An Unexpected Meeting (Noah, Connor)

[Robert Alexander Lovelace]

Robert sauntered into the tea house with a casual aire. His suit was pressed and the dash of cologne he wore he cut quite the handsome figure in the tea house. He could hear the whispers of admiration as the girls wondered whose area he would sit at. Out of a wicked sense of humor he chose to sit in the geographic center of all the areas thereby making the wait staff scramble to see who would get to him first.

Finally, one waitress made it over to him, technically it was in her section and she took his order of green tea. He sat back and steepled his fingers, there was much to think about and he didn't want to risk being too deep in thought around his family. The fact was with 2 telepathic witches it made living at home very annoying. He'd done his best by his family and while some were doing well others could be doing better.

Merry would do better if that undead brat wasn't around her. He knew she was going out with him and had spoken to her about it. She was repentant of course, but the tie Connor had formed with her made her want to help him. He couldn't fault his daughter for wanting to do good. He'd raised her to be a good person after all, he just didn't want her getting hurt by Connor. Robert had been bespelling her to sleep early so she could ignore Connor's attempts to spirit her away. So far it had worked when she was home. He couldn't stop the late night shifts and she was starting to make those her bread and butter.

She wanted to see the boy and that irritated him worse than the boy being around. She was getting wise to Roberts ploy and yesterday she'd not come home and claimed she was shopping. She knew Connor had been there with her. She just hadn't told him. Robert gritted his teeth and let the tea that the waitress brought sooth him.

[noah]

Noah walked into the Tea house, this wasn’t usually his scene. He could be at home in his mansion enjoying his own Tea, much like everything in his mansion, he had a huge collection of tea and could make this Tea House look stupid. But Vampires hung around here all the time. So he wanted to see what all the hype was about. He walked in and noticed all the lovely waitresses working there. It certainly was a gentleman friendly place, that’s for sure. He saw a large group of Vampires, vampire’s he’s spoken to before, vampires he has heard from in the past, anyone who was anyone seemed to be here.

He scouted the place a bit and then he noticed that man who was at his mansion, the night when he addressed all the vampires of the danger that may be coming their way. He remembered what he said about his daughters being involved. But Noah couldn’t remember his name for anything. Was it Roger? Ronny? It was something with an R that was for sure. It wasn’t that Noah didn’t care to get to know all the vampires, but he had a lot more on his mind. He had a meeting later with Ai about the Trinity Brothers. Those brothers have been killing vampires like it’s a hobby, so his head was just filled with other thoughts.

Noah decided he would have conversation with him. Noah did remember he wasn’t very welcoming of him involving his family, so Noah decided he might as well talk to him about it. Noah made his way towards the man as he approached him and smiled. “Hi there, is this seat taken? You look like you could use some company”. Noah tried to smile a bit as he put his hand on the back of the chair, waiting to have a seat, assuming it was okay with this guy.

[connordouglas]

Connor entered the tea house, figuring that he might find Ai here if he was lucky. Since he had been hired, it was hard to track the woman down at times, she was kidding when she said she was busy. While he loved to watch fashion shows, wear the clothing, behind the scenes he never had any idea what sort of dedication it required. The campaigning, having to make sure it was all just right, even tracking down models to wear your clothing for photos. If she launched a line of suits, Connor however would be the first person to volunteer to wear them for her. He was quite fond of suits, though he never knew why.

As he entered, Connor instantly felt a second wave of dread hit him. A voice he recognized was present, which only made matters worse when it was sitting across from Robert. Connor resented his own kind, the way they killed without considering what it meant for others. It was a hasty judgement, but he wasn't going to budge from it for now. Lingering in the back of the shop, Connor ordered some sort of tea, he didn't even really read the name of.

While it was not unsual for the elder to great others of their kind, he figured he would keep an eye on the two of them. There might be more to this meeting than he knew, it couldn't hurt to be informed for once.

