[CLOSED] Sarai returns to Ludecke

Sarai puts on her fine clothes again, the blue dress, and a nice little leather bracelet on her wrist.



Then she heads over to Les Escaldes, to find the Toreador Primogen. Part of her is excited about the painting, part of her is excited to meet him, (but we ignore that (the collective we, as in she and her beast, who don't care for charm which isn't lethal(although.... isn't all charm lethal?(You're right, we like him, I bet he's planning something horrible, makes sense.))))

Sarai is on her best behavior, as Ludecke not only prompts it with his disarming charm, but he also is performing a very important favour to her. She greets him and waits as he leaves "Alright, I'll be here." she adds softly.

The room being furnished only hold her interest for so long, until Angela and the dog arrives. "Oh hello", she says, not sure why she didn't expect a dg here, surely they could serve as good companions as much as any human, perhaps better...

"So who's this then? You're Angela I take it, do you live here with Ludecke?" she remains standing, ready to reach out and pet the dog, should it decide to come over and greet her too.

"Oh this is Blitz!" Angela says with a big smile. Blitz walks up towards you with a clear intent of a happy greeting, but stops just out of reach, why you have no clue, you aren't the best at reading animal body language after all. His tail is wagging though, that is a good thing right?

"Yes we all live here. Me, Thomas, Lud... Primogen Wernher, and his animals. He has been very busy with your painting, locked himself in his art-room for two nights in a row!" she chuckles lovingly at it. She also keeps her distance, though that could be because of etiquette? Truly, you aren't good at reading people either. "How do you find Andorra? I understand you are new here."

"Oh it's... I think it's alright so far, I used to live in a more lively suburb, and then in the big cities, so it's nice with all the outdoors, but it's hard to blend in socially when you don't belong."

she continues in Catalan "I've made some efforts to fit in though, and I live with someone in El Tarter, it's for him the painting is actually, he had a rough life so I just hoped Ludecke could pull off the impossible. I'm glad to see my faith in Toreadors remains undiminished." she chuckles a bit, realizing she has asked a lot of the elder to be busy for two nights. But then again, that *was* her intention, it was a bit of a gamble though, he could have asked for more.

For a second there the beast reminds her: "He's playing the long game, and she'll pay for it when she least expects!! AND THEN  WE STRIKE!"

Sarai stands there still listening to the beasts words with a calm exterior, but it causes an awkward pause in the conversation. Inside her mind she responds: "I know he's dangerous, but he is also the only one who has given us what we wanted! And he's cute. Don't be such a bitch."

At this point Sarai is aware that she has paused for a while, and adds: "I was hoping it would be a task a Toreador would appreciate, but honestly he was too kind in his exchange, I'll make sure to repay him somehow, but I'm sure you know how it is, he's so damn charming it's hard to know where you stand." Then she leans closer with a mischievous grin and surreptitiously adds: "But that's to our benefit isn't it?" giving her a wink in the process.

Angela chuckles at that. "Yes that is Ludecke alright, sometimes he doesn't even seem to notice the effect he has on others. Although I believe he does, he just doesn't put too much weight into it."

As if on cue his steps are heard in the staircase, as he comes down with a painting covered in a white sheet, it is bigger than you imagined, it would most take half the walls height in the cabin. Blitz runs up immediately, walking beside him as he carefully puts the painting down. "Alright here it is." He says and removes the fabric. The painting is squared, with a thick golden frame with modern patterns. It is an oil painting, and the paint has been used to create texture to the objects, making it all look very realistic. The woman on the picture is sitting in a chair, leaning back with one foot leaning against a table, causing her leg to be slightly bent. Her foot is bare, but otherwise the dress covers most of it. The dress looks simple, but it sits beautifully on her. One of her hands rests up by her cheek, one finger pointing towards her lower lip, in a relaxed and natural manner. Her eyes looks straight at the observer, looking like she can see through them, the hint of a smile giving the impression she is fond of the observer, in love perhaps? She really is beautiful! Though this looks exactly like his mother, she is younger on the picture than he remembers her. However the dress he'll remember, as it was one she wore often. Sarai already recognises much of the furniture and the wall in the background from the cabin, however some things looks slightly different. She realises he has added extra decorative carvings in the wooden furniture. Interestingly enough, she recognises that the patterns are formed by combining different runes, it is not like the ones she uses exactly, but very similar. It is too discreet to really be noticed unless you're very familiar with it however, and it might make her wonder if it was even a conscious choice on his behalf. "What do you think?"

