Alexander laughed as Alexandru proved stronger than him. It was always valuable to remember the Kindred's strength was not proportional to there muscle.
Wrapping his cloak around himself to hide any bloodstains - humans were a messy meal, when they fought back - and said, "I'll do so. Should take but a moment."
With the priest subdued and the crime scene cleaned up, it's a simple matter to reunite with Elena and Sophie. Curiously, the merchant is nowhere to be found, but it's clear that they've been dealt with.
----------------------
It's perhaps for the best that the streets of Magdeburg are free of onlookers as the group drags the priest back to the Cathedral. He makes a few moans of pain and protest, but it's clear that the fight has been beaten out of him--and his jaw being fused shut makes it so that no one can hear his cries.
The Prince is conversing with his lady knight when the group returns. He eyes them with a cold, dispassionate look. "I take it the deed is done?"
Alexandru leads the priest forward.
"The priest, alive, as requested My Prince. He is currently unable to speak, but I can rectify that as you will," he replies in Latin, giving a respectful bow. "The others are in the bag, brought back as evidence your order has been carried out in full measure."
He motions to the others to bring the bag of heads forward.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Prince Jürgen looks on as Altan brings the bag of heads forward. "Hmm."
"Well done, indeed." He nods. "Now, see that the priest is... free to speak." He says, with a wave to Dottore Alexandru.
"Yes, my Prince," Alexandru replies. He turns and places his hand on the underside of the priests jaw, and begins reshaping the bone so that it once again hinges properly.
There's a harsh cracking sound as the priest's jaw is roughly separated, and he lets out a pitiable scream of agony.
The priest gasps for breath as Jürgen beckons Lucretia forward. "Take this one away. I'll see to him later."
"As for the rest of you... you have all performed admirably." The Swordbearer nods.
"Thank you, My Prince," Alexandru replies, giving a respectful bow.
The cracking sound of the priest's jaw doesn't seem to bother Lucian in the least, one would suspect that is due to the result of his own bite.
After the prince's comment, Lucian bows.
Turning to Alexandru, Lucian says, "No matter how many times I have seen your Clan's signature discipline in action, it always seems so...disturbing."
Alexandru replies with a companionable smile and a nod to Lucian’s comment. ”We hide out natures to the Kine, but it is best not to forget our own place as their predators and masters. This one will pay a far worse price for his hubris than did his conspirators.”
"Now..." Prince Jürgen stands and dismisses Lucretia with a wave of his hand. The lady knight drags the pain-wracked priest off down a side corridor and into the shadows.
"...it may take some time before our priest finishes telling us everything he knows--why he came here, what he hoped to accomplish, who he truly serves." The Swordbearer looks the coterie over with a cold eye. "Until then, I have no further tasks for you. In recognition of your service, I welcome you all into my city--should you wish to establish a haven here, you have my blessing to do so."
Alexander grinned and bowed. "My thanks, my Prince." He wasn't sure if a Haven was something he felt like doing. It would be interesting to see.
"My Prince," Alexandru says, bowing respectfully. "I would be honored to make my haven here in your domain. If I may ask one small favor: may I bind a mortal to myself as a ghoul, so that I may have one to watch over me as I rest during the light of day?"
Elena simply curtsies politely, turning over in her mind the difficulties of setting up a home in a foreign place.
Prince Jürgen looks over at the dottore. "So long as you ensure the Silence is maintained, I suppose I cannot object to such a request."
"And I suspect you already have someone in mind."
I could bind the girl, My Prince, and ensure her Silence. If, however, you object to my doing so, I will find a suitable candidate from amongst the populace."
Alexander nodded. It made sense, assuming the prince lacked over plans for the girl.
The Prince ponders the dottore's request for a moment before nodding in assent. "Very well."
He makes a brief pointing gesture with his hand, and the girl, Sophia, comes forth. Her eyes are wide and her body is trembling with fear.