[Robert Alexander Lovelace]

(OOC This is before Robert meets Anneleise in City of the Dead)

Robert looked up from his musings and nodded, "Please have a seat, Elder. Would you like a pot of tea? I'd be happy to order one for you." he said quietly to him with a polite nod of his head as he looked at the blonde blue eyed vampire, "I apologize for any disrespect I may have caused at the meeting." he said quietly. "My name is Robert." he offered as he looked at him and beckoned for another pot of tea to be brought.

He exhaled even though he didn't need to. He really didn't know what to say to Noah and stared at his cup quietly as the waitress brought another pot and he beamed at her in that way that assured he got fed when he needed to. Robert was never going to hurt for a meal if he wanted one even when he wasn't hungry.

"I was the one who spoke to you of my daughter Merry." he said quietly as he steepled his fingers and stretched lightly. "I was hoping to spare her from any of the vampire politics. I know some may think I should turn her. My sire Anneleise certainly would if she were around. Hell she's do it herself." he dropped his voice and then noticed Connor, "Connor, please join us. Merry spoke to me about your point of view on things and I wanted to apologize for giving you a hard time." Robert wasn't ashamed to admit when he'd made a mistake and he didn't care who saw it. He respected Connor enough to make his apology in the open in front of the Elder of the city.

Robert turned his gaze back to Noah, "Its been brought to my attention by Lady Ai that there has been an increase in Vampire's acquiring humans as "pets" as she calls them." he snorted. "Trenton has a psychic known as Marina and Connor here has been looking after my daughter Merry as much as I have. I also have to look after My nieces and nephew but thats the price one pays when you outlive everyone else." he shrugged his shoulders and sipped his tea, "What is your stance on this?" He looked to Connor.

[noah]

Noah sat across this man who called himself Robert. He talked about turning his daughter and how he avoided trying to turn his daughter. Noah never liked talking about turning vampires. He never liked involved others into his community because it was something that he just couldn’t sit and watch happen. But before Noah can say anything Connor made an appearance. Connor wasn’t one of Noah’s biggest fans. He knew why, Noah understood Connor more than he thinks. Robert talked about how he was hard on Connor for being around his daughter.

Before Connor could answer Robert, Noah intervened. “You shouldn’t turn your daughter but you shouldn’t put her life in danger either. “ Noah took a sip of his tea as he continued to warn Robert for his own safety and sanity. “You must learn how to let go of those you love. The reason why I don’t like turning humans is because, it’s a lifelong burden. You see everyone you love just die and leave you. The best thing to do is just, leave and let them be happy, for your own sanity”. Noah knew how it was to lose family, to see everyone you love just die and see your entire generation just continue to live. Noah has witnessed seven generations, all the way from his eldest daughter, it was hard but he saw her great, great, great, great, great, great grand children, something she didn’t have the opportunity to see.

But Robert went on about Vampires seeing humans like “pets”. But he never agreed with that, he never liked growing attached to beings that would just die off and leave them, hurt them, leave them alone. “I’ve heard of this, though I cannot make anyone do as I say, I have to say I don’t agree with that sentiment. Why would you put yourself into that position of being hurt in the end? Or put someone you love in danger?” Many saw Noah for a cold hearted being, but he was cold hearted because when you are a vampire and seen so many you love die and leave you, you need to learn how to keep your distance from them. Noah continued to make glances at Connor, wanting to see his reactions to the words he said. Noah knew he was kill or keep away but don’t grow attached.

[connordouglas]

The fledgling was caught horribly off guard by the offer of peace Robert seemed to be extending. Off guard didn't even begin to entirely cover how he felt about it, in his mind he felt like it was some sort of trap. With a cautious glance about, he made his way towards the table where Noah, the "Elder", seemed to be sitting as well. Connor was still unsure about this man, where he truly stood on the vampires he watched over. Very little was known to him about the inner workings of the Vampire universe, the how's and the why's that came with it. Was there some sort of governing body? Some sort of heiarchy to answer to that he was simply unaware of?

"I'll bite, for now." he said slowly, realizing that almost all human expressions would come off as a stupid pun now. He cursed under his breath at the use of the phrase, before slowly taking his seat next to Robert. Leave it to Merry to play peace keeper between the two of them and win. She was more than just a mediator to for them however, she tamed the savage nature inside of Connor at times with her kind words, and sometimes forceful hand.