Sarai is impressed with the work, it's everything she hoped for, a look into the past, the woman that was his mother. Good god, she might just have been too kind to this man! But to hell with reservations, she looks at it with great interest and notices the runes.

The insight comes like a trickle of water, the painting of a sorceress, and the added details, not there in real life, but, they hold some truth, Auspex does not lie after all. No this... these runes, they are most likely real ones! Well, they are hard to make out in som cases, but she  will have plenty of time to see what else Ksenya Villemont was hiding. How exciting!

"Look at them, so pretty, I will devour them all! We must have them for ourselves! Wait, this painting, this whole thing is a display of magical secrets! We need to cover it, keep it to ourselves! What if others see it and figure it out?!"

Sarai rolls her eyes, the beast is really being sensitive tonight, but come on, it's going to be in her own home, surely that's safe enough! Then again, she can't help but get a little bit nervous about the astronomical chance of discovery, she ran all the way here. the beast of course chews on the thought like a sore spot, a though she can't let go of. Danger danger danger danger danger

"It's amazing, I'm not an art critic of course, but this is a work of art that sets a lot of wrongs right, I don't quite know how to thank you." she says and breaks her eyes away from the painting, looking at Ludecke instead.

"But I understand I came to the right man for the job, I feel like I owe you more than a few simple answers. Perhaps I can gift you with something I've made? I do some handcraft." she suggests to him then she adds to convince him: "It'd ease my guilt."

Sarai feels a bit of an internal struggle as the very cute man makes her agree on a whim it seems. On one hand, he needs to be disciplined! On the other hand, she knows that road will not end up where the beast thinks.

"That's good to hear, and I guess I can agree, inspiration is important, but I have plenty of it to go around." she says, but she didn't actually have an idea so far, so.. she will drop the idea for now.

As he tells her she could pose for him, she gives a affirmative nod in response, it sounds like a good chance to express herself, she could be fierce, blooded, naked and raw! The beast inside likes this too, then he'll know what he's messing with and learn to respect her superiority! 

As he stares at the portrait, she joins in: "I know, some people have it harder than others, but they are shaped by their hardships, I'm sure in the end she did well enough for herself, my concern lie with her child, she was an adult, but he was a victim too, sort of."

"Don't get me wrong, it's not my custom to get caught up in human tragedies like this, but I know exactly what this is about, and a strong independent woman could use a little help, at least posthumously. Besides, those feeble minded people who gossiped about her and made her life so difficult were beneath her. she says rather straightforwardly, she is an Adversary after all, nothing to hide there. And somehow she feels like Ludecke might not disagree either, a win-win, truly if that is the case.

"Tales of witchcraft does not worry you I presume?" she adds, hoping she guessed it right.

Sarai: "It's a compelling story, to be sure, I will try to keep the witchcraft talk to a minimum, at least now we have given the woman a chance to be remembered as she deserves. I am grateful." she explains, and she is truly grateful. If only this whole witch thing wasn't so complicated. She misses her family and the comfort their shared heritage provided. For a second her hand goes to her bracelet and strokes them, giving her the intimate connection she so desires.

"This Sara, she worked with the Seneschal then? A cooperation between a Vampire and a magic user?" she's not sure what to think of such a story, to build trust in such a relationship must've been very hard.

"Not the easiest relationship to build I'd imagine, do witches taste good?"

She can tell that he's seen some dark things, and while she doesn't mourn for some dead stranger just like that, she does realize the danger, luckily she's never really alone, the beast knows to keep a sharp wit when it comes to these things, but power is never easily or safe, if it was, everyone would have it, and then it would no longer be ... power.

