Mara saw Dana enter the club and laughed softly to herself as the younger woman kissed Shades on the cheek. Not the usual greeting for the club's proprietor but one she imagined he hadn't minded at all. She watched as Dana was shown to her own table, out of the main press that made up the population of Shades' on any given night. He turned to her and nodded, indicating Dana and herself. Mara raised her eyebrows. Interesting. Dana was here to see her? She hadn't seen Amir come in and she would have expected that.
Well, how curious. Mara loved curious. She made her way quietly to Dana's table and cleared her throat softly to get her attention.
"Hello, Dana. Shades told me you were here to see me," she said. It wasn't entirely a question, yet the end of the phrase had a lilt to it that turned it into one.
She put her hand on the back of the chair next to Dana's. "May I?"
She had been raised to be polite by both her father and creator; she would not embarrass either by being less than cordial to her creator's lover. Mara had to admit, though, Dana was the last person she would have thought would seek her out. Surely she wasn't looking for company.
As she slid into the chair, Mara read Dana's expression, already looking for clues. She seemed resolute, somewhat. Perhaps determined. So, then, maybe she wasn't entirely here of her own will. Mara didn't know for sure. She didn't know enough about Dana yet to gain an accurate measure, so she simpy waited for the woman to speak.
Facing the Dragon ((Attn: Mara))
Dana left Amir's rooms in a state of dishevel that was completely unbecoming a lady and she could only blame the early hour of the evening for her luck in not running into a soul as she scurried quickly to her room. He had taken great care in saying good bye properly and she was feeling sated and slightly sore in a place or two. As she approached her personal sanctuary, hunger began to gnaw at her belly.
The things she had to face this evening should not be done while hungry. Unlocking her door, she decided to take advantage of an offer once made to her by Rupert. She picked up the sleek back phone and asked them to send something to eat to her rooms. It seemed strange to order her meal over the phone as though she were ordering grilled chicken and vegetables from room service. With that done, she undressed, tumbling everything including her slightly muddy boots into the hamper to be cleaned, before stepping into the shower.
Clean, hair combed and braided, she left the bathroom, and dressed. It was not easy to choose her clothing, as she had no desire to be conspicuous, but wished to look her best when meeting with Mara again. Though in all honesty she had no idea if the woman would even be where she planned to look for her. She finally decided on a cream skirt with thin swirling designs of brown thread, and a close fitting top in a royal blue, and cream sandals. A knock at her door signaled dinner.
She invited the young man into her room, took her meal from him, and showed him out to the other young man waiting outside her door. Leaving the room locked and the jade lamp lit, she went into the library. The information she found there stunned her, and it was meticulous notes that kept it from overwhelming her. When full night was upon her, she left her studies and drove the black Jag XKR she finally went out and purchased with Bao's guidance, to down town Nachton and parked in the lot a block from Shades'.
At the club entrance, she greeting Shades by offering him a kiss to the cheek and a discreet question. There was no since wasting her time at the club if her query wasn't there. His affirmation, sent her into the darkened interior and a table far to the back. And now she would wait for her to appear, Dana could only hope it would not take long and she would not have a great deal of time to ponder and fret.
Mara
14 years ago
Dana
14 years ago
Dana looked up and managed a soft smile for Amir's child. The beast in her chest was...quiet. How very odd. This was not turning out the way she expected in the least. "Please do."
She inclined her head to the chair Mara had touched. When the woman was seated she took a breath. Upbringing dictated that she ask after health and other such pleasantries, but Dana was not here for pleasant chat, and so she was torn. Finally she compromised.
"I trust you are well. Amir has sent me to seek you out." She folded her hands on the table, watching a waitress approach, recognized her and change directions. No since offering services that were not needed, Dana liked that very much and offered the girl a smile.
She inclined her head to the chair Mara had touched. When the woman was seated she took a breath. Upbringing dictated that she ask after health and other such pleasantries, but Dana was not here for pleasant chat, and so she was torn. Finally she compromised.
"I trust you are well. Amir has sent me to seek you out." She folded her hands on the table, watching a waitress approach, recognized her and change directions. No since offering services that were not needed, Dana liked that very much and offered the girl a smile.
Mara
14 years ago
Mara, too, observed the waitress but such things were commonplace to her. She knew the young woman fairly well; she was here quite often, after all. Dana satisfied her curiosity almost immediately by informing her Amir had sent her. Mara immediately cued in to the terminology; lovers did not send each other anywhere. They requested, perhaps, suggested, offered. They did not send.
"My shaykh told you to find me?" Mara used the Arabic term which denoted a respected elder, teacher, and scholar. She had used it to describe her creator many times over the long years.
"Then I must help you in whatever task he has set you, for it seems this request has little to do with pleasure and more to do with business."
Curiosity was open and at he ready in Mara's eyes. She was wildly interested in what had happened between them to cause Dana to come here in such an... official... capacity. This facet of the relationship had not been there when she'd met Dana initially.
"My shaykh told you to find me?" Mara used the Arabic term which denoted a respected elder, teacher, and scholar. She had used it to describe her creator many times over the long years.
"Then I must help you in whatever task he has set you, for it seems this request has little to do with pleasure and more to do with business."
