdain's behavior from before. As of yet she didn't quite know what to make of it, but she would pay close attention. "As it happens I met Ulrich there, and he seemed quite agreeable... if still afflicted by that special brand of madness... as this has proven, though, he may have had reason to be so paranoid after all..." She followed along behind, looking around as well, but with much less confidence than before. "He was assisting me with something, and we were going to head back to his shop afterwards. Perhaps he has fled there."

 

[dmronny]

Re: Pride and Prejudice (Oamp)

"No it doesn't, which is why Anabelle and I have come in search of Ulrich ourselves. She is one of the other recent arrivals I mentioned and she has ben dealing with much of the same excitement as yourself. I may be able to suggest a few excellent weaponsmith's should you be so inclined, or even aid in making one myself should you need a weapon capable of standing up to more intense punishment." Jourdain said as he turned to look back at Anabelle still standing against the wall.

"That is a common problem with his clan, you expect madness and then when something does happen it takes you by even more surprise. Perhaps we should check his shop as you suggest. At the least I'll need to fix his door since I sort of barged through when we heard the fighting." He added as he began to walk back towards the dark shadow that still lingered over the area where it had been conjured. Fading away into normal darkness as they drew near it reminded Lexwyn of her sires words about the other clans once more. Morgaine had a decidedly dim view of the Lasombra, though they were at least preferable to the Ventrue.

 

[OAMP]

Re: Pride and Prejudice (Oamp)

"That would be quite nice, thank you. I only require something small. I prefer to keep the fighting to only the bare minimum needed to accomplish a task. Plus, the big, showy weapons are much too obvious for my tastes. Something small is definitely more my style. You would be surprised how many underestimate one with no obvious weapon. The recently departed sure did..."

Lexwyn quirked an eyebrow while following behind. She almost let loose a comment about temper control, but that would probably be a bad idea. As it was a small chuckle escaped her lips, giving her enough time to say something that wouldn't be potentially insulting. "Yes. We need use of that shop for other things, and lacking a door would definitely make things harder. I assume you at least tried knocking first?" Okay, so it still wasn't the nicest thing to say, but still, he really left himself open if he went around acting like that all the time.

 

[dmronny]

Re: Pride and Prejudice (Oamp)

"I'm quite good at daggers though I rarely use them myself. The weapon is quite favored amongst the majority of my clan for use in each other's backs. I prefer the more straightforward method of simply crushing their skulls from the front...Something small for something small in return at some later date." Jourdain said obviously referring to the warhammer at his waist as they continued on through the alley. Though his second comment about something in return gave Lexwyn a second of pause. Her sire had mentioned that boons were the currency of the realm so to speak but she hadn't quite thought about it till now.

"Well the door is still there, it will just need a new lock is all. Thankfully the back door was unlocked or I would have to pay for both. I suppose it might seem rather brash to just barge through as I did but Anabelle and I really need to ask Ulrich something and I feared he might be in trouble from the sound of fighting." Jourdain added as they reached the back door to the shop from earlier in Lexwyn's night. He certainly seemed able to take a playful jest though probably better not to test him just in case.

Anabelle of course followed them from a bit further back as she listened, the axe still slung over her shoulder. There wer of course no sounds coming from within but they hardly expected the Malkavian to simply have gone back to work after the attack.

 

[OAMP]

Re: Pride and Prejudice (Oamp)

"yes, fine." Lexwyn agreed to the deal a bit dismissively, though probably not so much so as to alert Jourdain to her thoughts. She could hardly imagine such a thing spiraling into a larger commitment, but it was just one more thing to worry about. The wood seemed all the more homely the more Lexwyn got acquainted with the intricate web of connections most of her kind formed.

"You mean for all his precautions a secondary entrance was unsecured... that seems..." Lexwyn did not finish as she moved along the short ways back to the shop. If Ulrich was going to be paranoid, he should at least do it right. While she was involved, she might just have to 'improve' some of his attempts at security...

 

[Sinfulwolf]

Re: Pride and Prejudice (Oamp)

"It seems mad lass. And isn' that what he is?" Anabelle spoke up, her voice quiet, yet there was a gruff hoarseness to it that belied her gender. The movement of her head as she looked about the shop, showed a faint yet vicious scar across her neck. Amongst a few others that marred her fair skin.

