Fingers tightened around the steeringwheel as eyes moved back halfheartedly to the map...Should have begged you to come with me...so much for hindsight... An unnecessary stream of air pushed through her lungs as she struggled to push the image of the pale creature dumping her things out from her mind. That feeling that came in the pit of her stomach....agitating if it weren't so frightening.

Her eyes went rather wide...she checked...and rechecked the map as she pulled up to the gate surrounding the planation...this, this couldn't be the right place...could it?  Perhaps she didn't notice the guardshack...or maybe she didn't care that the guard was there...climbing out of the car after the engine went silent, mouth agape she approached the gate, staring at it as if in sheer awe at the vastness of it all...it was like looking at something out of a forgotton book, or an old movie...her fingers tightened on the map in her hands...

"This...isn't right..."  she whispered as if hearing her own voice would some how confirm or bring to light the truth of things.  It did none of what she'd hoped it would however, and she found herself unconsciously stepping backwards towards the car...

The suited guard will touch a finger to his ear, as some unheard command comes through. He presses a button and the gate slowly creaks open foot by foot. The guard doesnt say a word, he hardly even looks up; he just waves Gwen through...

She felt herself suck in a little gasp of air...as the gate started to creek open as if to confirm what she had hoped and wondered for and against in those brief moments...

It took a moment to gather her thoughts together...foreward...or back to the motel with the dingy walls and the bleached urine smell.    Adventure...or answers?

Answers.

She pulled the door shut and began the drive towards the house...making her way through the winding driveway at...overly cautious speeds.  She slowed as she came to the front of the building and eventually found herself sitting in an idleing vehicle...

It's not too late to turn back...

She took a moment to dig into her backpack...the book.  A few more notes...

I have arrived.  I'm not certain what it means.  A large estate.  I'm going in or well going to the door, I've never found my quarry in such a place before.  Maybe this isn't their doing.  I don't know if that's better or worse.

Closing it, she tucked it back into the backpack and slid out of the vehicle...taking with her that strange and pointless version of a security blanket.  So long as she kept it close, no one will take it...and things will be okay.

Up the steps to the door...hesitation before she forced her finger to ring the doorbell, holding breath she didn't need without realizing that it was being restrained.

The doorbell doesnt make a sound. Perhaps its ringing far off in the plantation somewhere, or maybe its just disconnected.

'You travel faster than most of our kind.'

A deep voice resounds from a dozen steps or so to Gwens left. Somehow she never saw this man on the porch, even though he stands in plain view. He is tall with broad shoulders and wild hair. A very manic, yet commanding air seems to emenate from him.

'Normally you would have died before ever knowing I was here. You are very lucky my children answer telephones.'

She jerked her finger away as if she'd been burned when she heard the voice...turning her body to look towards the sound...the voice hitting her awareness like warm honey...or maybe the way an irish coffee warms in more than one way when it slides over the tongue and down the throat...

A step backwards as she took a moment to focus on him...how she'd never seen him...she didn't ask.  It wasn't one of the holes..."Lucky indeed sir...as I'm not inclined to look foreward to my own end..."

She cleared her throat and rested her fingers behind her back...interlacing them after brushing the backpack as if to make sure it was still...there.

The man she speaks to is obviously not one of the guards. He is well dressed but lacking a tie and jacket. The cold of the night clealry having no effect on him. His eyes are intense and follow the sudden movement of her hands. When she does not produce a weapon he will look away, out over the maze of twisted trees she drove through to reach this place.

'I would imagine not. Do you know where you are or who I am?'

Gwen may notice a flicker of movement. The heavy curtains in one of the windows move slightly, should she look she will see two pairs of young eyes peering out from either side. The curtain will fall abck into place once they realize they have been seen.

Transfixed.  Her eyes did not leave him when he looked away, and she kept herself perfectly still, as if she still wasn't certain what to expect, or what was expected of her to know.  "No sir...unless you mean the city Sanfield itself...I know that much of where I am."  

Her eyes caught that flicker of movement...and felt themselves torn to the window, and then whatever was there was gone. Did they get inside?  Are they watching me? Damnit...Part of her wanted to run away...make her way to elsewhere right then.  Go back to where she'd come from and say that it had all been a mistake.

But I'm supposed to be here...I am."As for who you are sir?  No, I'm not aware..."  She paused a moment..."I am however hopeful that you've more substance than figments that have garnered their own level of independent consciousness...and perhaps less ill intent."  

--Last edited by Gwendolyn on 2009-01-31 23:26:01 --

Carter seems intruiged by her last statement. His eyes flick over her tall form once more. He had recieved word of her impending arrival and a clanmate from far away spoke very highly of her, urgently so.

2009-02-03 11:40:31 Prince Carter rolls 8 dice to Perception+ Malk-time (Diff 9) 10,4,2,7,5, 8,6,6 (1 success)

In a flash Carter is certain that Gwen is not of his blood but he has been asked to grant her asylum and assist her as if she was. This agreement will have limits; but Gwen will be on very good starting ground.

