Palmer gave his hand a wave at Christian’s response, still smiling and being generally pleasant.
“Just Palmer, please.”
It simply seemed more practical to him to be on a first name basis with the people he was supposed to be trusting. With that in mind he turned to the elegantly dressed Claire, giving her a formal bow to compliment her curtsey, and did his best to avoid rolling his eyes at Thaddeus’s slim introduction.
“It is a true delight to meet you, Claire Tremaine.” He pulled out a chair when Thaddeus encouraged everyone to sit and Alfarinn offered coffee, gesturing to invite Claire to sit. The corner of his mouth quirked upward just a touch when he looked over at Thaddeus, who he would guess was hoping for good behavior.
So, of course, he laid it on thick while everyone got settled. He, naturally, sat down next to Claire.
“I must say, that is a –gorgeous- gown you’re wearing; you would put every debutante in my fair home city to shame.” Not seeing any need to beat around the bush, he hinted rather blatantly about his curiosity. “I do wonder how Thaddeus managed to resist mentioning you, though perhaps he hoped to keep me from visiting sooner…”
Smiling to show he was merely being playful, he turned to Thaddeus with raised eyebrows and an attempt at an innocent expression. He of course had not forgotten why they were here and their current situation, but saw no reason not to conduct affairs with style.
Real Estate and Subjective Truths
Thaddeus watched the freshly brewed coffee trickle into the pot, ignoring the theory that one should never watch such machines at work for fear they would do poorly at their task. There was also apparently some concern about radiation but he was reasonably certain that only applied to watching the microwave.
It was twilight now, one of his favorite times of day; either a new beginning or an end, a time for thinking before the movements of the sun provoked either action or sleep. And, as he continued to watch the coffee pot, thinking was exactly what he was doing.
Palmer, Christian, and Claire would be coming to the apartment, and though the original plan when he had initiated his lease was to be able to meet with his 'conspirators', a more basic and less reasonable part of him grumbled at the invasion of what had become his and Alfarinn's space. However, it only made sense to meet here, close to the apartments they would be inspecting.
One in particular.
He was going to have to tell the group that it was Sorin's apartment they would be inspecting, and he looked toward that moment with both dread and relief. Discretion had seemed for the best when the group had met in the church, but since then the secret had plagued his conscience like a gnawing rat. It had nearly come to a head when Palmer told him that he had spoken to Sorin, but at the time he had a bit too much sake in his system to properly explain and in any case he insisted that Claire hear that part of the news as well. He certainly didn't want to have to go through his accounting twice. Once was bad enough.
Sighing, he rubbed at his chin, now staring vacantly into the living room, waiting for their guests to arrive.
Palmer
18 years ago
Alfarinn
18 years ago
Alfarinn happily returned to the kitchen for two more cups of coffee as Thaddeus handled the introductions. He wondered if his companion would rather have been in front of the coffee maker instead of the growing crowd but Thaddeus could hold his own and he could make coffee.
Hearing the greetings going on in the other room, he smiled to himself. It was the beginning of the end for this situation and they were among friends who seemed content not to kill each other out of mistrust.
And then there was Christian...He sighed slightly at the mental communication.
[Yes, She came to our aid the night Lykaios was killed, along with Danielle. It would seem they are friends and, no, I do not think she is spying on Evenhet. ]
It was probably wise to get that out of the way as quickly as possible. It did appear odd to call his familiar and to have her show up with a member of Anantya's Order of the Night in tow. Claire had proven genuinely surprised by the situation and while that still did not mean that she was not attempting to ferret information out of Danielle by association, he trusted Dani to be smart enough to handle herself. Claire also struck him as someone with integrity who would not have falsely used the word friend, even on a mission, but then it is difficult to say what kind of mind games a person in their field had to play on themselves in order to do their job.
He made both cups of coffee and brought them out to Claire and Christian in time to catch the last of Palmer's greeting. The easy confidence of the Charleston Anantya was catching and somehow comforting. Raising an eyebrow, Alfarinn sat down next to Thaddeus.
[ Does he always pour the charm on this thickly?]
Hearing the greetings going on in the other room, he smiled to himself. It was the beginning of the end for this situation and they were among friends who seemed content not to kill each other out of mistrust.
And then there was Christian...He sighed slightly at the mental communication.
[Yes, She came to our aid the night Lykaios was killed, along with Danielle. It would seem they are friends and, no, I do not think she is spying on Evenhet. ]
It was probably wise to get that out of the way as quickly as possible. It did appear odd to call his familiar and to have her show up with a member of Anantya's Order of the Night in tow. Claire had proven genuinely surprised by the situation and while that still did not mean that she was not attempting to ferret information out of Danielle by association, he trusted Dani to be smart enough to handle herself. Claire also struck him as someone with integrity who would not have falsely used the word friend, even on a mission, but then it is difficult to say what kind of mind games a person in their field had to play on themselves in order to do their job.
He made both cups of coffee and brought them out to Claire and Christian in time to catch the last of Palmer's greeting. The easy confidence of the Charleston Anantya was catching and somehow comforting. Raising an eyebrow, Alfarinn sat down next to Thaddeus.
[ Does he always pour the charm on this thickly?]
Thaddeus Grey
18 years ago
Thaddeus looked over his shoulder at Alfarinn’s retreat before bringing his attention back to his guests, wondering when he had picked up –that- particular mannerism but not having much inclination to dwell on it. Palmer, meanwhile, was acting as expected; it was all Thaddeus could do to avoid rolling his eyes, and not in amusement. He supposed better behavior would have been too much to ask from his friend but really, they were in a serious situation! For some reason, in spite of knowing full well that Claire could take care of herself, he found that Palmer’s flirting bothered him and brought out some sort of protective instinct.
He narrowed his eyes just a little when his friend looked his way.
Alfarinn returned in short order and everyone took their seats. Thaddeus took the time while everyone was getting comfortable with their coffee to respond to his companion and go over what he wanted to say.
[Yes, he does.]
Realizing that might have come off as a little clipped, he softened and added:
[He might be embellishing a little to get under my skin, I’m not certain. It’s…sort of an inside joke from the last time we worked together and he attracted a fair bit of…female attention.]
Not missing Palmer’s none too subtle hinting, he spoke with a somewhat cool tone, making it clear that he meant business.
“I have personally only had the honor of knowing Claire a short while, though she has been a clan mate for quite some time.” Placing his laced hands on the table, he continued in a level tone as he looked from person to person around the table. “I realize we all don’t necessarily know each other well...” He paused slightly, looking in Christian’s direction. For all of them, there was at least one person they would have to accept on faith. “…but you are all here based on trust and friendship.” At that, he gave a slight smile to Claire. “I appreciate everyone’s efforts to make this a gathering of mutual respect.” This last was saved for Palmer, who earned a hard stare from Thaddeus. He hoped his friend got the point; be respectful to Claire, or else.
Of course, knowing Palmer, the huntsman would argue that he –was- being respectful.
In any case, it was time to go on.
“We wanted to bring everyone here up to date on our current situation, which everyone in this room is aware of.” Wanting to explain, he added for the company’s benefit: “Claire aided us after Lykaios, and she and I have spoken on other occasions regarding the case. Palmer and Christian Bern were with us in the aftermath of the ball.” He looked down with a rueful expression. “It might be prudent to talk when not in the shadow of some disaster. There is more information that we all need to share; at the moment I will admit that you all have only part of the picture. I will also admit that that is partly my doing; there were some things I did not feel I knew enough about to discuss, and others that were simply not safe to know.”
Now it was his own statements that he was trying not to roll his eyes at. Really, he suspected that he had waited so long to tell his friends for much more self centered reasons. Of course he worried over the dangers of too much information but that was certainly not the only thing he had been afraid of.
“In any case, in order to progress we need matters out on the table. Furthermore…” he paused, picking up his coffee cup. “You have the right to know.”
He took a sip of his coffee, thinking anyone who wanted to could use that pause to interject. He imagined that it would be obvious that he needed to talk for some time so some might want to get a word in while they still could.
He narrowed his eyes just a little when his friend looked his way.
Alfarinn returned in short order and everyone took their seats. Thaddeus took the time while everyone was getting comfortable with their coffee to respond to his companion and go over what he wanted to say.
[Yes, he does.]
Realizing that might have come off as a little clipped, he softened and added:
[He might be embellishing a little to get under my skin, I’m not certain. It’s…sort of an inside joke from the last time we worked together and he attracted a fair bit of…female attention.]
Not missing Palmer’s none too subtle hinting, he spoke with a somewhat cool tone, making it clear that he meant business.
“I have personally only had the honor of knowing Claire a short while, though she has been a clan mate for quite some time.” Placing his laced hands on the table, he continued in a level tone as he looked from person to person around the table. “I realize we all don’t necessarily know each other well...” He paused slightly, looking in Christian’s direction. For all of them, there was at least one person they would have to accept on faith. “…but you are all here based on trust and friendship.” At that, he gave a slight smile to Claire. “I appreciate everyone’s efforts to make this a gathering of mutual respect.” This last was saved for Palmer, who earned a hard stare from Thaddeus. He hoped his friend got the point; be respectful to Claire, or else.
Of course, knowing Palmer, the huntsman would argue that he –was- being respectful.
In any case, it was time to go on.
“We wanted to bring everyone here up to date on our current situation, which everyone in this room is aware of.” Wanting to explain, he added for the company’s benefit: “Claire aided us after Lykaios, and she and I have spoken on other occasions regarding the case. Palmer and Christian Bern were with us in the aftermath of the ball.” He looked down with a rueful expression. “It might be prudent to talk when not in the shadow of some disaster. There is more information that we all need to share; at the moment I will admit that you all have only part of the picture. I will also admit that that is partly my doing; there were some things I did not feel I knew enough about to discuss, and others that were simply not safe to know.”
