Roses in the Night [Open]

The Placa of Lalin is full of life this evening as the Toreador Primogen leads his new neonate towards the festive area. The square is surrounded with fine living quarters, as well as taverns and pubs. To one end is the theatre hall and outside it some actors are showing some teasers for their new show, in another corner a couple of musicians are playing lively music, encouraging people to stop, clap, dance, and give a small coin in gratitude. Both rich and poor (well not the poorest) can be seen in the square, only separated by the prices of the different establishments, it is as if the party is in the square, and people sit down in the pubs for a break and a drink.

Walking beside Ludecke you realise soon you often have to stop as people greet him and cheer at seeing him. He seems to be rather famous around here. It becomes a mix of faces and names as they greet you as well. A man who sees you at a distance shouts out; "Wernher! Will you perform tonight?" "I am just out for some fun tonight." "That hasn't stopped you before." The man shouts back and Ludecke chuckles at that. "Now let us go in here before they drag me into something too exciting!" He says as he shows the way into the first tavern. It is a cosy place, with stone walls and candlelight, long tables in the middle and some round ones on balconies to the sides. As the door closes behind you the noise from outside is almost completely silenced and instead you hear people shouting out a bar-song with glasses in the air. "It is not the fanciest, but I thought, tonight we go for variety." He says with a big smile. The patrons here are not the richest, you can see that as some have more tattered clothes. However a few nicer dressed people sit to the sides and claps along, enjoying the simple atmosphere. "Ludecke!" Someone shouts, and you see a well dressed man with a woman beside him. He seems rich, but does not appear very charming. "Fancy seeing you here." "Ah hello again sir." Ludecke replies. "And who is this lovely lady?" "This is Eveline Garnier, she is new in town so I am just showing her the sights you know." "Well join us." The man offers. "Perhaps later, I'd like to show Miss Garnier around first." "Of course." The man says and winks. "Don't mind him." Ludecke says as he leads you away. "He is a boring man who brags about more money than he's got."

Sarai knew the Toreador was supposed to be found around these parts, Les Escaldes seemed like a lively place, compared to her new home.

With her she carries a document holder, a thick leather fold which protects whats inside. Her dress is, well nice enough, a light blue which appears greyish white in the dark of night. her hair is braided and clean, she needs to make an effort to fit in after all, even if she is poor. It strikes her that all of these things could be overcome by use of obfuscate, but she finds such use a bit crass, like hiding and peacocking at the same time, and in any case, chances are the Toreador in question will see through it all anyhow.

She finds her way to Placa de Lalin and lingers there, some might say skulk, but she's way better at skulking than this, so that's incorrect. She leans up against a stone bench, lounging in a sort of way, hoping to spot the Toreador among the crowds. But that's not really working, he might blend in perfectly!

As they stroll along, Eveline smiles and nods at all the different people greeting Ludecke, never saying anything herself, hoping to catch a name or two over the cacophony of the busy square.

The young neonate is torn - she'd love to see him perform, but the suspense of seeing all the places, of which one she most likely will own, wins this time. She can practically feel the heat emanating from all the wonderful kine all around her, a feeling that intensifies as they enter the first tavern. While the "folksy" rowdiness of it isn't really Eveline's choice of embience, she does genuinely enjoy others enjoying themselves.

She does indeed pick up on the man's "lackings" and does not question Ludecke as they leave.

At his revealing of there being another kindred near, Eveline almost starts looking around, but Ludecke apparently not knowing who it is, stills her in time and she whispers - not masking her excitement at all, though  - "Who could it be? Are there any kindred here you do not know? But yes, let's find out who this is, or my curiosity will be the end of me." Then she immediately enhances her senses, hoping to pick up on something giving the stranger away.

Eveline wrinkles her nose a little - involuntarily - when he mentions the nosferatu fledgling, but does not interrupt him with any questions, as he most likely needs to focus in his search for this secret guest.

Eveline tries "seeing" what can't be seen, on the off chance the newcomer still isn't that proficient in the "art" of hiding - a discipline she knows the Nosferatu are keen on.

But then he sees her, and Eveline clutches his arm tighter in anticipation.

(Sarai does not currently have Obfuscate activated, Eveline can see her)

Sarai straightens up, she knows she can be standoffish, and she needs to put that away right now. She forgets to smile back, but she does look concerned, which might make her come across as more genuine anyway. She grips the ocument holder as to steady her purpose for being here.