'You would do well to seperate me from your figments. I am Carter Vanderweyden, Kindred Prince of the domain of Sanfield.'

Carter introduces himself in a powerful voice and watches her expectantly.  

--Last edited by Radiation on 2009-02-03 11:47:34 --

"Oh...ooooh.."  her lips formed a little round circle as the sound escaped from between them, her eyes going a little wider, before she averted her gaze all together...

"I will make it a point to do so Prince Vanderweyden of Sanfield.  Though I suppose doing so will in future endeavors be irrelevant if I fail to recieve permission to remain in your domain...I'm Gwendolyn Shay."

Eyes flicked up for just a moment, Don't be one of the figments...don't be one of them.  Princes can't be...can they?  Though she was rather bothered still by the intruder from her motel room...then asked outrightly, sounding like a child asking for permission to play outside after dark, "Can I stay?"

She paused...then bit her lip and glanced back down to the ground.  No.  That's wrong, all wrong Gwen.  Do it right... "Appoligies...I meant to say...that in accordance with the Fifth Tradition of Caine, I'd like to be granted permission to stay here..."

The glint of the eyes, however brief, told all.. Pure anger.. Jealousy, annoyance, all of those petty emotions... All geared at Gwen.. until they were caught...

A brief moment later, knowing full well that that... woman.. was still standing with HER father... A noise was heart.. Muted slightly, due to the walls.. but it was there..

A growl.. purely territorial.. well, not purely.. there was that overwhelming sense of anger in the growl.. Even in its muted state...

And then the shattering of glass.. Carter would know well.. His daughters love using precious breakables to express their anger..

And then the eyes were at a different window, watching.. glaring..

In such an informal introduction Carter will overlook Gwendolyns blunder. In truth he had decided she could remain long before she even arrived.

'You will be granted stay in my domain Gwendolyn...'

Carters voice remains calm even when he hears Lydia and Luna venting their anger on antiques. Carter has an acute interest in any kindred that experiences visions. Ever since the untimely death of his oracle he has been looking for another one...

'.. upon acceptance of a few conditions.'

Carter finishes and awaits her response. Nothing is free.

She felt a shiver run through her body at the sound of that little growl hitting her ears and physically cringed at the sounds of glass shattering inside the house.  Had they come here?  Just after she'd accepted that she would be able to find them first this time?  She gnawed at her lower lip but felt the tension sliding out of her as he said she would be granted permission to remain.

Lips folded in on one another, but she still didn't look up at him, her head moved up and down in a slight nod, "I wouldn't expect such acceptance to be granted without something akin to conditions of some sort Prince Vanderweyden."  and in truth, she knew that she would have been sorely dissappointed had she dilluded herself into believing that her stay anywhere would be as simplistic as it was for others.  

She kept her arms behind her back, fingers pulling absently at one another as she waited to hear what they would be...

'Its whispered that you have a talent for unerringly finding the truth. In exchange for your asylum and safety in my domain I ask only to call upon your service once sometime in the future.'

Carter makes his offer. It would be quite different if he was aware of her visions or active figments. She would likely be headed for a cage under the barn rather than set free to roam the city.

Her mind went screaming back to another time...life in the mirror.  So many pieces missing.    Head moved up and down slowly, she swallowed a bit of air down, her eyes flitted up to him fixating on his features for some moments before her words found their voice.  "Such a small thing to ask in exchange for so much.  I believe I am perhaps getting the better side of things, but yes wise Prince.  I will agree to this."

'Excellent. I shall send you on your way then Gwendolyn. If you wish to know the hunting grounds you should drop by the Red Zone downtown. Look for Tommy Jones, hes an absurdly dressed Toreador with an ego the size of the room. He is there every night. Remind him that he owes me, and he will be your guide.'

Carter crosses his arms and regards her cooly as he gives his last bit of advice. He doesnt ask for a way to find or contact her- her paranoid mind can fill in the blanks as to why.

Gwendolyn gave a small nod, "My deepest appreciation Prince Vanderweyden...I won't take up any more of your evening."  She backed up a few steps and found her way down the steps, careful not to turn her back on the Prince until she was turning to reenter the car.  

Her mind raced over the night's happenings...and yes her mind did dillude and twist the reasons he wouldn't need to know how to find her or get in touch with her.  Mostly she was greatful that she'd been granted a reprieve from the sort of formal rejection she'd seen so many of her kind endure in public court settings.  

Fingers pulled at the car door handle, and she climbed inside.  Shoving the keys into the ignition, a thought popped into her head without being summoned or granted permission to exist there.  What if the figments got to him too?  A few moments later she was pulling out of the driveway...

The Red Zone.  Tommy Jones.

Maybe this time she would get to them before they got to her...