Now it was his own statements that he was trying not to roll his eyes at. Really, he suspected that he had waited so long to tell his friends for much more self centered reasons. Of course he worried over the dangers of too much information but that was certainly not the only thing he had been afraid of.
“In any case, in order to progress we need matters out on the table. Furthermore…” he paused, picking up his coffee cup. “You have the right to know.”
He took a sip of his coffee, thinking anyone who wanted to could use that pause to interject. He imagined that it would be obvious that he needed to talk for some time so some might want to get a word in while they still could.
Christian Bern
18 years ago
Christian nodded to Palmer in understanding.
"Palmer it is then."Â?
The Anantya had gotten up, and after the introduction to his clan mate, Palmer had taken the duties of courtesy upon himself. With that being handled by Palmer and the hosts, Christian found that the only job remaining for him was to sit down and listen.
Alfarinn explained that Claire was a friend of Danielle's and then quickly added his opinion upon the first conclusion Christian would have made. Well at least the Norseman had thought of it. He would have been disappointed if Alfarinn took such an odd coincidence purely on faith. He had to admit though that Danielle was as smart as they came. Being a mere 5'6"Â? had never caused him to feel inferior to anyone even in the most physical of occupations but it made him very aware of how often people misjudged him based on appearance. There was little chance then that he would overlook the amazing talent and vision of Ms Martin despite her size, age and race.
He contented himself with a mental grunt of doubting acceptance on the issue of Claire's friendship with a member of Evenhet and her continued involvement in this matter. He gave Alfarinn a long searching look as he returned with two mugs of coffee. All the elder's senses still seemed to be intact which was all he could discern from the very guarded man in front of him.
Christian used his recently delivered coffee mug to hide his smile at the smooth southern charm that was being played out upon the only lady present. Claire might hope for a coming apocalypse or some other decent distraction to remove her from the center of focus.
And Thaddeus delivered like the voice of doom.
Frowning, he set his coffee mug down in order to give his full attention to the speech. They already knew that they had not been told the full story, at least he was fairly certain Palmer knew that as well as he did. There was nothing more to say on the matter until the full truth of the situation was revealed and so Christian kept silent.
"Palmer it is then."Â?
The Anantya had gotten up, and after the introduction to his clan mate, Palmer had taken the duties of courtesy upon himself. With that being handled by Palmer and the hosts, Christian found that the only job remaining for him was to sit down and listen.
Alfarinn explained that Claire was a friend of Danielle's and then quickly added his opinion upon the first conclusion Christian would have made. Well at least the Norseman had thought of it. He would have been disappointed if Alfarinn took such an odd coincidence purely on faith. He had to admit though that Danielle was as smart as they came. Being a mere 5'6"Â? had never caused him to feel inferior to anyone even in the most physical of occupations but it made him very aware of how often people misjudged him based on appearance. There was little chance then that he would overlook the amazing talent and vision of Ms Martin despite her size, age and race.
He contented himself with a mental grunt of doubting acceptance on the issue of Claire's friendship with a member of Evenhet and her continued involvement in this matter. He gave Alfarinn a long searching look as he returned with two mugs of coffee. All the elder's senses still seemed to be intact which was all he could discern from the very guarded man in front of him.
Christian used his recently delivered coffee mug to hide his smile at the smooth southern charm that was being played out upon the only lady present. Claire might hope for a coming apocalypse or some other decent distraction to remove her from the center of focus.
And Thaddeus delivered like the voice of doom.
Frowning, he set his coffee mug down in order to give his full attention to the speech. They already knew that they had not been told the full story, at least he was fairly certain Palmer knew that as well as he did. There was nothing more to say on the matter until the full truth of the situation was revealed and so Christian kept silent.
Claire
18 years ago
Claire arched one dark eyebrow at Palmer before looking down at her 'walking' dress. In its time, it would have hardly been anything to remark over, at least not with such fervor but in this day and age, it was elegant by comparison to most everything made. The Victorian Age was perhaps the last age in which a decadent amount of fabric was used in fashion. Silks and velvets wrapped the body like a well made glove and flowed down to the floor to lay in an elegant pool of color. This vestment was far more practical in design but was still made with enduring quality for a time when you wore a dress for years before retiring it as old and out of style.
"Thank you kindly, Mr Calhoun, but I am sure your débutantes need not fear the competition."�
She looked up at Thaddeus and smiled, about to come to his defense on the matter of why he had not mentioned her or any other woman in Nachton but her fellow Nightsman answered on his own.
There seemed to be a tone of reproach in his words and she colored slightly, looking down at the hands clasped in her lap, embarrassed to have been a part of the tension between her clan mates. When Thaddeus had finished explaining the seriousness of the situation, she nodded slightly.
"It is the way of Anantya to handle whatever crisis comes our way with decorum."Â? She smiled slightly at Palmer and then turned her attention back to her fellow nightsman as her grin widened before she continued. " and though we may disagree on the methods used to accomplish our goal. I believe we can work together and with our friends."Â? Claire nodded to Alfarinn and Christian with a smile to include them. "To see that whatever needs to be done, is done well."Â?
Having said more than she expected to, Claire wrapped her gloved hands around her coffee mug and inspected it as if it might hold the secrets of the universe.
"Thank you kindly, Mr Calhoun, but I am sure your débutantes need not fear the competition."�
She looked up at Thaddeus and smiled, about to come to his defense on the matter of why he had not mentioned her or any other woman in Nachton but her fellow Nightsman answered on his own.
There seemed to be a tone of reproach in his words and she colored slightly, looking down at the hands clasped in her lap, embarrassed to have been a part of the tension between her clan mates. When Thaddeus had finished explaining the seriousness of the situation, she nodded slightly.
"It is the way of Anantya to handle whatever crisis comes our way with decorum."Â? She smiled slightly at Palmer and then turned her attention back to her fellow nightsman as her grin widened before she continued. " and though we may disagree on the methods used to accomplish our goal. I believe we can work together and with our friends."Â? Claire nodded to Alfarinn and Christian with a smile to include them. "To see that whatever needs to be done, is done well."Â?
Having said more than she expected to, Claire wrapped her gloved hands around her coffee mug and inspected it as if it might hold the secrets of the universe.
Palmer
18 years ago
Palmer was certainly sharp enough to observe that Thaddeus wasn't happy with his dramatic flair, though he personally thought the nightsman was being a little uptight about the whole thing. He wondered what the deal was there; jealousy? Big brother syndrome? Eh, who knew. He continued beaming his pleasant smile, which had only broadened at Claire's comment.
"'Fear the competition'...I like that."Â?
Of course Thaddeus would, as usual, kill his flirting with serious matters, picking that time to talk about why they were here. And was his friend laying the smack down on him? Palmer had to struggle to keep a straight face at the thought, but it seemed Thaddeus was serious indeed and he found his smirk fading a little, entirely without his permission.
Damn, when did Grey become a hardass?
What Thaddeus said next, sadly, came as no surprise. Schemes within schemes as always, and a chokehold on information. It was enough to make him feel tired, and he was sure that no matter how much of the truth they unraveled together at that table, there would always be that little piece his friend held back. He did, however, manage a solemn wink when Claire looked his way and mentioned decorum. He could see why Thaddeus had made friends with her; while his friend was normally even more skittish around the fairer sex than anyone else, this one struck him as sharp and...what would Thaddeus say...'sensible.'
Sparing a glance toward Christian, he wondered what might be going through the Evenhet's mind. In spite of their resolution to work together, Palmer could anticipate some tense moments in the near future. He found himself hoping that things weren't as bad as they looked when it came to Evenhet; Christian Bern was a cool cat and it would be a pity and then some to make an enemy of him.
Nodding in agreement with Claire's final comment, he raised his coffee cup, looking around the table before letting his eyes settle on Thaddeus.
"I'll drink to that."Â?
"'Fear the competition'...I like that."Â?
Of course Thaddeus would, as usual, kill his flirting with serious matters, picking that time to talk about why they were here. And was his friend laying the smack down on him? Palmer had to struggle to keep a straight face at the thought, but it seemed Thaddeus was serious indeed and he found his smirk fading a little, entirely without his permission.
Damn, when did Grey become a hardass?
What Thaddeus said next, sadly, came as no surprise. Schemes within schemes as always, and a chokehold on information. It was enough to make him feel tired, and he was sure that no matter how much of the truth they unraveled together at that table, there would always be that little piece his friend held back. He did, however, manage a solemn wink when Claire looked his way and mentioned decorum. He could see why Thaddeus had made friends with her; while his friend was normally even more skittish around the fairer sex than anyone else, this one struck him as sharp and...what would Thaddeus say...'sensible.'
Sparing a glance toward Christian, he wondered what might be going through the Evenhet's mind. In spite of their resolution to work together, Palmer could anticipate some tense moments in the near future. He found himself hoping that things weren't as bad as they looked when it came to Evenhet; Christian Bern was a cool cat and it would be a pity and then some to make an enemy of him.
Nodding in agreement with Claire's final comment, he raised his coffee cup, looking around the table before letting his eyes settle on Thaddeus.
"I'll drink to that."Â?
Alfarinn
18 years ago
Alfarinn took his seat and listened to Thaddeus's statement with little surprise. Perhaps it was because he was an empath, though he doubted that was the whole of the case. It came as no shock to him that Thaddeus felt protective of Claire, his clan mate and friend. His Beloved was many times very quiet but he never shied away from what he felt needed to be said.
