RP between Rook, Degu and Rigby
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Rook — 09/07/2021
It had been a while since that other Grimani owned carriage had left, having taken another one of the siblings and for a much different purpose. Marc had likely been sent the occasional letter, and any of his own were read and kept somewhere safe. Now one just had to hope that whatever treatment she got would help!
Instead of going straight to the house, the Riders had taken the carriage to the stables first - likely to handle the horses and their many needs. It would be considered a little strange not to take them to the Grimani's stables, but perhaps there was a good reason for that, right?
Marc — 09/08/2021
The pair had confessed their love once in a secret, small and lovely garden, and with Cienna absent and their parents rightly distracted as of late from all manner of propriety and betrothal by matters far more urgent and strange, it was a scene on loop in Marc's head, and for all of his fears and hopes that clawed at his mind with every passing day, he clung tighter to that memory.
His letters had been fast and increasingly frequent; at first they had started rather formal, written with evident restraint, but it was not long before some became informal, casual, conversational, as if she'd been right next to him.
Things like - Jian misses you, Rosa misses you. He'd found someone who breeds these raptors and he wanted to buy them her an egg very badly. That the other day, a quack had rolled through the main city with a covered wagon and a stock full of snake oil and he'd nearly bought something off of that cart to help her, anyway. That there is a little purple elf that keeps looking for her and he never knows how much to tell him. That he was not sorry at all for holding her as long as he had, before she left. That he missed how that felt with ever fiber of his being and couldn't wait for her return. That he bought the egg.
And some more letters still were outright romantic, thoroughly apologizing for his lack of talent in the flowery writing department, before he utterly went for it anyway.
--
Luckily Marc had at least gotten better at sneaking around, and excelled at moving quickly - even before that illness had made him something less - or something more. His Watch route had, perhaps mercifully, taken him rather close to the road and when he was off patrol, he'd gone back out anyway every chance was able to take to watch for the Grimani carriage. So when one finally returned, he was very quick to follow, the inevitable lump forming in his throat and twisting in his chest.
Rook — 09/08/2021
When they got to the stables, it was the usual work of getting the horses out of their bindings and every other piece of gear removed. The riders hadn't noticed Marc at first, but that likely wasn't going to last long, if he made himself a little more obvious.
"Master Marcello! Good morning." There was a bit of confusion with the younger man's greeting, but he shrugged it off and took a few crates from the carriage to set aside for now. "Is there anything we can help you with?" He'd ask, leaving the work with the horses to the other rider, who led them into one of the stalls to rest.
Marc — 09/08/2021
"Good morning!" It was a cheerful enough greeting, and he'd tried to plaster over his growing worry with every ounce of propriety and friendliness that had been trained into him, even going so far as to offer any assistance.
"I was hoping to speak to Cienna, I must have missed your stop back at Grimani?"
Rook — 09/08/2021
The offer to help was certainly appreciated; move some boxes here, check on the wheels and the rest of the gear. "Thanks! I-uh."
There came the big question!
They looked at each other and back to Marc. "Didn't- well, her brother came and got her, told us his father requested it. So, figured they'd have gotten here before us."
𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰 — 09/08/2021
It was a stab to the gut.
Tomm, who was vanished. Tomm who was probably dead and not yet properly mourned hoodwinked by one of the only undead that had shown the heirs kindness and understanding - dead no matter what his own father was insisting.
These guys seemed like they'd had no idea. Marc bowed, miraculously managing a polite and slightly ashamed smile that was wholly false; he felt like automata, that he was just acting, manners and actions coming to him without a single spare thought given to them. He folded his hands behind his back and stood up straighter.
Maybe he did just miss something. But arriving home without telling him was so unlike Cienna, never mind everything else going on.
"Thank you both. I must've missed that word. I will go speak with Tomm and their father. ...except. How long ago was that?"
Rook — 09/08/2021
Poor Marc!
The rider was certainly unaware, and Marc's continued mannerisms only helped keep him from noticing something was up. "You're very welcome. Perhaps they were tired, Cienna did have a few new treatments to try to help deal with her ailment. I imagine she was happy to get home!"
If anything to reassure Marc that everything was fine!
"Oh, I'd say about a day ago? Probably a little less, so I can imagine they just needed a break."