"I will not harm you, Child," Alexandru says to Sophia in fairly competent German. "On the contrary, I am saving your life. From the moment you entered this Cathedral, any chance of an ordinary mortal life was lost to you. I take you as my apprentice and assistant. I have not the Prince's leave to make you one of the Kindred, but only to bind you to me by blood. It will grant you long life and health, but also assure your obedience and silence."
He reaches into his medical bag and retrieves a small, gleaming blade.
"Come, take my hand," he says, offering his empty left hand to the girl.
Once she has taken it, he makes a clean incision with the blade along his wrist, allowing the vitae to well up in the cut.
"Drink," he says gently. "Drink, and you will live and serve."
Sophia reluctantly takes the dottore's hand, screws her eyes shut, and takes a tentative sip from the bleeding cut.
Her eyes snap open as the vitae fills her mouth. The sip rapidly turns hungrier until the dottore pulls his hand away.
Sophia's eyes are wide awake and her breathing has quickened drastically. She looks at Alexandru with an expression of fear--with a hint of a servant awaiting new orders.
"Now that has been taken care of," Alexander said with a nod, "I suppose I should find somewhere to rest. With your leave, my lord?"
Alexandru licks the cut to close it, then turns to the Prince and echoes Alexander's statement. "By your leave, My Prince," he says, giving a respectful bow, and indicating to Sophia she do the same.
Before he turns to leave, Alexandru asks another question. "Doubtless, my Prince, you own many properties throughout the city. Is there one available that would suit for a doctor and his apprentice? If you require rent for the use of the property, or a retainer of my services, I would be happy to agree to such terms."
Sophia mirrors the dottore's bow.
Prince Jürgen nods at the coterie to dismiss them, but before he can leave the dottore's question reaches his ears.
"There is a small home maintained by a couple of retainers--it's on the Street of Brass, three streets to the east, by the docks. It's the one with the polished green roof with the stone roses by the door."
"Thank you, My Prince," Alexandru replies, waiting for Jurgen to turn away before moving.
"Come, Sophia. We have work to do," he says to his new assistant. "We must establish our reputations as upstanding members of the community."
He places a hand on the shoulder of the child and leads her from the Cathedral into the night.
The night passes, the clouds over the city soon breaking and giving way to the coming dawn...
————————————
Tuesday, August 16th, 1197 AD
Magdeburg awakens as the sun creeps into the sky. Shops are opened, streets are swept, beggars are kicked aside and mocked. The Grand Cathedral's bells toll as an aged priest leads a midday mass, speaking the word of God to those whose souls have not yet been touched by wickedness—or, so they hope.
Indeed, the tolling of the bell almost drowns out the agonized wails coming from deeper within the church’s halls. Those few who hear them pay them only a moment’s thought—after all, a virtuous soul such as theirs is surely safe within such a sanctuary, are they not? And besides, whoever is making those… frightful noises of pain must be wicked indeed, that they would suffer so greatly within the house of God.
Eventually, the day gives way to night, as it always does. As the sun sinks below the horizon, burning the sky into a brilliant, dying crimson, the first stirrings of unlife begin anew…
————————————
The summons come for the coterie almost as soon as they rise from their havens. Men come to fetch them—mortal men clad in almost-immaculate mail, their eyes glazed and empty of anything other than their Prince’s will. As they speak, their tone is dry—bled of all inflection and emotion, yet their words come in perfect unison.
”The Swordbearer would speak with you.”
"Get plenty of rest, Sophia. You must be alert at all times when the Sun is up. We will return soon," Alexandru says to his apprentice, giving her a familial pat on the shoulder.
"Yes, of course,"[b] he replies to the men. [b]"We..." he pauses a moment to be sure the others are also acknowledging the summons. "We are at His Highness's disposal."
Sophia doesn't verbally respond to the dottore--all she does is meekly nod.
Alexander looked at the blank eyed being before him contemplatively. He was a little peckish having just awoken, after all. But it would be rude to eat the prince's pawns. Sighing, he dressed quickly and gestured for the mortal to lead the way.