Still, he knows just what to say this one doesn't he? Sarai nods as she listens, she agrees at least. While the Thule society is trouble, she left them behind and went through a lot of trouble to do so. Now she can start anew, and she's be the dumbest bitch ever if she let a common mob take her down because she was indiscreet.

"I need friends?"

"I'm a vampire, friends are a difficult thing to hold on to. I do have a few people who have made an impression so far. Maybe it'll grow into friendship, maybe not. If I force it, then I can be sure it wont last." she says rather cynically, but perhaps wisely, or at least correctly.

"We're friendly though aren't we? And that other Toreador seemed like a perfectly stable kind of woman. The thing is of course, as a Malkavian, it's even harder for me. People talk behind my back, and they see a broken person, completely missing the point that we're not broken, we're just more than." she adds the last bit with a tone of annoyance.

"I hope you can see it at least, you seem to have a knack for sensibility. It's strange, I get it, but the beast is not in charge or anything, its just above the surface, able to talk and express itself, it has opinions on you even, though I am not sure where we stand really."

"Why do you say I need friends?"

The beast doesn't like this kind of thinking, it's staggering to think of all the people out there, those with better options than she does, and they failed. A magic user she may be, but she doesn't have much power yet.

Begrudgingly she has to agree, well no, she doesn't have to, not to his face at least.

"If the Tremere has to fight for their monopoly, then perhaps their hold on things is perhaps not so sure as they wish, or claim."

"But I believe you, it's dangerous, and I will try to be careful. Now I'm not saying you're right about me, but I do have a heritage, something others want, which, incidentally is why I am here now, it cost me much to escape their notice, and I had to leave all behind, so take my word for it, when I say that I know the danger of the bad kind of attention."

"If you want a name to what I am, you'd say rune wise. Some might think me a witch, I've learned to scare off people, it's the easiest way to be left alone to my own devices. But beyond that I stay well away from the devil or anything inherently evil."

"Do you believe me? For some reason I feel it matters that you do." she says this and takes his hand. It's not a move of manipulation, but rather intuitive. THe fact that he saw through her the way he did, means she wants to set the record straight, she truly is not a witch, and though her knowledge is far from full, she knows devil worship is an actual problem among some vampires, and she want's nothing to do with that.

"I think I can manage, I'll just carry it overhead until I get home, Miquel is going to be there to help me put it up."

"Maybe if you have a simple solution, but I shouldn't trouble you any further with this, I'll be fine." she says sounding a bit stubborn about doing it by herself.

"I thank you for your secrecy, the society I fled, the Thule society, they wanted to control me, I refused, perhaps in a way they are like the Tremere, societies are scary because you never know how many will be coming to back them up, or what resources they might be hiding."

"I am only mentioning this because I intend to do the very same thing. If someone decides to come after me, it's not just me that should make them hesitate, it's the consequences..."

"Perhaps that's what you're saying when you mention friends, it's not something I am used to. Perhaps I have grown too cynical about such things. Getting fond of people inevitably gets you hurt. But you know all about that I am sure. I am sorry about your witch, Primogen. I wonder if you truly feel it was all worth it in the end?"

Sarai seems curious as he talks, and as me finishes with mentioning the impulsiveness of the beast, she laughs a little. "Yes it's not quite in my nature to tell anyone no, but believe me, I get to do it a couple of times a night." she says with a wide grin, to her the whole idea of a rampant beast is less terrifying and more a hilarious mess. From a certain standpoint, she may be right, but it's got potential to creep people out.

"I was forced by the Prince to speak the truth, so I can't very well argue with you, she must have used some kind of power on me, I really hated that."

"It's kind of hard to get things done though, suppose... yes, you say you're one of the better at noticing things? then perhaps just being subtle about things could go a long way, I know some Obfuscate, I could try to get better at it. Maybe... but then again, any result would be visible anyway."

"What is it that you'd be worried I might do that would cause such a stir? And I ask this considering there's a pack of Sabbat vamps not so far off. Surely if I overstep occasionally they would see the benefit of having me here too. right?"