Beaming with quiet pride, he busied himself with drinking some of his own coffee while it was still warm. Thaddeus turned to the matter at hand and he waited after the pause to see if anyone had any reservations to bring up but it seemed they did not.
He cast a glance at Christian once the Anantya seemed to have sorted themselves out and smiled. Who would have figured the Evenhet would be the better behaved in a situation that combined both clans? At least they did not have quite the reputation the Orphans did for chaos.
It seemed to him to be Thaddeus's place to explain about Sorin in whatever manner he felt best. The person they suspected most was a member of Anantya and though he did not envy his lover's task, he did feel it was better coming from another Anantya than from the "Evenhet Boyfriend"Â?
He did however lend his support in an unobtrusive manner; Alfarinn quietly slid his hand over to take the one of Thaddeus's that was not occupied with coffee.
Beaming with quiet pride, he busied himself with drinking some of his own coffee while it was still warm. Thaddeus turned to the matter at hand and he waited after the pause to see if anyone had any reservations to bring up but it seemed they did not.
He cast a glance at Christian once the Anantya seemed to have sorted themselves out and smiled. Who would have figured the Evenhet would be the better behaved in a situation that combined both clans? At least they did not have quite the reputation the Orphans did for chaos.
It seemed to him to be Thaddeus's place to explain about Sorin in whatever manner he felt best. The person they suspected most was a member of Anantya and though he did not envy his lover's task, he did feel it was better coming from another Anantya than from the "Evenhet Boyfriend"Â?
He did however lend his support in an unobtrusive manner; Alfarinn quietly slid his hand over to take the one of Thaddeus's that was not occupied with coffee.
Thaddeus Grey
18 years ago
Thaddeus smiled and gave a grateful nod to his clanmates at their supportive remarks. Evenhet remained quiet but even that was enough to cool his nerves a little; so far, at least, no one was jumping up from the table and shouting accusations.
“I thought perhaps it would be helpful to explain a little of how this all began.” With that said, he pulled the red cord with the turtle and the ring out from under his shirt, and with two gloved fingers held the ring out for all to see. While he had prepared for that by wearing the gloves, in truth he was just as much running on instinct, on what it felt right to tell as much as what he thought the group needed to know. “This belonged to my Maker. Her killer took it from her finger, and the accomplice to her death kept it for nearly three hundred years.”
He rubbed at his chin for a moment, considering his words. “We discovered, through our abilities, that the ring was purposely planted, though the reasons are still unclear. One possibility was that the accomplice planted the ring to implicate the killer, Lykaios, and while other evidence seems to support that theory, there are certainly other possibilities.” Shrugging to indicate that they may never know, he tucked the ring back under his shirt and continued.
“I believe it’s already been mentioned that our sensing also led us to believe the accomplice keeps an apartment near the House of Pain. Since that time we have discovered other pieces of information that, combined with that, lead to one specific person’s apartment.” Not wanting to torment anyone at the table with suspense, he readily supplied the name. “Sorin’s.”
[God, this suddenly feels like a train wreck.]
In spite of his sent comment to Alfarinn, delivered with a cavalier air, he was in fact keeping it together better than he had expected. Not wavering away from what had to be said, thank goodness. Doing his best to live up to Anantya’s standard of decorum.
“We first became aware of Sorin’s apartment when Morrigan informed us. There have been coincidences from that point on; a dagger belonging to Sorin was found in Lykaios’s home and indicates that those two had dealings of some kind but there was a falling out. Perhaps other points are more circumstantial; the accomplice appears to be someone who knows me well. And there is, admittedly, the matter of motive; Sorin did have something to gain from Emma’s death.
In short…there is a seed of suspicion.”
He wished now that he could look away from Claire while he was speaking, and was somewhat alarmed to realize that he simply couldn’t. He looked directly at her when he explained, wishing his voice didn’t sound so harsh.
“I think the only thing we can do to settle this once and for all is to check out Sorin’s apartment for ourselves.”
“I thought perhaps it would be helpful to explain a little of how this all began.” With that said, he pulled the red cord with the turtle and the ring out from under his shirt, and with two gloved fingers held the ring out for all to see. While he had prepared for that by wearing the gloves, in truth he was just as much running on instinct, on what it felt right to tell as much as what he thought the group needed to know. “This belonged to my Maker. Her killer took it from her finger, and the accomplice to her death kept it for nearly three hundred years.”
He rubbed at his chin for a moment, considering his words. “We discovered, through our abilities, that the ring was purposely planted, though the reasons are still unclear. One possibility was that the accomplice planted the ring to implicate the killer, Lykaios, and while other evidence seems to support that theory, there are certainly other possibilities.” Shrugging to indicate that they may never know, he tucked the ring back under his shirt and continued.
“I believe it’s already been mentioned that our sensing also led us to believe the accomplice keeps an apartment near the House of Pain. Since that time we have discovered other pieces of information that, combined with that, lead to one specific person’s apartment.” Not wanting to torment anyone at the table with suspense, he readily supplied the name. “Sorin’s.”
[God, this suddenly feels like a train wreck.]
In spite of his sent comment to Alfarinn, delivered with a cavalier air, he was in fact keeping it together better than he had expected. Not wavering away from what had to be said, thank goodness. Doing his best to live up to Anantya’s standard of decorum.
“We first became aware of Sorin’s apartment when Morrigan informed us. There have been coincidences from that point on; a dagger belonging to Sorin was found in Lykaios’s home and indicates that those two had dealings of some kind but there was a falling out. Perhaps other points are more circumstantial; the accomplice appears to be someone who knows me well. And there is, admittedly, the matter of motive; Sorin did have something to gain from Emma’s death.
In short…there is a seed of suspicion.”
He wished now that he could look away from Claire while he was speaking, and was somewhat alarmed to realize that he simply couldn’t. He looked directly at her when he explained, wishing his voice didn’t sound so harsh.
“I think the only thing we can do to settle this once and for all is to check out Sorin’s apartment for ourselves.”
Christian Bern
18 years ago
Christian watched the Anantya with a neutral amusement that harkened back to his non-involved days before he had a clan. He was not a clan mate so it did not much concern him at this moment whether they got along with decorum or not. Later it might be a life and death issue if they couldn't get their acts together but, with this group, he doubted it would come to that.
He looked up to see Alfarinn glance over at him with a small outsider's grin that seemed to echo his feelings. Christian smiled back, fleetingly wondering whether their thoughts had been the same.
Thaddeus decided to begin at the beginning which seemed a wise choice for best comprehension and he turned to give the blonde his full attention. He regarded the ring that was pulled out with interest and wondered if it was the reason Emma had been killed and why someone was now after Thaddeus for possessing it.
Further explanation quickly threw that possible theory right out the window and Christian tried once again to still his mind and simply focus on the story. He did, however, raise both eyebrows at the mention of Sorin's name so plainly put forward by the Anantya.
Christian nodded in silent agreement. It would be best to keep whatever thoughts and helpful comments he might have on the matter to himself at the moment; the Anantya had more at stake in this matter with the revelation of this new piece of information.
He looked up to see Alfarinn glance over at him with a small outsider's grin that seemed to echo his feelings. Christian smiled back, fleetingly wondering whether their thoughts had been the same.
Thaddeus decided to begin at the beginning which seemed a wise choice for best comprehension and he turned to give the blonde his full attention. He regarded the ring that was pulled out with interest and wondered if it was the reason Emma had been killed and why someone was now after Thaddeus for possessing it.
Further explanation quickly threw that possible theory right out the window and Christian tried once again to still his mind and simply focus on the story. He did, however, raise both eyebrows at the mention of Sorin's name so plainly put forward by the Anantya.
Christian nodded in silent agreement. It would be best to keep whatever thoughts and helpful comments he might have on the matter to himself at the moment; the Anantya had more at stake in this matter with the revelation of this new piece of information.
Claire
18 years ago
Claire glanced up from the hands in her lap to give Palmer a grateful smile. At least no one seemed to take issue with her speaking for all of Anantya, high handed of her as it was.
Shifting slightly in her chair, she turned her attention to Thaddeus and silently waited for the story to unfold. The ring that was brought forth was not so much of a shock in one aspect, she had seen it before, but the familiarity of the object was a chilling visual reminder of the dire circumstances that brought it here. Had Thaddeus kept it safe this whole time or had he managed to unearth this new vital piece of evidence where others had searched through out the years only to fail?
Planted? How very odd. Why would you plant something that would start up a search that had gone dead so many years before? What good would someone expect the ring to do, out of place and time as it was? Unless it was dropped at a specific location that would lead to other clues...or the person who planted the evidence knew that Thaddeus could have gained more information from it than most. That then was a good reason to suspect a clan mate.
To kill the killer. That was the only explanation that made sense to her for why someone would kick up the dust on a case that had seen so little attention in these last few years. Whoever had killed Emma had accomplished the task quite well if in all this time it had withstood the scrutiny of many vampires with their various abilities and experience. So there must be some other danger and the suggestion that more than one person was involved made a certain kind of sense. Perhaps one now planned to talk? Or one had threatened the other? If the second person or persons felt reasonably certain that they would come out of the situation without being exposed then they might consider this move worth the risk if it got rid of the obstacle of Lykaios for them. In fact, it might have been expected to have laid the case permanently to rest.
When the apartment was mentioned Claire could not prevent herself from flinching slightly. She sat very still afterwards and waited with a calm that came from knowing that the thing you have feared for so long had finally come to pass. She had known of Sorin's apartment near this location but it meant nothing to her, neither then nor now. It had seemed barren of evidence and she suspected that he kept it to conceal some of his more seedy exploits. In many ways she felt Sorin isolated parts of himself to hide them from no other person but himself. This seemed to simply be another such manifestation.
