Vampire: Dark Ages - Scene 1: In the Company of Strangers

[Goatkiller666]

The boy heads into the kitchen and brings back a large wooden plate of roast swine, cut thin, covered in some thick gravy. Various fixin's are spooned on the side, plus a bowl of bread with a small tub of butter.

"Any more than that, sir, and it'll get cold before you've finished it all. I'll bring you seconds when you're ready, though."

"But a simple plate of fruit and vegetables, or perhaps some eggs or fish is all I need. Is procuring such close by a possibility at this time of evening?"

"Madam, we ARE a restaurant. We have a full kitchen, at your disposal. If you don't mind the wait, we can prepare you what you will. Just tell me what you desire. I'll not have it said that one of Lord Claudio's guests went looking elsewhere for dinner while under my roof. I'd not be able to show my face in the streets for the shame of it."

Sigismond's son heads out the front, we assume to attend to the poor mare left out in the storm, still hitched to a cart. A few minutes later, he returns, somewhat damp and says to his father, "Wind's really picking up out there, Da." Then he makes the rounds of the room, with new tankards of ale, and picking up used dishes. He finally stops at Johann's table, looking a littlenervous to intrude upon someone so unkempt. "Will you have anything, sir? Ale or wine, perhaps? The roast's still dripping hot."

[Sabine]

"I don't know them, miss. They think I'm a boy."

[Alína Nyárí]

"Madam, we ARE a restaurant. We have a full kitchen, at your disposal. If you don't mind the wait, we can prepare you what you will. Just tell me what you desire. I'll not have it said that one of Lord Claudio's guests went looking elsewhere for dinner while under my roof. I'd not be able to show my face in the streets for the shame of it."

Alína's cheeks paled with embarrassment. She was used to smaller inns which served only one meal to all patrons, and rarely, if ever, was the possibility of having a parve meal cooked to order possible. "My apologies, kind sir. It has been awhile since such an option was available to me. Do you have some fresh fish that could be quickly steamed with just water, without any lard at all? And any boiled or roasted vegetable you may have, without any meat or fat, would do nicely."

Sigismond's son comes back in from the rain, and Alína realizes he has already stabled Zoja for her. Fumbling in her pocket, she pulls out a small coin, her own embarrassment that it is not more apparent. As the boy addresses his father, Alína reaches out and presses the coin in his hand. Smiling up at him she tells him, "I am sure Zoja expressed her appreciation for your care in her own horsey way. This is not much, but let it show my gratitude for you seeing to her as well."

[Seska Karantanija]

"Yes. Well, they do follow that poor blind thing. They never do make much sense..."

With a dismissive wave towards the nuns, Seska starts anew, "Are you a local then? You do not look the part of an innkeep's daughter and she would have likely seen many a Lady passing through." She ponders aloud some more, "The stable hand's perhaps? You have the... presence... of one who might work that trade." She smiles, genuinely, at a thought. "Yes, a bit like Dušan, who cares for my horses."

Pausing some more, but not long enough to give the child time to speak, "I am a bit puzzled. If you are not with the cenobites then who are you with and why are you here, dear? An inn such as this can be a tad... discerning... and no one else remaining would seem to lay claim to you."

[Sabine]

"I'm with... I'm with you, miss." I smile brightly, proud of my reasoning. "I'm here because Lord Claudio's man told me to come here on this day. He took me before Mrs. Marta and told her I was to be here today, and I'd be taken to Lord Claudio's castle for a nice dinner tomorrow."

All this remembering is hard. "He said there'd be lots of nice horses, and I could pet the hawks, miss."

"I do love the hawks, miss. But I've never been allowed to touch one, before."

[Goatkiller666]

The boy looks at Alina, then glances at his father, almost fearfully. "Oh no, ma'am. Lord Claudius' guests are taken care of for his sake. I can't accept that, ma'am." He backs away quickly, while his father looks on.