At the feast Connor had Noah pegged for a mindless tyrant, the way they fed and showed off their "dominance" might have been a hasty opinion. The conversation seemed to be quite civilized and even more surprising to Connor he actually agreed with the responses Noah gave. There was alot of truth to letting something go when you were immortal, the very thing he was trying to protect Merry from. There could be no forever for her, no happily ever after, there would forever be a void in her life. It was easier to just push her away now than to cause her pain over the course of an entire lifetime.

"Surprisingly, I agree with that. Having loved ones only causes pain, even I had no intention of being with your daughter at first. Causing her pain is the last thing I ever wanted to do, but if it comes down to it, it may be the only outcome to save her from a life of misery." he said, for once sounding like he had some wisdom on the matter. It was almost refreshing in a sense to hear Noah say these things, it increased his resolve to try and remove himself from mortal attachments.

[Robert Alexander Lovelace]

Robert listened quietly, "A life without loved ones is no life at all. Better to step into the sun if you cannot help the ones you love." he said simply as he looked back and forth, "It is the lack of love in our lives that makes us monsters, gentleman. The complete inability to relate to the world around us is what will get us butchered. Anneleise, my sire lives like that and she lives in her own personal hell. I would not wish that on anyone. I raised my family from infants and just because you don't think I did the right thing doesn't mean I did not." Robert said quietly his eyes turning to Connor,

"If you truely meant to leave my daughter you would not be visiting on a near nightly basis and taking her out to places. You speak of letting her go but you keep showing up at the house hoping to find that she is free so you can sneak off with her. For someone who keeps speaking of "leaving" her you sure have a funny way of showing it." It was not said cruely just matter of factly as he raised an eyebrow and looked between them. "You may not approve of vampires falling for humans but it is happening. HE uses Merry's calmness to sooth his rage. Trenton uses my god daughter to remind him of his humanity. AND is her body guard. I just provided my family with a home and business for them to take over one day. Comparatively I AM the one ready to walk away."

[noah]

“Robert, you are a fool to believe to believe alienating ourselves from the world makes us monsters. Ten years from now, Trenton will still look eighteen and your god daughter will be ten years older, ten yet after that, you say it makes us monsters. What makes you a monster Robert, is depriving your god daughter the privilege of growing old, having a family of her own. Is that what you want for your daughter Robert? Your sixty year old god daughter, childless, unmarried in love with a vampire that looks like a teenager?” Noah took a sip of his tea as he looked at Connor and back at Robert, Robert made mention of Connor and as well as Annelies, he wasn’t sure what Connor had with Robert’s Daughter but one thing was for sure, Connor knew what the result of it would be.

“Robert, you need to keep in mind, Annelies is a troubled child who needs to learn her place in community. She is a monster for just using humans in a way they shouldn’t be while you, you deprive your family of true happiness by association with vampires.” Noah thought about I, he thought about his own family, the family he left behind. “Robert, I left my family behind five hundred years ago. I wasn’t going to have my children grow older than me, to never see me grow old, to never be a real elderly grandfather. I also refused to turn them, to take away the gift and privilege of growing old and having a family of their own and I’m sure Connor agree with me”

[connordouglas]

Despite the fact that the comment could have been a means to bait him into an arguement, Connor did his best to remain calm. He had to calmly compose his answer, prove that he was gaining a handle on this thing that happened to him. When he thought about leaving Merry, it brought a pain to him, though at the same time he realized that same pain would be returned to her tenfold one day. There was never going to be a happily ever after, he wanted to end it now before it got too serious, but part of him couldn't. "When I think about hurting her, it appeals to something in me to stay." he said simply. He was unsure what he could really give Robert that would make him see his problem.

"If I leave, it will devastate her. If I stay, she is doomed to twelve or so hours a night with me, no children, no real future. I am a dead man, we do not exist anymore." he said, laughing at his own words softly. Connor wasn't one of the vampires in a position to have a false indentity, he flew under the radar by keeping his head down, he literally no longer existed as anything more than a memory and a tombstone. "I'm probably the exact monster that I accuse others of being, as you so put it, I use her. That is simply all there is to it then, I guess." he said, lying without missing a beat. There was more to it than that, but he really wished he could find a way to severe their bond before it got worse.