The announcement of the name was expected and she regarded the bearer of the news with a neutral expression. Despite showing no outward change, Claire scrutinized Thaddeus with an intensity of focus, looking for any signs of doubt. He did not look away. If he had then hope would have kindled once more...but he hadn't.
Finally Claire spoke softly.
"Then we will do what we must."Â?
Shifting slightly in her chair, she turned her attention to Thaddeus and silently waited for the story to unfold. The ring that was brought forth was not so much of a shock in one aspect, she had seen it before, but the familiarity of the object was a chilling visual reminder of the dire circumstances that brought it here. Had Thaddeus kept it safe this whole time or had he managed to unearth this new vital piece of evidence where others had searched through out the years only to fail?
Planted? How very odd. Why would you plant something that would start up a search that had gone dead so many years before? What good would someone expect the ring to do, out of place and time as it was? Unless it was dropped at a specific location that would lead to other clues...or the person who planted the evidence knew that Thaddeus could have gained more information from it than most. That then was a good reason to suspect a clan mate.
To kill the killer. That was the only explanation that made sense to her for why someone would kick up the dust on a case that had seen so little attention in these last few years. Whoever had killed Emma had accomplished the task quite well if in all this time it had withstood the scrutiny of many vampires with their various abilities and experience. So there must be some other danger and the suggestion that more than one person was involved made a certain kind of sense. Perhaps one now planned to talk? Or one had threatened the other? If the second person or persons felt reasonably certain that they would come out of the situation without being exposed then they might consider this move worth the risk if it got rid of the obstacle of Lykaios for them. In fact, it might have been expected to have laid the case permanently to rest.
When the apartment was mentioned Claire could not prevent herself from flinching slightly. She sat very still afterwards and waited with a calm that came from knowing that the thing you have feared for so long had finally come to pass. She had known of Sorin's apartment near this location but it meant nothing to her, neither then nor now. It had seemed barren of evidence and she suspected that he kept it to conceal some of his more seedy exploits. In many ways she felt Sorin isolated parts of himself to hide them from no other person but himself. This seemed to simply be another such manifestation.
The announcement of the name was expected and she regarded the bearer of the news with a neutral expression. Despite showing no outward change, Claire scrutinized Thaddeus with an intensity of focus, looking for any signs of doubt. He did not look away. If he had then hope would have kindled once more...but he hadn't.
Finally Claire spoke softly.
"Then we will do what we must."Â?
Palmer
18 years ago
Palmer rested one forearm on the table and leaned in a little to see this ring Thaddeus was holding out, intrigued by his friend’s offer of more background. Perhaps this would help answer a few of his questions.
…or bring up totally new ones. Hell, he had thought Sorin was at the bottom of the list of suspects! That the Elder was only mentioned for the sake of fairness. Suddenly Thaddeus’s reaction to the news that he had spoken to Sorin made sense. And that information certainly put his conversation with the Elder in a different light.
Thaddeus moved on to the evidence; it seemed the dagger was the only thing tangible and Palmer shook his head at the last bit.
“But you said yourself; he couldn’t have been certain of his succession.” Giving a resigned sigh, he added: “But I can understand your doubts.” He frowned for a moment, remembering how much Thaddeus had seemed to admire Sorin, based on their correspondence. “I know they weren’t easy to come by.” His expression turned slightly apologetic, but in the midst of all of this there wasn’t much of him to spare on sympathy. Frankly he didn’t think Thaddeus would want it even if it was deserved, and if the nightsman was wrong…
…his friend was going to feel terrible for suspecting an Elder.
Well, that was life, he supposed. Or unlife…whatever people wanted to call it. Thaddeus wasn’t the most emotional fellow and Palmer supposed the nightsman had done whatever he needed to do to harden himself to the facts.
Unless this whole thing was a charade. Nightsmen were so confusing.
Considering Thaddeus’s position, though, he thought he could make sense of why Sorin would want to drop the ring, but he didn’t think he could articulate it. As Thaddeus had said, it was very likely that the ring had been dropped to implicate this Lykaios, but Palmer believed he could understand another reason an Elder of the Night in particular would handle matters in such a way. Nightsmen were an odd breed, and in his mind the older they got the stranger they were. He didn’t presume to try to discern the patterns of their behavior, but dropping the ring…that was the act of a manipulator. It was what Blaine would do under those circumstances, not only to serve his own ends, but for the act’s own sake. Another way of winding the clock and setting events in motion, with you in control at the head of the line.
Yes, this story rang true, even on somewhat shaky evidence. But was it? Christian Bern seemed content to wait out the full story and the lady Claire met Thaddeus’s statement with a steel he had missed earlier, but they hadn’t talked to Sorin and heard his side of it.
Or the side the Elder wanted Palmer to see.
Not for the first time he longed for a simpler role in all of this. He was being played by someone and didn’t know for certain if it was the Elder he was supposed to respect or the friend he owed some amount of loyalty. But he knew it was about more than that; it was about what his instincts told him, and which story made the most sense.
He turned to Claire, his thoughts still a jumble but his mouth making up his mind for him.
“I suppose that’s what it comes down to.”
Not that they didn’t have a choice, of course, but it wasn’t much of one in his mind. Palmer wouldn’t consider walking away from this tangled up mess; in fact, he couldn’t imagine circumstances that would take him to that point. He put his hand on the table…literally and figuratively.
“Sorin is concerned about your involvement with Evenhet and worries over your safety; at least that is what he told me. He thinks you may be hiding something from him. He doesn’t know about the reason for your absence from the Manor, though of course he wouldn’t tell me if he did, even if he’s completely innocent of wrong doing. I don’t know if he might suspect this move from you but we need to consider the possibility that we’re walking into a trap with this apartment plan. Does he know that you know about his other residence?” He gave a slight shrug. “Anyway. I’m not sure how much he knows, or suspects…and I don’t have any evidence to contribute to this ‘seed of doubt’…” He broke into a grin. “Heck, I suppose I’m not much use at all, am I! Breaking and entering it is, and let’s hope he forgives us if we’re wrong.” He looked thoughtful, though he was inwardly more relieved than he would have guessed and it showed in his lightened way of speaking. He hated dangling in indecision and now, even if he was dead wrong and going to end up executed for treason, at least he was doing something that felt right. “Or we could just…not get caught.”
…or bring up totally new ones. Hell, he had thought Sorin was at the bottom of the list of suspects! That the Elder was only mentioned for the sake of fairness. Suddenly Thaddeus’s reaction to the news that he had spoken to Sorin made sense. And that information certainly put his conversation with the Elder in a different light.
Thaddeus moved on to the evidence; it seemed the dagger was the only thing tangible and Palmer shook his head at the last bit.
“But you said yourself; he couldn’t have been certain of his succession.” Giving a resigned sigh, he added: “But I can understand your doubts.” He frowned for a moment, remembering how much Thaddeus had seemed to admire Sorin, based on their correspondence. “I know they weren’t easy to come by.” His expression turned slightly apologetic, but in the midst of all of this there wasn’t much of him to spare on sympathy. Frankly he didn’t think Thaddeus would want it even if it was deserved, and if the nightsman was wrong…
…his friend was going to feel terrible for suspecting an Elder.
Well, that was life, he supposed. Or unlife…whatever people wanted to call it. Thaddeus wasn’t the most emotional fellow and Palmer supposed the nightsman had done whatever he needed to do to harden himself to the facts.
Unless this whole thing was a charade. Nightsmen were so confusing.
Considering Thaddeus’s position, though, he thought he could make sense of why Sorin would want to drop the ring, but he didn’t think he could articulate it. As Thaddeus had said, it was very likely that the ring had been dropped to implicate this Lykaios, but Palmer believed he could understand another reason an Elder of the Night in particular would handle matters in such a way. Nightsmen were an odd breed, and in his mind the older they got the stranger they were. He didn’t presume to try to discern the patterns of their behavior, but dropping the ring…that was the act of a manipulator. It was what Blaine would do under those circumstances, not only to serve his own ends, but for the act’s own sake. Another way of winding the clock and setting events in motion, with you in control at the head of the line.
Yes, this story rang true, even on somewhat shaky evidence. But was it? Christian Bern seemed content to wait out the full story and the lady Claire met Thaddeus’s statement with a steel he had missed earlier, but they hadn’t talked to Sorin and heard his side of it.
Or the side the Elder wanted Palmer to see.
Not for the first time he longed for a simpler role in all of this. He was being played by someone and didn’t know for certain if it was the Elder he was supposed to respect or the friend he owed some amount of loyalty. But he knew it was about more than that; it was about what his instincts told him, and which story made the most sense.
He turned to Claire, his thoughts still a jumble but his mouth making up his mind for him.
“I suppose that’s what it comes down to.”
Not that they didn’t have a choice, of course, but it wasn’t much of one in his mind. Palmer wouldn’t consider walking away from this tangled up mess; in fact, he couldn’t imagine circumstances that would take him to that point. He put his hand on the table…literally and figuratively.
“Sorin is concerned about your involvement with Evenhet and worries over your safety; at least that is what he told me. He thinks you may be hiding something from him. He doesn’t know about the reason for your absence from the Manor, though of course he wouldn’t tell me if he did, even if he’s completely innocent of wrong doing. I don’t know if he might suspect this move from you but we need to consider the possibility that we’re walking into a trap with this apartment plan. Does he know that you know about his other residence?” He gave a slight shrug. “Anyway. I’m not sure how much he knows, or suspects…and I don’t have any evidence to contribute to this ‘seed of doubt’…” He broke into a grin. “Heck, I suppose I’m not much use at all, am I! Breaking and entering it is, and let’s hope he forgives us if we’re wrong.” He looked thoughtful, though he was inwardly more relieved than he would have guessed and it showed in his lightened way of speaking. He hated dangling in indecision and now, even if he was dead wrong and going to end up executed for treason, at least he was doing something that felt right. “Or we could just…not get caught.”