Curiosity was open and at he ready in Mara's eyes. She was wildly interested in what had happened between them to cause Dana to come here in such an... official... capacity. This facet of the relationship had not been there when she'd met Dana initially.
Dana
14 years ago
Dana studied Mara for a moment. She was not sure how much to reveal to this woman, she knew Amir trusted her, but Dana wasn't so certain. It may stem from her initial reaction, but it was also that she did not know this enigmatic woman and had no reason to trust her.
"My relationship with Amir has many sides, and he believes that you are the best resource for what I need, and so I agreed to come."
Her lips curled into a soft smile, that could have been said more politely, but she could not change it now.
"Please accept my apologies, that did not come out the way it sounded in my head. I have offered my services to Amir in his current capacity here in Nachton. He asked that I gather as much information as I am able, and suggested you would be a good starting place."
She made a small gesture with her hand. "If you care to do so, I would be appreciative."
Dana pulled at small notebook from her purse, setting it and a pen on the table, before returning her attention to Mara.
"My relationship with Amir has many sides, and he believes that you are the best resource for what I need, and so I agreed to come."
Her lips curled into a soft smile, that could have been said more politely, but she could not change it now.
"Please accept my apologies, that did not come out the way it sounded in my head. I have offered my services to Amir in his current capacity here in Nachton. He asked that I gather as much information as I am able, and suggested you would be a good starting place."
She made a small gesture with her hand. "If you care to do so, I would be appreciative."
Dana pulled at small notebook from her purse, setting it and a pen on the table, before returning her attention to Mara.
Mara
14 years ago
Mara's lips formed themselves into a little 'o' of comprehension, and her brow furrowed. There were a few facts that didn't seem right to her, but she assumed Amir had sent Dana here for multiple reasons. First, Mara did have a lot of information and could be a patient teacher when requested. Secondly, she wouldn't put it past him to place her with Dana in many situations in order to encourage them to either acknowledge the tension between them or settle it, or both. It made sense.
"I would be happy to help," she replied, amused by Dana's apparent sincerity; she had a notebook? That was... it was adorable. A smile played about her lips.
"We should walk," she said next. "The things we must discuss are for ears alone, and some of the ears here are far too sensitive. These things aren't for eyes," she added, looking pointedly at he notebook, carefully modulating her tone to be kind, not criticizing. It was an excellent idea, but Dana must learn properly, and that meant by hearing, seeing, and doing.
"If Amir sent you to me he must have a great deal of faith in your ability to process information," Mara added by way of compliment. "That is my primary job."
She stood, a little odd for having sat so recently, but Shades' was well known as neutral ground and there was no guarantee that the people here were all human or vampire. Mara must have this chat with Dana outside the club; even Shades' was not proof of safety.
"Will you come with me?"
"I would be happy to help," she replied, amused by Dana's apparent sincerity; she had a notebook? That was... it was adorable. A smile played about her lips.
"We should walk," she said next. "The things we must discuss are for ears alone, and some of the ears here are far too sensitive. These things aren't for eyes," she added, looking pointedly at he notebook, carefully modulating her tone to be kind, not criticizing. It was an excellent idea, but Dana must learn properly, and that meant by hearing, seeing, and doing.
"If Amir sent you to me he must have a great deal of faith in your ability to process information," Mara added by way of compliment. "That is my primary job."
She stood, a little odd for having sat so recently, but Shades' was well known as neutral ground and there was no guarantee that the people here were all human or vampire. Mara must have this chat with Dana outside the club; even Shades' was not proof of safety.
"Will you come with me?"
Dana
14 years ago
Dana glanced at her notebook. She had nothing to prove to Mara, but it seemed that perhaps she should explain this a bit. Who ever chose to read her little book would see nothing but a great deal of strange characters. It was a conglomeration of Gaelic letters, Japanese symbols, numbers and her own personal shorthand, none of which was English. "I doubt there is a soul on this earth would would understand anything they saw in here."
She tapped the little book, picked it up and tucked it back in her purse. She would make her notes later. Standing, Dana pushed her chair back to the table and indicated Mara lead the way.
"Of course."
It felt strange to follow after this woman. She had a moment of trepidation as they left the security of Shades' and began to walk down the sidewalk.
She tapped the little book, picked it up and tucked it back in her purse. She would make her notes later. Standing, Dana pushed her chair back to the table and indicated Mara lead the way.
"Of course."
It felt strange to follow after this woman. She had a moment of trepidation as they left the security of Shades' and began to walk down the sidewalk.
Mara
14 years ago
Mara fixed her cool, pale stare upon Dana for a moment and then lifted one shoulder. "I have learned throughout the years that we aren't as unique as we think we are. If you can do it, then the chances are very good that someone else can do it too."
She tilted her head in ambivalence and let the matter drop. Dana could attend or not attend. Mara's advice was to write nothing down, but she couldn't make anyone follow advice; she could only offer it.
"Let's go then."
She led Dana from the club and headed out into the streets of Nachton.
((ooc: both out into a new thread with permission))
She tilted her head in ambivalence and let the matter drop. Dana could attend or not attend. Mara's advice was to write nothing down, but she couldn't make anyone follow advice; she could only offer it.
"Let's go then."
She led Dana from the club and headed out into the streets of Nachton.
((ooc: both out into a new thread with permission))