She kept her axe at the shoulder, gripped firmly in one hand as she moved about examining the room, eyes flicking occasionally to both the front and back door. Anabelle certainly felt on edge, after what happened this evening. Her nostrils flared, taking in the scents of her surroundings, trying to find anyone that might be moving quietly.

 

[dmronny]

Re: Pride and Prejudice (Oamp)

The apothecary was of course a plethora of scents to Anabelle's nostrils, some pleasant but more than a few were almost loathsome. The shop seemed empty as Jourdain moved to fix the front door while the others searched for Ulrich as he said. "I'm not sure I would say he's simply paranoid, I fear paranoia may be but a symptom of the greater madness that lies beneath his normally calm exterior. He really enjoys being praised though so perhaps a few kind words on our behalf might draw him out if he is indeed within."

 

[OAMP]

Re: Pride and Prejudice (Oamp)

Lexwyn's lips furrowed. Somehow she felt that was a rather weird way to draw the madman out. Still she did her best to comb the area, looking for perhaps any secret latches Ulrich had installed for secret passages. Seemed like something he would do. She shook her head and tried Jourdain's idea anyway, as it couldn't hurt. "Ulrich, come out! We've done so well tonight, we can't end it on a note like this! These kind folk have helped me dispatch that insolent brat that interrupted our pleasant evening."

 

[Sinfulwolf]

Re: Pride and Prejudice (Oamp)

At Jourdain's suggestion, Anabelle simply raised an eyebrow, before watching the other woman go about the shop trying to praise the apparent mad man. She let out a snort of a laugh and shook her head softly, but said nothing as she moved through the room, trying to sort through all the scents, trying desperately to gain some control over the intensity of her new strength of smell. Maybe she could pick out Ulrich.

Though, she doubted that as well, it was worth a try. Each step was careful, quiet, trying not to step on anything that would crack or break, and still her eyes flicked to both of the doors.

 

[dmronny]

Re: Pride and Prejudice (Oamp)

Jourdain shook his head slightly and whispered. "You will need much more than that weak display of praise. You must appeal to his madness like a priest appeals to his congregations fears. Like so."

Jourdain dropped to one knee and laid the warhammer slung at his hip before him as he convincingly called out to the madman. "We humbly beseech your wisdom, Sir Ulrich of York. Even one so used to the shadows as myself can not clear the darkness from these mysteries before us. Only a truly wise and powerful seer like yourself could possibly aid us in this our hour of need. The dread assassin is no more, defeated by us. The very fate of the Baronies of Avalon lie in your hands for no else is up to the task."

Jourdain's words were so blatantly complimentary that the others could see right through them though they were still convincing. If supernatural ability or simply long practice at oratory the others felt themselves wanting to join in praising the madman.

Though his plea was answered with only silence for the longest time before Ulrich's voice came faintly from within the walls of the shop. It practically dripped with both elation and madness despite it's faintness and Lexwyn suddenly remembered with fear how easily the madness had infected her earlier in the evening. "In my hands you say. Tell me more. I am a busy man and must decide if such is worthy of my time."

 

[OAMP]

Re: Pride and Prejudice (Oamp)

"You no doubt know better than I, but I can assure you, he is not near as mad as he seems." Lexwyn quickly whispered back before Ulrich appeared, almost in a low hiss. Mad indeed, but fool, no. Perhaps it was the tension of the moment, but her patience was particularly thin. Though she did not know any of them well, from what Jourdain said it almost sounded like she had the best working relationship with the man.

She left the groveling to Jourdain, too. For one, she was fairly certain she could regain Ulrich's attention on her own, if need be, about her own issues too. She wasn't one for that sort of behavior anyway, lest she never would have wound up in this situation in the first place. She did acknowledge the newcommers' contribution, however, and at the very least that deserved repeated mention. After they had said their piece, she would lend herself as a character witness. "And they did assist us just now. Surely that is at least worth of an audience, no?"

 

[Sinfulwolf]

Re: Pride and Prejudice (Oamp)

Anabelle looked between the other three kindred, behind her back quietly tapping a nail on the jar she held, loud enough to be faintly heard if no one were talking. After Lexwyn had said her peace she finally opened her mouth to speak. While something slid over her mind, making her think that perhaps she should join in speaking this mad man's praises, she held her tongue in check.

"Of course, he could also help us because otherwise most Cainites in the city will find their true death. Himself included," she said, tapping a bit louder on the jar as she brought it forth, sloshing the red liquid within slightly.