Alfarinn
18 years ago
Alfarinn listened quietly and watched the others as Thaddeus explained things from the beginning. The one that might be the most crucial was Claire, as Sorin's child, but he knew that Palmer's good opinion was important to Thaddeus. He just hoped that the Huntsman realized that they had gone through a great deal of thought in order to finally come to this decision and choice of action. It hurt Thaddeus enough to have to suspect his elder in the first place but accusations from the other Anantya would be... well, more than he could personally bare to see on his companion's behalf; Thaddeus, himself, was quite strong and there was nothing his Beloved hadn't gone through without the greatest of dignity and quiet fortitude. But he would hate to see him have to go through more. So for his own sake, he hoped the Anantya would take the news well.
He could see Claire's dread building even before the name was mentioned. She could guess where this was going. The very cynical portion of his nature said that her reaction was not a surprise, being the child of a man with no morals must make situations like this not uncommon. Alfarinn watched her in sympathy; Claire was a moral woman who had ties with someone so against her good nature. It must tear her in two some nights.
Thaddeus's sending made him smile slightly, it was nice to know his companion had not lost his sense of dry humor during all of this.
[Nonsense, it is only a four car pile up. You're doing fine. Simple honesty is best for everyone involved.]
He gave Thaddeus's hand a light squeeze and continued watching.
[Claire could already guess what was coming. This did not suprise her.]
The calm response from Claire made him sigh soundlessly in relief. Thank the Gods for decorum. Christian seemed interested but not disturbed by the news. He was not surprised, it was not their clan that was suspected and Alfarinn had been pondering how Sorin could be guilty of Emma's murder in some way for years. It was not something he spoke of openly but the Security Chief and Artemis were subject to his rambling thoughts on the matter.
Palmer, on the hand, seemed to go through a gamut of emotions and Alfarinn waited with indrawn breath until the other Anantya finally spoke. His estimation of Huntsman went up considerably even as his shoulders released their pent up tension. Palmer's sometimes exuberant nature gave the impression that he might be one to jump to conclusions quickly but he had thought things through and though Alfarinn suspected he still had doubts, he gave his agreement to the proceedings.
“I suppose it is not necessary to say that we did not come to this conclusion lightly. I do hope that we are wrong. It is no secret to most of you that Sorin and I do not see things eye to eye, to put the situation mildly, but for the sake of those here I hope we are wrong.”
He nodded his head to Claire and brushed his thumb lightly across the gloved hand in his own. Having said his small portion, Alfairnn decided it was best to keep silent until his input was needed again lest he make the situation worse.
((OOC: Empathy with permission))
He could see Claire's dread building even before the name was mentioned. She could guess where this was going. The very cynical portion of his nature said that her reaction was not a surprise, being the child of a man with no morals must make situations like this not uncommon. Alfarinn watched her in sympathy; Claire was a moral woman who had ties with someone so against her good nature. It must tear her in two some nights.
Thaddeus's sending made him smile slightly, it was nice to know his companion had not lost his sense of dry humor during all of this.
[Nonsense, it is only a four car pile up. You're doing fine. Simple honesty is best for everyone involved.]
He gave Thaddeus's hand a light squeeze and continued watching.
[Claire could already guess what was coming. This did not suprise her.]
The calm response from Claire made him sigh soundlessly in relief. Thank the Gods for decorum. Christian seemed interested but not disturbed by the news. He was not surprised, it was not their clan that was suspected and Alfarinn had been pondering how Sorin could be guilty of Emma's murder in some way for years. It was not something he spoke of openly but the Security Chief and Artemis were subject to his rambling thoughts on the matter.
Palmer, on the hand, seemed to go through a gamut of emotions and Alfarinn waited with indrawn breath until the other Anantya finally spoke. His estimation of Huntsman went up considerably even as his shoulders released their pent up tension. Palmer's sometimes exuberant nature gave the impression that he might be one to jump to conclusions quickly but he had thought things through and though Alfarinn suspected he still had doubts, he gave his agreement to the proceedings.
“I suppose it is not necessary to say that we did not come to this conclusion lightly. I do hope that we are wrong. It is no secret to most of you that Sorin and I do not see things eye to eye, to put the situation mildly, but for the sake of those here I hope we are wrong.”
He nodded his head to Claire and brushed his thumb lightly across the gloved hand in his own. Having said his small portion, Alfairnn decided it was best to keep silent until his input was needed again lest he make the situation worse.
((OOC: Empathy with permission))
Thaddeus Grey
18 years ago
Thaddeus had to resist the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose when Alfarinn came back with the idea of a four car pile up, though in truth he was somewhat comforted by his lover’s encouragement. He wished he could pace and talk but that wouldn’t be very conducive to conversation or gauging reactions. Alfarinn, of course, was splendidly helpful with that; Claire had said little but Alfarinn’s sending spoke volumes about her state of mind.
[Perhaps her time with the dagger from Lykaios’s home gave her an opportunity to come to terms with this possibility.]
That Claire was also extremely sharp was obvious enough that it didn’t need saying, in Thaddeus’s opinion. Hers was the reaction he had been most concerned with, but as she was taking the news with her usual level of class and dignity, he turned his attention to Palmer.
His friend had brought up a good point and Thaddeus realized that there was one thing he had left unexplained. Palmer had jumped to the obvious conclusion that Sorin’s potential motive was to become Elder of the Night, and while that was certainly a possibility, there was another motive that only he and Alfarinn knew about.
[I wasn’t intending to bring this up right now, with so many other matters to discuss, but I think perhaps we should explain how the attempt to frame you, or Evenhet as a whole, enters into all of this.] He felt a frown crease his features at that thought, and explained his misgivings to Alfarinn. [Christian has been quite calm so far but I have no idea how he would take that bit of news.]
Soon enough it became clear that all three were ‘in’, as the expression went. In contrast to Christian’s single polite nod, Palmer went on at length about potential traps and unknowingly dug into Thaddeus’s own worries when he mentioned getting caught. It was all he could do not to wince at the reference to the discussion Palmer had with Sorin; while they had discussed asking clansmen what they might know, Thaddeus had not anticipated his friend’s drive in the matter. He had never imagined the huntsman would confront the Elder of the Night to such an extent and just thinking of all the things that could have gone wrong was more than a little disturbing. Not to mention the fact that he felt more guilty than ever about not properly informing Palmer beforehand, even if his friend did not appear upset about that.
Alfarinn, meanwhile, was bringing things around smoothly, and Thaddeus took a moment to admire his composure. He returned the light touch to his hand with a slight but affectionate squeeze and looked back to Claire for a moment. Now that their suspicions had been brought to light it was easier, in a way, to speak of hoping they were wrong.
“Yes, being wrong is certainly the best case scenario. I will, of course,” he looked to Palmer “take full responsibility for any consequences that might bring about.”
Frowning, he continued to address Palmer’s concerns to the best of his ability. “We do not have any reason to believe Sorin is aware of our knowledge, though anything is possible and we must of course be prepared for any eventuality.” He paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts. “As to your conversation with Sorin, he revealed much the same to me.” He lifted his shoulders slightly. “In this we need to find our own answers; hence the search.”
[Perhaps her time with the dagger from Lykaios’s home gave her an opportunity to come to terms with this possibility.]
That Claire was also extremely sharp was obvious enough that it didn’t need saying, in Thaddeus’s opinion. Hers was the reaction he had been most concerned with, but as she was taking the news with her usual level of class and dignity, he turned his attention to Palmer.
His friend had brought up a good point and Thaddeus realized that there was one thing he had left unexplained. Palmer had jumped to the obvious conclusion that Sorin’s potential motive was to become Elder of the Night, and while that was certainly a possibility, there was another motive that only he and Alfarinn knew about.
[I wasn’t intending to bring this up right now, with so many other matters to discuss, but I think perhaps we should explain how the attempt to frame you, or Evenhet as a whole, enters into all of this.] He felt a frown crease his features at that thought, and explained his misgivings to Alfarinn. [Christian has been quite calm so far but I have no idea how he would take that bit of news.]
Soon enough it became clear that all three were ‘in’, as the expression went. In contrast to Christian’s single polite nod, Palmer went on at length about potential traps and unknowingly dug into Thaddeus’s own worries when he mentioned getting caught. It was all he could do not to wince at the reference to the discussion Palmer had with Sorin; while they had discussed asking clansmen what they might know, Thaddeus had not anticipated his friend’s drive in the matter. He had never imagined the huntsman would confront the Elder of the Night to such an extent and just thinking of all the things that could have gone wrong was more than a little disturbing. Not to mention the fact that he felt more guilty than ever about not properly informing Palmer beforehand, even if his friend did not appear upset about that.
Alfarinn, meanwhile, was bringing things around smoothly, and Thaddeus took a moment to admire his composure. He returned the light touch to his hand with a slight but affectionate squeeze and looked back to Claire for a moment. Now that their suspicions had been brought to light it was easier, in a way, to speak of hoping they were wrong.
“Yes, being wrong is certainly the best case scenario. I will, of course,” he looked to Palmer “take full responsibility for any consequences that might bring about.”
Frowning, he continued to address Palmer’s concerns to the best of his ability. “We do not have any reason to believe Sorin is aware of our knowledge, though anything is possible and we must of course be prepared for any eventuality.” He paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts. “As to your conversation with Sorin, he revealed much the same to me.” He lifted his shoulders slightly. “In this we need to find our own answers; hence the search.”