French with northen accent:"Good evening, I guess you must be the local rose? Roses? I was told the Escalades were a place to come for company."

"My name is Sarai, I try to lay low normally, but I am making an exception in this case, I have a personal errand."

She realises she should probably greet them physically and moves closer to give the cheek kisses, they get four each, starting with the right cheek, which would tell the culture savvy person something. Her french speech aswell, for those with a liguistical bent.

A short insight into french kissing (she's from normandie):

She looks to her document holder, a primitive thing, but serviceable. it has an insignia (again for those with attention to detail) which says "A. H." on a brass plate.

"Can I steal some time from you? I don't know you personally, but I would imagine this might appeal to an artistic mind." she sounds quite convincing despite the threat Ludecke enses from her, she seems honest, and invested somehow, there's probaby a deal to be made here if that's what concerns someone.

Sarai nods, smiling this time.

"I'd be happy to do so, it's personal but on behalf of someone, besides, it's not so weird except in how it might be accomplished." she says a bit vaguely.

If Eveline agrees, the trio moves on until Ludecke finds a good spot to keep talking. Sarai doubt Eveline overhearing anything is a big issue really, so she wants a portrait made, big deal don't most people? Yes, it shouldn't be too sensitive.

"But of course!", Eveline smiles widely. "The more the merrier!" She waved to the blonde, with her free hand, to join them.

This tavern hits Eveline quite differently - its patrons mostly being of higher means, the scent of sweat is fresher and at a perfect mix with the blanket of smoke.
She smiles as she hears the wide array of discussions going on, granting the establishment a sense of thirst for more.

They sit down and Eveline says:
"No, the scotch will be fine, thank you. I haven't had it for a while and would very much like to reignite the acquaintance." She picks up the glass, admiring the light of the tavern through the auburn drink, and takes an almost ceremonially slow sip.

Sarai looks uncomfortable with the concept of fake drinking. "I will do this as a courtesy."

"I don't know what's to tell really, I come from a ... fractured background, my sire and I both have very limited effects on our lives from the maladies that can afflict so many, I consider my link to my inner spirit, the ferocious one, to be stronger than most. I am a scholar of it, of sorts, trying to reach a deeper understanding."

"Besides that, well more recently, I've taken up living here with a mortal, we have a common connection, I want to give him something meaningful, something in return for his loyalty. It would mean he can live out his life in full and die with me in his will."

"Which is why I looked you up, a Toreador, I have a portrait, a poor sketch of the man's dead mother, I was hoping, through the power of auspex, you could get enough of an image of the woman it was made of, and paint a more deserving portrait."

"Like I said, it could secure the life of a kind man, and show some kindness where, from what I understand very little has been given, his mother was probably quite alone in her rearing of him." she pauses after telling this (hopefully) inspiring tale, letting it sink in, she can't be sure how human he is, but most humanists will be triggered by this, she knows that much.

do you have anything which can help with that? "A knife?" she asks honestly.

"I can sneak well, and remain unseen, and I can handle most simple threats. I'm not great with... well fancy gatherings, but if anyone comes close I can tell them to get lost or earn your ire."

"I will have to tell him that I will be away, with the portrait when you do it, so he knows what to expect."

"I guess other things of hers might help with the process? I could try to see if there are any such items that I overlooked, and return, but I want this man to remain unmentioned either way, I don't want him to turn into some freak show in his last years of life, I don't care that it's known that I request something from you, just protect him." it's possible to pick up that she actually has some idea of something that might help, but she's less willing to procure it for some reason, possibly she hoped the portrait would suffice.

Eveline sits silent during the conversation between her Primogen and the unexpected guest, but when he mentions what he wants for the trouble - "three things you've never done before" - she can't stay quiet any longer and after gasping expectantly at the request, she says: "Oh, what haven't you done?? What is the first thing you thought of?" The young Toreador is genuinely excited and almost spills her glass.

Mindread:

Sarai didn't expect this, but, it is perhaps a fitting prize, no doubt it means more to him than a mere admission, a deeper insight into her? Well his time with the object will grant as much anyway.

She looks to Eveline and him and seems to be contemplating the request: "The first thing? I've already done that, 'unfortunately' " she says and gives a coy smile.