The beast, aside from the fact that they talk about it over it's head, so to speak, is mildly annoyed with the wholesome talk going on. This Ludecke seems like a bit of a repressive spaz! And how could that be? He seemed to have potential damnit! Maybe if she were to seduce him he'd be more fun? "Quick, grab his ass!"

No, I'm not doing that. Sarai thinks, and outwardly she looks more and more fatigued by this barrage of cannots and donts.

I'm NOT your mother!

Beast: "At this rate you wont be anyone's mother..."

Sarai: "I suppose, getting someone in on it might be a fun idea. The point being, instead of asking for permission, I simply have tacit approval because of how many are involved."

"Oh you're clever! I could even involve others without them knowing too! So long as they profit from it all somehow, I could get away with anything!"

"Sound like an awful lot of work though. I don't want to be some kind of pretend evil woman, I mean I get that I do things that could be considered horrible, but I have reasons, I just act on them while others snub their nose at it."

She truly doesn't want to be just considered the dangerous mad hat who is violent or whatever, it's a power she has, the ability to break social mores without flinching, not a well rehearsed play! If she becomes predictable in the process, well she might just have to do something about that...

"This guy you talk about, getting the very lovely looking woman, what... who were they? Was she a humanist too? I understand they sometimes have very strong romantic bonds, that sounds nice, I could imagine having that, but you know, on my own terms, sometime, in the future, maybe. ugh."

"Since you're being so nice and all, maybe, I could try and subvert some opinions. I know how I can come off, I'd like to surprise people, keep them on their toes somehow, any ideas? I could coddle babies and give them the bottle? Or maybe something sophisticated, like uhm, well you'd know better than me. Something people wouldn't expect!"

"Wait! WAAAIT! This is philanthrophy! I wont stand for it!" the beast rages.

Sarai rolls her eyes, (at the beast, but Ludecke might not understand that): "Look, I uh, wow, you want me to be a humanist in order to surprise people? Nah that seems overly complicated."

"Still, I do miss my siblings from time to time, which is how I thought of that baby thing. I guess helping out could be for my own reasons sometimes, like getting a talented Toreador to help an old man remember his mother in a way that she deserved."

She holds up her bracelet; "This is something I made. Sort of got the idea from our painting, well your painting. It's a reminder about my family. Not just a memento, it actually helps me remember them. I figure at some point the memory starts fading, so why not create this while it is still strong? It'l be nice to have... down the road. Very humane of me wouldn't you say?" she says almost challenging him to admit it.

She thinks on it: "Well, I was way more excited about relationships, you know in a naive kind of way, I'm more guarded now. It's not that I miss the need for others, in fact that was exhausting, but the thrill that it brought was nice, everything was so simple back then."

"But truth be told, my sire wasn't the first to rob me of something, my family was targeted for reasons you already know. They feared what my grandmother and mother could do, and saw potential in me, an easy prey, to seduce and transform."

"They didn't succeed, I don't think, but already then I had to learn how to think of more things than what normal people did. You know, keep a close check on the exits, know where people are, be aware of your surroundings, don't give people a chance to stop you with talk, know how to hit, bite and kick so in worst case you can get free and run to safety. I may look weak, but I can hold my own pretty well."

"When my sire came, I could've resisted more, perhaps it'd be a futile effort, but in contrast, he was powerful enough that I didn't have to worry about any of that other stuff anymore, all my focus was directed elsewhere, and who doesn't like sex? I embraced the situation. It didn't take much until he said I needed to stay locked up, I think that's when I was changed, as you say, though, he kept me locked up either way, he was just more strict about it. Less tied up and more locked up you know."

"But, my family was still pure to me, and they remain so, which makes a good memory, if there are other things about me that were lost, I don't miss them as much, I wasn't that interesting you know. That's why the beast is helpful! It can help me assert myself, and it gives much needed perspective on things. Even if I am in control."

"But, alright, from a larger point of view, obviously I miss daylight, and just being a normal human, eating a pastry and savoring life's little pleasures. Blood is great and all, but it's got predictability against it. I actually still enjoy daytime once in a while, indoors of course, it's different, you feel it more as a vampire, but even as a human there's a difference. It's difficult, but I can be stubborn about things that I want." she smiles at that.