Claire
18 years ago
Claire reached up a hand and pressed it quickly against her lips to stifle the bitter laughter that was ringing raucously through her head at the mention of Sorin's concern. She felt like she was teetering on the very edge of sanity for a moment. He was guilty after all this time. Claire knew that he was; her heart screamed it the night the news of Emma's death had reached the Manor. He could not look her in the eyes, a consumate actor gifted in the art of convincing lies, but he could not meet a gaze that had a chilling resemblance to the one he had stilled forever.
It was shortly after that night that he requested she go abroad again in order to protect his and the Order's interests in Europe. Claire happily went and took her disturbing unvoiced suspicions with her.
She took the hand away once the laughter had died down to faint echoes in her mind and placed it lightly on Palmer's knee.
"Oh I don't think we need to trouble ourselves over Sorin's concern. He has never had an unbiased view of Evenhet, Alfarinn in particular."Â?
Nodding, her head at Alfarinn, she noted his seemingly sincere wishes that this whole line of reasoning were a mistake. She knew though, that they were never the best of friends or even amicable to each other most of the time, even while in the same clan but he could be thinking of Thaddeus's well being if not Sorin's or her own.
Claire thought about what Thaddeus had just told them; she thought it was a safe bet that there was a lot the blond was hiding from the Elder but she disagreed when he said that he would accept full blame for the crime if Sorin found out.
"No, If I did not believe you had cause for your suspicion then I would be the first to defend him but you do and for that reason I will stand by you if it comes to that. However, I do agree that it would be better if it did not."Â?
It was shortly after that night that he requested she go abroad again in order to protect his and the Order's interests in Europe. Claire happily went and took her disturbing unvoiced suspicions with her.
She took the hand away once the laughter had died down to faint echoes in her mind and placed it lightly on Palmer's knee.
"Oh I don't think we need to trouble ourselves over Sorin's concern. He has never had an unbiased view of Evenhet, Alfarinn in particular."Â?
Nodding, her head at Alfarinn, she noted his seemingly sincere wishes that this whole line of reasoning were a mistake. She knew though, that they were never the best of friends or even amicable to each other most of the time, even while in the same clan but he could be thinking of Thaddeus's well being if not Sorin's or her own.
Claire thought about what Thaddeus had just told them; she thought it was a safe bet that there was a lot the blond was hiding from the Elder but she disagreed when he said that he would accept full blame for the crime if Sorin found out.
"No, If I did not believe you had cause for your suspicion then I would be the first to defend him but you do and for that reason I will stand by you if it comes to that. However, I do agree that it would be better if it did not."Â?
Palmer
18 years ago
Palmer had finally managed to stop for breath long enough for other people to speak, and somewhere between Alfarinn's quiet elaboration and Claire's hand on his leg he found that his ranting had lost momentum. If even Anantya responded to Sorin's 'worries' with cynicism and Evenhet reacted sympathetically...well perhaps they were on to something, in any case. The whole thing was starting to 'feel' a little less wrong, and he found he had to force himself to remember the reality. They were about to break into an Elder's apartment! That was crazy, right? Well, maybe not so much. How these guys managed to make that sound like the right thing to do he'd never understand, but there you had it.
He gave Alfarinn an unusually intense look and, for once, spoke with total seriousness.
"Hey, I see where you're coming from. Really."Â?
Of course that solemnity wouldn't last long. He glanced from Thaddeus to Claire, a smirk sneaking onto his features.
"Alright, so you two can take the heat and...hell, I'll just say I was following you to figure out how to stop you, sound good?"Â? Thinking that Claire's friendly pat on the leg could just as easily turn to a smack upside the head, he quickly amended his statement. "Kidding, kidding! You know I'm in all the way."Â?
Thaddeus's apparent dismissal of Sorin's concerns did, however, worry him a bit. While he could understand that his friend was still trying to justify their search, there were other implications here that perhaps he had not brought across very well.
"I -do- trouble myself over Sorin's worries though. You know he asked me to keep an eye on you, make sure you stay out of trouble? And of course go back and tell him what's -really- going on with you. I don't know what that might mean, but hell yes it puts me on edge when two people are asking me to spy on the other!"Â? He stopped for breath, realizing that he had apparently managed to get back his steam with alarming rapidity. "And yes, you know I'm with you on this so don't get all up in arms; I'm just saying it worries me. Look at how much you know about Sorin, and -then- tell me what Sorin, in turn, does or doesn't know."Â?
Releasing he was rambling and starting to sound a little irrational, he gave a resigned sigh and concluded with an embarrassed mumble. "I'm just saying we have to be careful, and whichever way this goes, we do -not- want to underestimate this guy."Â? He shot Thaddeus a grin. "Never thought I'd be the paranoid one in the group."Â?
He gave Alfarinn an unusually intense look and, for once, spoke with total seriousness.
"Hey, I see where you're coming from. Really."Â?
Of course that solemnity wouldn't last long. He glanced from Thaddeus to Claire, a smirk sneaking onto his features.
"Alright, so you two can take the heat and...hell, I'll just say I was following you to figure out how to stop you, sound good?"Â? Thinking that Claire's friendly pat on the leg could just as easily turn to a smack upside the head, he quickly amended his statement. "Kidding, kidding! You know I'm in all the way."Â?
Thaddeus's apparent dismissal of Sorin's concerns did, however, worry him a bit. While he could understand that his friend was still trying to justify their search, there were other implications here that perhaps he had not brought across very well.
"I -do- trouble myself over Sorin's worries though. You know he asked me to keep an eye on you, make sure you stay out of trouble? And of course go back and tell him what's -really- going on with you. I don't know what that might mean, but hell yes it puts me on edge when two people are asking me to spy on the other!"Â? He stopped for breath, realizing that he had apparently managed to get back his steam with alarming rapidity. "And yes, you know I'm with you on this so don't get all up in arms; I'm just saying it worries me. Look at how much you know about Sorin, and -then- tell me what Sorin, in turn, does or doesn't know."Â?
Releasing he was rambling and starting to sound a little irrational, he gave a resigned sigh and concluded with an embarrassed mumble. "I'm just saying we have to be careful, and whichever way this goes, we do -not- want to underestimate this guy."Â? He shot Thaddeus a grin. "Never thought I'd be the paranoid one in the group."Â?
Alfarinn
18 years ago
Alfarinn glanced over at Thaddeus and then back to the others before the smile could creep onto his face; it would not do to be grinning just now He was not inclined to explain the bond between the two of them to everyone, certainly not at this moment, so smiling while Thaddeus explained that Sorin was a suspect would not paint himself in a very good light in regards to his sincere wish that things could be otherwise.
[Perhaps, and perhaps she knows more than we do...about Sorin at least. I would say there is no one alive who knows him better.]
And what did that say? Claire knew the man better than anyone else and was willing to believe he was guilty of the murder of a clan mate.
[It might be wise to mention it. Palmer and Claire might still have further dealings with Sorin before this is resolved. It would not be good for either one of them to rethink the rightness of this situation though I think we could trust them both to come to us before going to Sorin and telling him what we've done.]
For Thaddeus's sake anyway; Palmer might be convinced that he was the devil himself.
[I think Christian will be alright with the news. He's usually pretty level headed... so long as I'm not doing something he considers risky.]
He raised an eyebrow at Claire's response, both verbal and non-verbal. Perhaps he had been wrong about her taking this well; she seemed on the verge of hysterical laughter.
“I will admit that willingly enough. Sorin and I have provoked each other for centuries now.”
Alfarinn felt sympathy for the spot they were putting Palmer into with his clan. It was not a good way to repay his friendship and belief in them but there was no help for it. This was difficult for everyone involved, Thaddeus most of all. He turned to his companion at the last remark. How could they possibly know what Sorin knew? Certainly if he was guilty and suspected they had gotten this far then they wouldn't be sitting here quietly discussing the matter over coffee. He could feel that he was safe even if he was guilty, he could have wiped the apartment of all traces of evidence. It would be difficult, especially to do quickly. There would be the impression of the cleaning and removing of things. Such a possibility existed but they would just have to deal with that situation if it occurred, in the meantime they had bigger things to worry about.
“We have to assume that he does not, at the very least, know our intentions and who might be involved other than the two of us.”
((OOC: empathy with permission))
[Perhaps, and perhaps she knows more than we do...about Sorin at least. I would say there is no one alive who knows him better.]
And what did that say? Claire knew the man better than anyone else and was willing to believe he was guilty of the murder of a clan mate.
[It might be wise to mention it. Palmer and Claire might still have further dealings with Sorin before this is resolved. It would not be good for either one of them to rethink the rightness of this situation though I think we could trust them both to come to us before going to Sorin and telling him what we've done.]
For Thaddeus's sake anyway; Palmer might be convinced that he was the devil himself.
[I think Christian will be alright with the news. He's usually pretty level headed... so long as I'm not doing something he considers risky.]
He raised an eyebrow at Claire's response, both verbal and non-verbal. Perhaps he had been wrong about her taking this well; she seemed on the verge of hysterical laughter.
“I will admit that willingly enough. Sorin and I have provoked each other for centuries now.”
Alfarinn felt sympathy for the spot they were putting Palmer into with his clan. It was not a good way to repay his friendship and belief in them but there was no help for it. This was difficult for everyone involved, Thaddeus most of all. He turned to his companion at the last remark. How could they possibly know what Sorin knew? Certainly if he was guilty and suspected they had gotten this far then they wouldn't be sitting here quietly discussing the matter over coffee. He could feel that he was safe even if he was guilty, he could have wiped the apartment of all traces of evidence. It would be difficult, especially to do quickly. There would be the impression of the cleaning and removing of things. Such a possibility existed but they would just have to deal with that situation if it occurred, in the meantime they had bigger things to worry about.