"But let me think, I have been to fancy parties, but... I haven't done all possible things in them. I think I have done a speech, but never a performance, because I can't really. Depending on what kind of performance of course, I've never sung!"

"Then for seconds, let me think. I know some science, maybe I could try to explain it to someone? I know it's not common everywhere. I would have explained it before, but it's rarely welcome, and even more rarely a presented opportunity."

"Lastly, I guess I could tell you a personal thing I don't share with people I just met perhaps?" she waits to see his reaction, if they were good enough or not. She had a few suggestions regarding the patrons in here from her beast, but he wouldn't have approved of them, so she leaves the defecation games for another night.

Not at all what Eveline expected the northerner to say, she is quite taken by her first admission, and after Ludecke's reaction, she says:

"You've never sung? ...ever?" A look of sincere sympathy drapes her face.

"But what was it she had thought of first?", Eveline's mind demands. "'Unfortunately'"?? She is hooked to the mystery, but lets it be for now.

"And what field is yours?" she asks, adding to Ludecke's question.

"Oooo, a shower! You'll love it! I just know you will!", she promises even though she still has yet to experience it herself.

Eveline listens intently to her Primogen's suggestions - many of them earning her genuine surprise, as she gasps hopefully. "I hope she hasn't done that!", she finds herself confessing - to several
of them - in her mind.

Still a young kindred, and never having lived that long before being embraced, Eveline is a relatively inexperienced one. While her sire was the one who had introduced her to sex, he was quite singleminded in what he had wanted from her. Now she can't help but project her inexperience on the woman next to her, hoping she can live it out through her.

"Me?? Any ideas?" Eveline chirps with surprise. While her fantasy practically bombards herself with suggestions (many extensions of Ludecke's more lustful ones), she finds herself not quite ready to actually pronounce them.

"Ummm, I do like the one she suggested herself - to reveal something she doesn't share with people she's just met - but a little more interesting; something she's never shared with anyone!" Eveline is clearly excited about the thought, and looks with pleading eyes on the blue eyed woman.

"Well, I have sung just not at a fancy gathering. I prefer to do it on my own actually, I don't have a good voice like Ludecke here, or you either Eveline."

"I generally don't share secrets abut myself, so perhaps that's not a good one. I guess I could offer up a secret I've never shared before, there's plenty since I rarely do."

"As for the science, well we got hold of some books for me, I got into it and tried to learn about it all, I never really got into the whole christianity thing, I know it's unusual, and weird for someone supposedy cursed by you-know-who, but I just prefer to look at things differently. No one taught me that, it's just the way I am."

"I think I've actually done all those Ludecke, I'm sorry but my sire was a Voluptuari, I've been thoroughly defiled and morally debased as far as I know. I was mostly along for the ride." she tells about it as if it was her years at kindergarten, a distance so profound that she either has huge issues about it all, or none. Or perhaps she simply hides her feelings about it extremely well?

"While I have climbed a sacred building I haven't entered a holy site, do they have any such places here in Andorra? It'd be an interesting challenge." she says with morbid curiosity. And a vague hint of a smirk growing in the corner of her mouth. There seems to be a rebel streak in her with regards to christianity.

Sarai nods, a song and a secret it is. But what about the third?

"Aha good catch Ludecke! I never really did much riding, or spent time with animals, my sire lived in the middle of the city, and I was from the poor district, sure I've been in a carriage, but riding? I've sat in a saddle, that's about it."

"Definitely not bareback, and I have to confess the thought is a bit exciting, despite my own lack of fortitude, but I'd like to try."

She leans forward, conspiratorically: "So which one do you want to do first? This place seemes really full, so it's going to be a bit mean to scare away all those customers." she jokes a bit, but still have that tone of sincerity.

Eveline almost sighs with relief as Sarai tells them she does in fact sing, although only in private.

As the visitor agrees to sharing a secret, Eveline lets out an almost lustful sound of contentment and wiggles her lithe body a little.

"But you still haven't said what it is you studyyy!" she retorted lightheartedly in the way a child, taunted with the promise of sweets, would.

But then...

"She's d...she's done them all??", Eveline asks herself in her mind. She's not sure what's more astounding - that the seemingly young woman has done it all, or how she so casually mentioned it. From what Sarai told them, however,  her impressive sexual experience was not of her own choice, so Eveline grieves her youth. 

She sits silent for a while, unable to stop thinking about this, only looking at Sarai intently, listening.