Lucian silently nods. He then proceeds to clean up a bit and dress before saying to the servant, "Lead the way."
The coterie is led through Magdeburg’s streets, flanked on both sides by the Prince’s servants. The assemblage’s advance causes many of the mortals still awake at this hour to scatter like roaches—from the beggars cowering in the gutters to the leather-clad ruffians stalking the alleys near the city’s taverns in search of their own prey. A mild breeze follows them as they walk, bringing with it the dying heat of a summer well on its way to its end.
Magdeburg’s Cathedral looks as stately as it was the previous night—the pews are dusted and polished, the altar immaculately set. But the coterie is directed elsewhere, down a side hall and a flight of stairs into the cathedral’s lightless depths. One of the attending ghouls lights a torch so others may better see.
The stairs wind down deep beneath the earth, with the surrounding carved stone becoming wetter with condensation as the coterie descends. At the bottom of the stairs is a large stone door—one that looks like it was hewn from a different sort of rock than the brickwork around it. Several odd sigils are engraved in a perfect circle around the door’s centre.
Standing by the nearby wall, staring at what looks like a stone mural depicting some manner of blasphemous arcane ritual, is Prince Jürgen, clad in a suit of well-oiled and well-polished mail with a plain white tabard. He doesn’t look at the coterie as they approach.
”The priest was… defiant.” The prince begins, his tone as cold as it was before. ”But he spoke all the same. It appears that my… peer…” The Cainite’s nose wrinkles in disgust at the word. ”…Baron Albert of Magdeburg, has not been as loyal to the cause as I had believed.”
Alexandru feels like he should know the meaning of the sigils, but he cannot bring it it mind. He listens respectfully to Prince Jürgen’s account of his interrogation of the priest. Once the Prince has finished, he bows respectfully, then asks, ”What service can we provide, My Prince?”
"Ideally, a simple one--but in practice, I suspect, one that will prove to be... complicated." Prince Jürgen sighs.
"From what the priest has told me, Baron Albert was the one who sent for him and his little band of would-be Cainite slayers. For what purpose, I cannot yet fathom--nor do I know just who has compromised him." The cold-eyed prince finally turns his gaze on the coterie.
"I understand that he is hosting a gathering of Magdeburg's aristocracy tonight--presumably to gather support from his peers for some foolish venture against me. You are to attend this gathering and discover who put him up to this--whether from his letters, his sycophants or the mortal himself." His gaze sharpens. "Mind that you observe the Silence while doing so--this is a task in need of a scalpel, not a hammer."
Alexander glanced at the symbols, but had no idea what they meant or why they were there. It might be important, so he made a note to ask the others if any of them knew later.
Somehow, Alexander was not shocked that another Kindred was behind the humans attack. Humans were not exactly the greatest danger, except in numbers. "Is there anything you can tell us, such as invites we might be required to present? It seems likely that the Baron will be aware his hunters failed." It was clumsy of him to allow these humans the knowledge of who sent them.
Prince Jürgen looks over at Alexander. "Aside from being the official administrator of Magdeburg? His position means that he will have several guards on staff--though, assuming their ignorance of Cainites, they will not be expecting anything supernatural occurring on their watch."
"I understand there may be a couple of noble families en route to the fete that you could perhaps convince to give you their invitations. Failing that, the guards have been known to accept bribes..."
The prince's eyes fall upon Dottore Alexandru. "...and I understand your newest ghoul is one of his cleaning staff. Perhaps she could show you a way inside, if all else fails."
Alexander nodded. So, they could take them from the nobles - and silence them somehow - bribe the guards to allow entry but risk one wasn't as corrupt as they seemed or go in as servants and deal with being ordered around as humans. None of them were especially appealing.
"Whatever approach you decide, understand that time is of the essence. So long as the Silence is maintained, you may resolve this as you see fit. Now, go." Prince Jürgen dismisses the coterie with a wave of his hand.