[Seska Karantanija]

"I'm with... I'm with you, miss." I smile brightly, proud of my reasoning. "I'm here because Lord Claudio's man told me to come here on this day. He took me before Mrs. Marta and told her I was to be here today, and I'd be taken to Lord Claudio's castle for a nice dinner tomorrow."

Seska's eyes widen in surprise, "You... you are to attend Lord Claudio's dinner," her voice rising a bit more than expected at the end of the statement. She looks about the room, but realizing no one lays claim to the child understands there may be truth to it. "Help in the kitchen? No, too young to summon from afar... The child of one of his vassels perhaps? Hmmm, maybe a.... Oh, no no no. This will not do." She 'tsks'. "Dear, we must make you presentable in time for tomorrow. This attire simply will not do for a dinner with the Count."

Now burning with a purpose, Seska stands and first turns to her handmaiden. "Vida, would any of Zala's clothes we brought to mend on the ride be proper? They might be the right size with a bit of work. Her riding outfit? Or that one dress she was never too fond of? Maybe something would work. Go look, please."

That task started, she strides over to the innkeep. "Could we have a bath drawn? If this child," Seska smiles at Sabine, "Sabine, is to be seen by Lord Claudio we need to remove a few layers of grime."

[Sabine]

I back away, slowly. "Brother Lasczlo said we wasn't to take bathes in winter. We'll freeze off our toes while they're still wet."

[Seska Karantanija]

Seska presses the matter, "Fortunately for you then, the Equinox was two weeks ago. Winter is over."

[Taduz Illyannovich]

While working his way through his meal, Taduz looks up when he hears

Seska's eyes widen in surprise, "You... you are to attend Lord Claudio's dinner," her voice rising a bit more than expected at the end of the statement. She looks about the room, but realizing no one lays claim to the child understands there may be truth to it.

He attempts to catch Lady Seska's eyes, then he interjects after some thought "Mayhap the child is to be companion for the offspring of Lord Claudio. Some nobles have other youth brought in to alleviate the lonliness of their children."

[Johann Von Braniff]

I watch and listen to all the conversation, realizing that I'm not the only one that has been summoned to the Count's castle. Realizing that it most likely is not a trick set up by my father I begin to relax and wave down the innkeeper. I wasn't about to turn down a free meal and good ale...

[Goatkiller666]

Vida chuckles, takes a final sip of her mead, and then strolls to the back stairs leading to the rooms.

Sigismond's son blurts out "Oh, Lord Claudio has no children, sir." before his father silences him with a glare. The boy rushes off to the kitchen.

His father ambles over to Xander's table. "What will you have, sir? The roast is still hot, if you've a mind. And will you take wine or ale with your dinner?"

Vida comes back downstairs a few minutes later, holding up a young girl's dress, in midnight blue velvet. "It's perhaps too wide for the girl, Countess, but we can take it in. Zala will be happy it no longer fits her, too. Then she'll be free of it."

Seeing all this attention on Sabine, the youngest of the women from the table, the one not wearing a nun's habit, gets up and approaches. "I swear we couldn't tell she was a girl. Sir Leopold must have called her a boy a dozen times, and she never said anything."

[Sabine]

Seska presses the matter, "Fortunately for you then, the Equinox was two weeks ago. Winter is over."

"What's an Equi... nox?" I stammer. "Do I really have to take a bath? They're always cold, and Miss Marta hurts when she scrubs." I start to lick the dirt off my hands. "See? I can clean up just fine."

[Seska Karantanija]

"The Equinox is when the Day matches the Night and they hold much significance."

Softening her stance a bit, "Regardless my dear, this time you will have a warm bath and enough time to soak in it so as to let Vida scrub you properly and without so much pain. Daresay you may even enjoy the experience for once."