When Anneliese was mentioned, they spoke of her as if she was no longer past tense. Was she alive, was she here? His fist clenched a bit, though he knew full well that he couldn't kill her. He was too weak for that, but he wondered even more why the others had not. She was dangerous to more than just the humans, she had a blurred line of reality, even vampires were not always counted amongst her friendlies list. "Anneliese? Is she still alive? Is she here!?" demanded Connor, standing abruptly as he placed both hands on the table. A few people glanced over at him, causing him to realize he was over reacting, fledgling rage.

"If you know anything, tell me. I have a few bones to pick.." he spat dryly, searching Noah's expression.

[Robert Alexander Lovelace]

"Marina's father became an incubus when she was six. I hardly think her dating Trenton is a bad thing when he keeps Reginald from beating her." he said dryly. "She looks 18 and she's 26. She's not exactly aging at a normal rate. But then she'd have to have some good genetics to survive what he does to her on a daily basis." he said with an intensity in his tone. "You make it sound like a hell to be what we are but I've seen the damage that creature has done to her physically. You can be angry at Trent but I think its good that someone more powerful than myself can step in to protect her. Reginald keeps her locked away when she's not at school." he exhaled softly and his tone settled itself as he looked at Connor.

"I know she helps you, Connor. There is little my daughter does that I don't know about. She doesn't keep secrets from me. You don't have to play it off as something its not. She and Ai are helping you. I see nothing wrong with it given that she chooses to do it out of her own volition. You seem to think my daughter has no say in this and I'm here to tell you that she does. She knows you will probably outlive her but then she also knows immortality is no garentee of safety. If it was we wouldn't be worried about Hunters. And those self same hunters are equally likely to hunt her for being a witch. There are no promises in this world. I don't have to be immortal to know that."


"Anneliese is my sire, Connor. You would do well to be polite when speaking of an Elder vampire." he said quietly to the young man. "I am keeping her entertained for the moment. Its the best I can do to curb her tantrums." he looked at the younger fledgling, "Going against Anne is suicide, Connor. I've had a hell of a time cleaning up after her rampages I would appreciate it if you didn't drive her further into a rage."

He looked at Connor and Noah, "You fail to understand something gentlemen. I agreed to be turned to protect my family from being slaughtered. Something murdered my wife, my youngest brother and his wife. Something wrote over my daughter's bed and those of my niece and nephew "Someday soon." Now I don't know who did it or why but I'm not going to watch someone slaughter my family. I will not permit it. If that makes me weak for protecting them than count me as weak but I don't want their blood on my hands because I left and they were killed in my absence. I did not become what I am for my own benefit and as soon as I have solved the mystery and gotten rid of the monster that broke my family I plan on meeting my maker. I will not be seeing my "grandchildren"."

Robert clinched his fists and looked at both of them, "Have your vendetta's gentleman but know this. I WILL find who butchered my wife and make sure that creature is destroyed if its the last thing I do."

[noah]

Listening to Robert sickened Noah, it all became clear to Noah, he’s heard stories but never believed them, Robert chose to be a vampire, chose to be turned and for what seemed to Noah at least, as a selfish reason. Noah wasn’t happy to say the least, as he listened to Robert Speak, at this point Connor who was still just a real kid had more insight into life than Robert had being a man of age, though still relatively fresh as a vampire. Noah couldn’t take it anymore, Robert angered him, it was just pure annoyance to Noah’s ear at least. Noah was certainly going to let him have it, that was for sure.