As the group is dismissed, Alexandru turns to the others. "Young Sophia seems to be our simplest route in. I can use my power to change the shape of our faces, and make us appear as ordinary, nondescript servants. In the meantime, Sophia can procure us suitable livery. We then enter, make our way up into the residence, and find the evidence we seek. If any of you prefer a more diplomatic method, I will not dissuade it. It may prove more profitable to attack the problem from more than one perspective."
Alexander made a face that spoke volumes as to his distaste. "Being ordered around by humans will not be pleasant, but it seems like the easier route in with the smallest chance of being discovered."
"I will make our appearances all similar and unremarkable. That way, you can ignore an order and apologize later for being mistaken for another servant. One of us can stay in the ballroom area while the rest search the Count's offices. Once the documents are found, we all leave quickly and quietly. I will remove the disguises, and we will disappear into the night."
With no dissenting ideas forthcoming, the coterie take their leave of the cathedral's halls and take to the lightless streets above. The moon's light shines through a few cracks in the overcast night sky, barely even illuminating Magdeburg's main roadways.
It's a simple matter to round up Young Sophia. The poor girl's face blanches at the thought of breaking into her mortal employer's domain, but she does lead the way through Magdeburg's shadowed alleys without a complaint. It takes some time, but before too long the group emerges from a particularly cold, cobbled side street onto Gold Street, just a short distance away from a large and stately two-story manor.
Gold Street itself is perhaps ironically named--the low, squat and square buildings surrounding the manor home provide a very stark indication of the differences between social classes in Magdeburg. The houses and poorly-maintained tenements here are all in various states of disrepair and age, with window shutters on the verge of surrendering to the onslaught of the elements and crumbling to the uncaring earth below.
The manor itself, on the other hand, would be considered needlessly opulent even if it were surrounded by the dwellings of its owner's social peers. A wall of carefully hewn sandstone surrounds the manor, with finely-carved columns of an austere brown framing a wrought-iron gate to its front walk. A smaller, more inconspicuous gate of iron is around the back of the wall--presumably, this is the gate the servants use to come and go. A fine rose garden takes up most of the manor's front yard, with a carefully-maintained path of white marble tiles leading up to the manor's front door. The entire building itself is constructed of fine wood and stone in the Romanesque style.
Already, the coterie can see party guests in fine clothes and finer pretension trickling in through the manor's front gates.
"Here and now is your final chance to speak up, if this plan does not suit you," Alexandru says to his companions. "I will be using my power to change my appearance to that of a common servant. I will change yours as well, but only if you permit me to do so. If you wish to waylay some of these nobles and ingratiate yourself into their entourage, you should do so now. If you have another plan to enter, mention it now. Otherwise, I will take silence as a statement of assent, and change all of our visages."
"It will work," Alexander said with a shrug. "I can swallow my tongue for a night, and it's the easiest way to achieve what we have been asked to do. I simply don't enjoy the idea of being ordered around. I didn't like it when I was a human. Now I am much more, and enjoy it less."
Sophia tugs on Dottore Alexandru's sleeve.
"M'lord, shall I go and fetch some servant wear?"
"Yes, my dear. In the meantime, I have work to do."
He sets his hands to altering the faces of each of his companions, making them look so similar as to be mistakable for twins or at least siblings with a strong family resemblance.
"I might well approach the problem from the guide of my actual self—as a woman of means and station," says Elena. "I do have notable wealth, and foreign dignitaries are not totally unheard of in larger urban places."
"By all means, Dear Cousin," Alexandru replies to Elena.
Once he has shaped the faces of all who wish him to do so, he begins to change into the servants livery.
He hands his clothes to Sophia, gesturing to the others to do the same. "Take these and hide them about three or four streets away from here, somewhere dry, clean, and out of sight of the main streets. Return and tell me exactly where you placed them."
"How long will this last, doctor?" Lucian asks, obviously uncomfortable with the entire concept.
"Long enough to accomplish what is asked of us," Alexandru replies, "But rest assured that it is not permanent beyond this evening."