Seska's eyes widen slowly and a smile creeps across her face, "Did you know hawks are very cleanly birds? That is why they are always preening. And their eyesight is very sharp," she says while narrowing her eyes and moving her head closer to Sabine. "They can see dirt from quite a ways and far better than you or I! However," she suddenly exclaims while throwing her hands up, fingers wide, "they won't let a dirty person pet them. No, they will not have any of it. They will fly right off." First nodding to herself, then while shaking her head at Sabine, "We wouldn't want that now would we!? This is your big chance, so why don't you go upstairs with Vida while I start altering your dress, hmmm?"

With a warm smile to Sabine, Seska takes the dress and a small pouch from Vida. To the young woman she is rather curt, "Then maybe you should ask next time, miss. Take a little more interest in a person if you are going to attempt to care for them."

With that she heads back towards her table. Passing the gentleman who interjected earlier, "Twas a good idea, sir. Though childless perhaps there are still those children on Lord Claudio's estate in need of companionship. A proper lord takes care of all those under his protection. I shall inquire as to the nature of it if she is to be my charge until then."

[Taduz Illyannovich]

I nod to the Lady "Mayhap that is where my services lay. After my business with Lord Claudio is finished, mayhap the young" pauses while his eyes dart to the church folk for a second, and exaggerates the next word "girl" and resumes normal cadence "could use some help with her education. If she is in your care, we maybe able to work an arrangement."

I stand, bow to the noble woman "I am Taduz Illyannovich, a tutor of Latin, the Arts, and" glancing once at the slaves to the church "Freedom."

[Alína Nyárí]

The boy looks at Alína, then glances at his father, almost fearfully. "Oh no, ma'am. Lord Claudius' guests are taken care of for his sake. I can't accept that, ma'am." He backs away quickly, while his father looks on.

Alína's fist closed loosely upon the coin, a look of incomprehension on her face.

Sigismond's son blurts out "Oh, Lord Claudio has no children, sir." before his father silences him with a glare. The boy rushes off to the kitchen.

Deciding she was truly out of her element already, the Jewess found a quiet spot and seated herself, determined to observe silently to take in all she could while awaiting her fish meal.

[Johann Von Braniff]

"Roast sounds good, thank you." I grin. "And ale of course."

I watch as the noble woman fusses over the girl child, as though a bath and frills will change who she is. My mind wanders back to Von Braniff castle and I scowl. I then shift my attention to the nuns and the scholar. He spoke of freedom, I snort involuntarily, the cost of such prospects can be very painful.

I lean back in my chair and lift my muddy feet up to rest on the table as I scan the patrons and wonder which purse or pouch would be easy to pilfer before the night is over.

[Seska Karantanija]

I stand, bow to the noble woman "I am Taduz Illyannovich, a tutor of Latin, the Arts, and" glancing once at the slaves to the church "Freedom."

"The Countess Seska Karantanija," she replies. "You will have to speak with our host as to her future. I shall make sure she arrives at her destination and in a manner befitting the summons of the Count. I have only taken responsibility for her until then as it seems she has been left to her own wiles and the doddering efforts of a gaggle of useless cenobites."

"If, however, you are a good tutor and ever find yourself in the vicinity of Tótkomlós, then you may call upon my husband about whether your services would be of use. He has more patience for such subjects and would be a better judge of your worth in those matters."

[Goatkiller666]

Hearing the Countess speak of retaining services, the lone soldier perks his head up and pays more attention to her party.

After a few minutes of watching them, he gets up and heads over to Bojan. It's clear that he favors one leg considerably as he makes his way across the room.

"Excuse me, sir. Might I trouble you for a moment?"

Bojan agrees, and the two head to a nearby table to speak. The soldier leans in close and speaks quietly for a while, with Bojan sometimes asking questions or making comments. The soldier's sense of quiet has infected him, so he also is keeping a low voice.

[Sabine]

why don't you go upstairs with Vida while I start altering your dress, hmmm?"

"I can pet the hawks?" I'm almost hopping up and down with excitement. When I see Seska walk off and talk to Taduz and Marianna, I turn to Vida, still shifting from one foot to the other with anticipation.

"Do you promise the water won't be cold?"