“You see Robert, you chose this life, you chose the life of watching generation after generation after generation of your family die before you?” Noah looked down, remembering his own family that he left behind. Over five hundred years ago. “You chose this life, while most of us haven’t. You chose this life long prison. I’ve seen wars that almost ruined this world, I’ve seen people use other people as slaves, I’ve seen new worlds being discovered I’ve seen the world change the last five hundred yours and it wasn’t by choice and you chose this to protect your family? How egoistical of you”

Noah looked up at both Connor and Robert, he knew he had to save his kind, he knew Robert might put them in danger with his own personal affairs and his open minded life style. “Just let me assure you of this Robert, you better make sure you kill whatever it is butchered your family, if not, you might put my kind at risk.” Noah then stared slightly at Connor before moving his attention back at Connor. “And whatever vampire who has any alliance with your family, who may stand in my way…may suffer the same faith. Just make you rid the world of that monster, because it decides to come after my people because of you, you’d wish your family was butchered by him and me. I’ll become your enemy Robert, and you won’t want that”.

Noah got up, since he had another meeting somewhere, but before he left he had some last few words for Robert and Connor. “Robert, I left my family and my old life behind over five hundred years ago, it is time you do the same, you will hurt yourself more by growing attached. “ He then looked at Connor, wanting to give him some advice. “I’m sure you will do what is right Connor, because either way, you’d have to live with the pain of losing that person you love for the rest of your life, they’ll just eventually die of age…and forget you while you wallow on their loss.”

[connordouglas]

There was so much anger, that seemed to be all that he felt lately. He had her right where they wanted her, in a position of trust, and yet he was simply cleaning up after her? Balling his fist, he looked towards Robert, and it was all that he could to keep himself from stepping in for a strike. "You son of a-" he stopped short, anger boiling over. "You have her in the perfect position, expose her to the sun, something. She trusts you right now, let her down, painfully." he said through gritted teeth. The amount of pain he wished he could inflict on her, yet he knew that with her it would have to be quick if he wished to escape with his own life.

"You know as well as I do that she deserves no such kindness." he spat, that was the end of his patience as he looked between the two of them. They could argue all they liked about morales, what they should do with their eternity, but Connor was going to spend his trying to kill Anne. Picking up his jacket off the chair, Connor looked at the two of them for a moment before sweeping past the table. They would both be able to figure out what he was going to do next, it was only logical that when he was angry and out for blood he would go look for her at Roberts. By association Merry would be there, which meant she would be dragged into the mix as well.

Revenge was on it's way, things were about to get messy for everyone. He didn't expect to come out of this alive, Robert's announcement would be the end of Connor for good. Before either of them could change his mind, the young fledgling did the whole walk into the wind thing, and he was gone from everyones sight.

---

ooc: Connor's off to go try and kill Anne ! lol.

[Robert Alexander Lovelace]

Robert looked at Noah and then at Connor. He was caught between a rock and a hard place. Protect ones sire was part of his vampiric code even if Anne had not asked it of him. Protect his family was another but these two were not always in harmony with each other. "I am doing my best to distance myself from my family, Elder. It is slow going but it is happening." he admitted respectfully with a bow of his head as he looked to him.

Connor's rage made him blink in surprise, "Connor killing Anne won't make you human or fix what she's done. Understanding her and trying to help her--" the boy fled in his rage and Robert looked alarmed, "We can't let him go in that mindset he'll expose us all!" Robert turned to run out the door after Connor who had the lead on him. Gone like the wind himself.

[noah]

Noah knew this was all going to blow out of proportion. Connor was impulsive and angered individual dealing with a lot of his own demons, talking about Anne just provoked him. He got up, and was as good as gone. Noah wasn’t going to stop him, he had no part in this, he knew Connor wasn’t a threat to Anne in anyway. She was powerful, he knew it, she was almost as old as he was. It seemed Robert was on the go as well. Telling Noah he should stop him, but Noah had no intention. “I’m not going to stop him, he’s impulsive and angered, he won’t her, her on the other hand, is highly skilled killer, amongst the best. But I assure you, he will calm down.” Noah toke a sip of his drink, now completely calmed by the situation.

“But as usual, your attachment may once again hurt you Robert, go follow him, go get involved, but one thing I assure you, whatever blood may be shed tonight, is all on your hands”. That was practically it for Noah, he wasn’t going to get involved in this, it was beyond vampire hating vampire, where he would certainly step it, none vampires were involved and he wanted nothing to do with it. It was cold on his behalf, but sometimes, it’s just how it needs to be to keep order.

[Merry Grace Lovelace]

THREAD CLOSED

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