“We have to assume that he does not, at the very least, know our intentions and who might be involved other than the two of us.”
((OOC: empathy with permission))
Thaddeus Grey
18 years ago
Thaddeus pondered, for a moment, how it was that Alfarinn got sincere responses out of Palmer and he got…well what one could –normally- expect from the huntsman. He decided there was no use dwelling on the unfairness of it all, and being genuinely moved by his clanmate’s devotion certainly helped that feeling along, however sarcastically it was delivered from certain good friend. Oddly enough, he had been considering proposing Palmer’s joking solution in all seriousness and wondered if he should push the issue for either of them. Finally he settled on the noncommittal.
“I thank you for your support.” He paused, studying the table for a moment, and then spoke quietly. “I cannot begin to explain how important your safety in all of this is; I’m not prepared to sacrifice even the smallest measure of that readily.”
Harm coming to his friends, both new and old, was no small concern to him, even as he understood that he had done plenty of harm in this very room. He was grateful that Claire was so accommodating but he could not imagine the pain he had just caused. Alfarinn weighed in with his view of Claire’s reaction; a rather depressing outlook, in his opinion, and he said as much, though he gave his lover’s hand a squeeze at the same time.
[I personally find that viewpoint just a touch unsettling.]
Looking up once more, he met Palmer’s eyes, listening to Alfarinn as he consented to telling the group about the Evenhet framing conspiracy. Which he would then do…as soon as Palmer was done ranting.
Thaddeus found he was almost amused by the idea of Sorin asking Palmer to spy on him; it was so very fitting, almost –obvious-, after all. Still, the thought did beg the question of just how much Sorin knew already, and how much he might have gleaned from his conversation with Palmer. Palmer seemed to be getting at the same point, albeit with more theatrics than Thaddeus thought were strictly necessary. He was grateful that Alfarinn stepped in to answer the huntsman, as his own patience was wearing thin. –Obviously- they had to be extremely careful; wasn’t that what he had been saying all along? And he’d never claimed to know what Sorin knew.
And in any case, he was about to reclaim the paranoia title.
“Would that our knowledge and intelligence in this situation were perfect, but it never is.” He gave Palmer a slight smile, sharing an inside joke of sorts. They had debated this very topic years and years ago, at a time when Thaddeus wanted to wait for more information and Palmer wanted to act. Now he was taking Palmer’s side. “I’d like to think we’ve struck a just balance.”
After a pause to gather his thoughts, he continued.
“You asked about Sorin’s motive and in fact brought up a good point.” He left off the fact that Claire had –not- questioned the idea that Sorin had murdered Emma in order to advance; that thought tied in a little too well with Alfarinn’s earlier assessment. ‘No one knows him better…’
“While perhaps he could not have known he would advance, there were…additional factors involved in Emma’s death.”
He rested his hands on the table in the manner of one who is about to tell a long story, and went on.
“Emma was murdered in Bulgaria while in search of a certain artifact. She split from Mai, who was to investigate another lead, at some point in the journey. Of course, Evenhet also had an interest in the aforementioned artifact, so you can imagine that when an anonymous tip delivered to one of their Elders…” here he nodded to Alfarinn “…pointed the way to Bulgaria, Evenhet joined in the search.”
“We believe Alfarinn was set up to take the fall for Emma’s murder, which would have almost certainly provoked war. Unfortunately for the schemer, Alfarinn left well before Emma’s murder, thus foiling that element of the plot.”
He looked down for another moment, then up again at the small party.
“I think we all know how Sorin feels about Evenhet, and Alfarinn in particular. And I am given to understanding that Emma was on the opposite end of that specific controversy.”
“I thank you for your support.” He paused, studying the table for a moment, and then spoke quietly. “I cannot begin to explain how important your safety in all of this is; I’m not prepared to sacrifice even the smallest measure of that readily.”
Harm coming to his friends, both new and old, was no small concern to him, even as he understood that he had done plenty of harm in this very room. He was grateful that Claire was so accommodating but he could not imagine the pain he had just caused. Alfarinn weighed in with his view of Claire’s reaction; a rather depressing outlook, in his opinion, and he said as much, though he gave his lover’s hand a squeeze at the same time.
[I personally find that viewpoint just a touch unsettling.]
Looking up once more, he met Palmer’s eyes, listening to Alfarinn as he consented to telling the group about the Evenhet framing conspiracy. Which he would then do…as soon as Palmer was done ranting.
Thaddeus found he was almost amused by the idea of Sorin asking Palmer to spy on him; it was so very fitting, almost –obvious-, after all. Still, the thought did beg the question of just how much Sorin knew already, and how much he might have gleaned from his conversation with Palmer. Palmer seemed to be getting at the same point, albeit with more theatrics than Thaddeus thought were strictly necessary. He was grateful that Alfarinn stepped in to answer the huntsman, as his own patience was wearing thin. –Obviously- they had to be extremely careful; wasn’t that what he had been saying all along? And he’d never claimed to know what Sorin knew.
And in any case, he was about to reclaim the paranoia title.
“Would that our knowledge and intelligence in this situation were perfect, but it never is.” He gave Palmer a slight smile, sharing an inside joke of sorts. They had debated this very topic years and years ago, at a time when Thaddeus wanted to wait for more information and Palmer wanted to act. Now he was taking Palmer’s side. “I’d like to think we’ve struck a just balance.”
After a pause to gather his thoughts, he continued.
“You asked about Sorin’s motive and in fact brought up a good point.” He left off the fact that Claire had –not- questioned the idea that Sorin had murdered Emma in order to advance; that thought tied in a little too well with Alfarinn’s earlier assessment. ‘No one knows him better…’
“While perhaps he could not have known he would advance, there were…additional factors involved in Emma’s death.”
He rested his hands on the table in the manner of one who is about to tell a long story, and went on.
“Emma was murdered in Bulgaria while in search of a certain artifact. She split from Mai, who was to investigate another lead, at some point in the journey. Of course, Evenhet also had an interest in the aforementioned artifact, so you can imagine that when an anonymous tip delivered to one of their Elders…” here he nodded to Alfarinn “…pointed the way to Bulgaria, Evenhet joined in the search.”
“We believe Alfarinn was set up to take the fall for Emma’s murder, which would have almost certainly provoked war. Unfortunately for the schemer, Alfarinn left well before Emma’s murder, thus foiling that element of the plot.”
He looked down for another moment, then up again at the small party.
“I think we all know how Sorin feels about Evenhet, and Alfarinn in particular. And I am given to understanding that Emma was on the opposite end of that specific controversy.”
Christian Bern
18 years ago
Christian watched as they tossed back and forth exactly who was going to take the blame should it come down to getting caught. He suspected that for himself and Alfarinn blame would be the least of their worries. It was an action that could lead to war, though he did appreciate that having the Anantya with them might cause their other elders to think twice about starting such an uprising. Thaddeus wanted to take it all upon himself and Christian that he respected and liked the young blonde more each time they met. Thaddeus seemed intelligent and level headed even in this very personal crisis.
The question of whether or not Sorin knew of their intention to search his place was impossible to answer for a certainty. He was not sure why they were bringing it up except that it did remind everyone that the man was as old as Alfarinn with just as many resources at his disposal. The Roman was not someone to be trifled with lightly. If he did know then this could all now be a trap. They would need to take precautions; he wondered if they could send in a camera via remote control or some other "Zone" technology. It could be that the apartment was set to blow to pieces if it was not opened correctly, taking all evidence it might have contained with it. He might consider such a plan himself, in an unpopulated place. Sorin doubtless would not concern himself overly much with the mortal inhabitants of the building.
Christian sat up straighter at the mention of blaming Evenhet for the murder of Emma. His eyes narrowed in disgust for a moment before he relaxed once again. The idea was not a new one after all. Alfarinn had been lured there which was something quite obvious to the Evenhet that knew of the situation. It had caused tension at the time but as Thaddeus went on to mention, Alfarinn had left -before- Emma was murdered. .
"Yes, well he looks guilty. The face of a criminal right there."Â?
He nodded his head towards Alfarinn and then got down to business.
"Have you considered how we are going to get in? It might be a trap...even if he doesn't know we suspect him. A precaution, if you will."Â?
The question of whether or not Sorin knew of their intention to search his place was impossible to answer for a certainty. He was not sure why they were bringing it up except that it did remind everyone that the man was as old as Alfarinn with just as many resources at his disposal. The Roman was not someone to be trifled with lightly. If he did know then this could all now be a trap. They would need to take precautions; he wondered if they could send in a camera via remote control or some other "Zone" technology. It could be that the apartment was set to blow to pieces if it was not opened correctly, taking all evidence it might have contained with it. He might consider such a plan himself, in an unpopulated place. Sorin doubtless would not concern himself overly much with the mortal inhabitants of the building.
Christian sat up straighter at the mention of blaming Evenhet for the murder of Emma. His eyes narrowed in disgust for a moment before he relaxed once again. The idea was not a new one after all. Alfarinn had been lured there which was something quite obvious to the Evenhet that knew of the situation. It had caused tension at the time but as Thaddeus went on to mention, Alfarinn had left -before- Emma was murdered. .
"Yes, well he looks guilty. The face of a criminal right there."Â?
He nodded his head towards Alfarinn and then got down to business.
"Have you considered how we are going to get in? It might be a trap...even if he doesn't know we suspect him. A precaution, if you will."Â?
Claire
18 years ago
Claire smiled wryly at Palmer's show of willingness to allow them to take the fall should the information gathering go awry. Taking a sip of her coffee, she listened as he continued to consider the situation. It seemed perfectly like Sorin to ask Thaddeus's good friend to spy on him and she would love to believe that in this case he had Thaddeus's well being actually in mind but she would never be able to delude herself into believing that concern extended into the many incidences she knew of in the past. Therefore, it was not even worth getting a speck of hope over.
Feeling resigned to any conclusion and oddly calmed by the coffee, she said.
"Are you suggesting Thaddeus is not up to par?"Â?
She grinned and arched an eyebrow at him before continuing.
"I will say that Sorin is an excellent nightsman no matter what anyone believes on how he got the position of Elder. He knows Thaddeus is with Alfarinn and he asked you to look into what our friends here have been up to. That suggests he's worried and does not have a lot of time to come up with a better plan. I cannot say what he does or does not know but the fact that he asked you to do him this 'favor' is calming to me. If he knew more, or shall we say -enough- then he would not need you to spy at all, he could simply wait and pretend to be too busy to notice any odd behavior in order to put Thaddeus at ease. All he would have to do then, assuming he is guilty, would be to clear out any incriminating evidence and wait for Thaddeus to commit a traitorous act. If he did not know the whole of the situation but felt he had plenty of time in which to learn more then he would have manipulated you or someone else close to Thaddeus into believing it was their idea to keep an eye on their friend all on their own. I would say that this obvious maneuver suggests that he does not fully know what we're up to and also that he feels pressed for time."Â?
Claire sighed and took another sip.
"Which could be either good or bad, however you wish to look at it."Â?
She sat back and listened to the rest, only frowning slightly at the mention of framing Alfarinn and Evenhet for the murder. It had been an awful situation at the time, there -were- murmurs of war between the clans. It had only mattered slightly, and mostly to the elders of Anantya, that Alfarinn had not been in the country when Emma was killed. Many clansmen said that it had only been a matter of time before Evenhet had tried something underhanded. They even claimed that Emma was targeted because she -had- been a friend of Alfarinn's; that way he was less suspicious. She had wondered just why then would the man be seen anywhere near Bulgaria but that had not really mattered much to those who were hungry for blood. It was amazing to her that anyone could think the empath could be so heartless.
Mr Bern went on to ask about the specifics of their plan. Claire figured that Thaddeus and Alfarinn had probably thought this through at length already but she would at least offer her talents in assistance.
"I might be of help there."Â?
She leaned forward and set the coffee mug on the table in order to give a demonstration. A picture was worth a thousand words and she would ensure she did not need to explain the exact nature of her ability.
Closing her eyes, Claire breathed out slowly and with the breath began to feel herself 'stretched thin' She was as light as air and could no longer feel the chair beneath her. Opening her eyes, Claire looked at down at the misty outline of herself and then around at the rest of the group. Her voice sounded faint and reedy to her own ears when she spoke.
"Will this do?"Â?
Feeling resigned to any conclusion and oddly calmed by the coffee, she said.
"Are you suggesting Thaddeus is not up to par?"Â?
She grinned and arched an eyebrow at him before continuing.
"I will say that Sorin is an excellent nightsman no matter what anyone believes on how he got the position of Elder. He knows Thaddeus is with Alfarinn and he asked you to look into what our friends here have been up to. That suggests he's worried and does not have a lot of time to come up with a better plan. I cannot say what he does or does not know but the fact that he asked you to do him this 'favor' is calming to me. If he knew more, or shall we say -enough- then he would not need you to spy at all, he could simply wait and pretend to be too busy to notice any odd behavior in order to put Thaddeus at ease. All he would have to do then, assuming he is guilty, would be to clear out any incriminating evidence and wait for Thaddeus to commit a traitorous act. If he did not know the whole of the situation but felt he had plenty of time in which to learn more then he would have manipulated you or someone else close to Thaddeus into believing it was their idea to keep an eye on their friend all on their own. I would say that this obvious maneuver suggests that he does not fully know what we're up to and also that he feels pressed for time."Â?
Claire sighed and took another sip.
"Which could be either good or bad, however you wish to look at it."Â?
She sat back and listened to the rest, only frowning slightly at the mention of framing Alfarinn and Evenhet for the murder. It had been an awful situation at the time, there -were- murmurs of war between the clans. It had only mattered slightly, and mostly to the elders of Anantya, that Alfarinn had not been in the country when Emma was killed. Many clansmen said that it had only been a matter of time before Evenhet had tried something underhanded. They even claimed that Emma was targeted because she -had- been a friend of Alfarinn's; that way he was less suspicious. She had wondered just why then would the man be seen anywhere near Bulgaria but that had not really mattered much to those who were hungry for blood. It was amazing to her that anyone could think the empath could be so heartless.
Mr Bern went on to ask about the specifics of their plan. Claire figured that Thaddeus and Alfarinn had probably thought this through at length already but she would at least offer her talents in assistance.
"I might be of help there."Â?
She leaned forward and set the coffee mug on the table in order to give a demonstration. A picture was worth a thousand words and she would ensure she did not need to explain the exact nature of her ability.
Closing her eyes, Claire breathed out slowly and with the breath began to feel herself 'stretched thin' She was as light as air and could no longer feel the chair beneath her. Opening her eyes, Claire looked at down at the misty outline of herself and then around at the rest of the group. Her voice sounded faint and reedy to her own ears when she spoke.
"Will this do?"Â?
Palmer
18 years ago
Palmer sighed a little at Alfarinn’s response, knowing the Evenhet Elder was correct – they had to start somewhere after all. He gave Thaddeus a slight smile at the ‘just balance’ remark, understanding that his friend could go on…and on…and on….about what –that- constituted. In response he held out his hands, keeping his smugness to a reasonable level.
Well, a manageable level anyway.
“Fair enough; I trust you did your homework, don’t worry on that account.” He gave Claire a broad smirk at her quip, shaking his head in denial. “Perish the thought! I don’t think Thaddeus has –ever- not been up to par, overachiever that he is.”
Stifling his amusement while she continued, he found himself listening with some interest to her analysis. While he knew the Night wasn’t for him personally, this was the one part he really liked about that Order – trying to understand what made a given person tick. And it was clear Claire knew her stuff as far as that was concerned; her knowledge of Sorin’s character was proving quite helpful. He wondered just how she knew him so well and thought to ask, but then Thaddeus broke in with quite the history lesson and Palmer found himself trying to keep up with the timeline presented. Wouldn’t Blaine be thrilled to learn that he was getting some much needed education in clan history and politics.
And speaking of which, what was with Thaddeus attaching himself to powerful and controversial political figures? Hmm, power fetish there, little guy?
He managed to brush that thought aside before it could result in an ill timed snort when the implications of Thaddeus’ explanation became clear. This time he –did- snort, at Christian Bern’s comment, then shook his head at Alfarinn, at a loss for words. Or nearly.
“I don’t know, they say it’s the ones who look perfectly harmless that you have to worry about. But I suppose by that logic we should all be in mortal fear of Thaddeus here.”
Mock-ducking to avoid Thaddeus’ wrath, he grinned and quieted down as they were brought back on topic. This whole framing scheme sounded pretty crazy to him but it wasn’t like there weren’t enough reasons to check out the apartment already.
He pointed and nodded in adamant agreement with Christian, but Claire interjected before he could vocalize his opinions.
And would you look at that! Claire was an ethereal – Palmer didn’t think they could ask for a better skill for this task. He clapped his hands together and then opened them again, looking to the group.
“Fabulous! We’ve got the flying wonder and particle girl and…hmm…oh, I know, ‘the man of steel’…and some Evenhet!”
He gave Christian and Alfarinn his ‘I’m joking’ face, knowing full well that Evenhet had some formidable abilities of their own.
Well, a manageable level anyway.
“Fair enough; I trust you did your homework, don’t worry on that account.” He gave Claire a broad smirk at her quip, shaking his head in denial. “Perish the thought! I don’t think Thaddeus has –ever- not been up to par, overachiever that he is.”
Stifling his amusement while she continued, he found himself listening with some interest to her analysis. While he knew the Night wasn’t for him personally, this was the one part he really liked about that Order – trying to understand what made a given person tick. And it was clear Claire knew her stuff as far as that was concerned; her knowledge of Sorin’s character was proving quite helpful. He wondered just how she knew him so well and thought to ask, but then Thaddeus broke in with quite the history lesson and Palmer found himself trying to keep up with the timeline presented. Wouldn’t Blaine be thrilled to learn that he was getting some much needed education in clan history and politics.
And speaking of which, what was with Thaddeus attaching himself to powerful and controversial political figures? Hmm, power fetish there, little guy?
He managed to brush that thought aside before it could result in an ill timed snort when the implications of Thaddeus’ explanation became clear. This time he –did- snort, at Christian Bern’s comment, then shook his head at Alfarinn, at a loss for words. Or nearly.
“I don’t know, they say it’s the ones who look perfectly harmless that you have to worry about. But I suppose by that logic we should all be in mortal fear of Thaddeus here.”
Mock-ducking to avoid Thaddeus’ wrath, he grinned and quieted down as they were brought back on topic. This whole framing scheme sounded pretty crazy to him but it wasn’t like there weren’t enough reasons to check out the apartment already.
He pointed and nodded in adamant agreement with Christian, but Claire interjected before he could vocalize his opinions.
And would you look at that! Claire was an ethereal – Palmer didn’t think they could ask for a better skill for this task. He clapped his hands together and then opened them again, looking to the group.
“Fabulous! We’ve got the flying wonder and particle girl and…hmm…oh, I know, ‘the man of steel’…and some Evenhet!”
He gave Christian and Alfarinn his ‘I’m joking’ face, knowing full well that Evenhet had some formidable abilities of their own.