Harpur — 09/09/2021
It was perhaps by (fortunate?) coincidence that Harpur had been headed to the stables himself. He'd been trying to exist in town for most of the day but distance from his job for a while had been eye opening. Even not in armor the towns people recognized and feared him. Had he really been so cruel? many whispered to each other while looking at him, everywhere he went were fearful, angry or judgmental eyes. How had it gotten this bad?
It was about time he moved Valentino to the Aiolfi estate though, and he needed to get away from the city center...maybe a little ride first would help. His head was pounding, his bones ached, his muscles felt pulled. The moon was coming soon, just some days away now. He still needs to figure out what to do about that.
Before he reaches the top of the shallow hill he smells Marc's scent coming down wind and catches the edge of voices. Upon seeing the Grimani carriage, however, he crests the small hill a little faster and makes his way over to them "Marc." he greets informally, calling over to him. He presents as casual as possible but his eyes are full of questions as they glance to the carriage and then back to Marc. What's going on?
Something feels off, anyway. The atmosphere, the smells. If he can get closer he sniffs subtly at the carriage on the way past. Cienna? is she here? "Has young lady Cienna returned?"
Marc — 09/10/2021
His arm was bleeding, his opposite palm smeared red and he didn't know why at first. The nervous fidgets had taken on a new tone; clawed at it, pulled out whatever had manifested. Behind his back, he'd not even gotten a good look at whatever it had been. He pulled a glove over it and rolled his sleeve over the glove. Marc's scent may have briefly spiked unusually, but his nerves would have overridden everything.
He did manage a nod, but could not allow himself to quite smile the same as if things were fine, this time.
It took everything he had to put one foot in front of the other as he retreated, took everything he had not to break out into a full run, race straight to Grimani, expecting to quell nerves and instead finding an unstable flutter of emptiness and fury at his core. It did carry him backwards right into Harpur though.
"Have you been to Grimani at all yesterday?" was blurted out, though he'd doubted it highly at this point. Things were building and collapsing around both families so quickly and Marc's head was where Cienna had been that it was often difficult to cope with them all still interacting at some degree of normal sociability. And he knew very well how unpredictable fathers who have lost their sons could be. Then straightened up with another one of those bows, adding innocently on the surface with only the slightest hint of ulterior meaning, "These men say she has."
Rook — 09/10/2021
There was a sudden anxiety in the air, especially with how Marc was acting and the arrival of one of the grumpier guards. The rider looked between the two and his assistant as he returned, both exchanging a concerned look.
"The Lady Cienna was retrieved by her brother, Tommaso, as requested by their father." The response was a bit more hesitant this time. How did both not know? "Did something happen?" Clearly not as knowledgeable about the noble families as everyone else!
"If...she's not, maybe they're taking longer? I....well, I thought they'd be."
Harpur Eberhardt — 09/10/2021
Harpur's hands automatically lift to catch Marc, squeezing his arms firmly in reassurance as he awaits hearing what Marc has to say. "Oh? do they now...?" he looks up at the men, immediately scanning their faces for deception. "Tommaso? Well isn't that good to hear. These men are just doing their job Master Marcello" he says warmly and steps towards them.
If able he'd step between them both and pat them on the shoulder lightly if he could before he'd attempt to suddenly clamp his hands down hard on their shoulders and yank them closer to him with an even tighter smile "So y' won't mind us takin' a little walk t' the Grimani estate with me n' Master Marcello right now will y?" he says in an overly 'kind' voice, one that can only come across a little threatening.
Marc — 09/11/2021
His mind was awhirl, his emotions wanted to escape him as a growl, but were otherwise strange and emptied, his scent was spiking and roiling - and then they'd only doubled down on their Tommasso story.
It took every drop of willpower and focus Marc had to rein himself back down to focus on the two before him, and Harpur's presence helped; he tensed and squared his shoulders as Harpur cramped down on theirs.
"Yeah, Tommaso." It was an echo. He was incredibly aware that his relationship with Cienna was now a hand that he was about to play, rather than a semi-secret and pure-hearted thing they'd spent years building. "I have to greet him too, it's been a little while...
"Shall we, Harpur?"
Rook — 09/11/2021
"Is everything alright?" It was the younger rider, who asked. Though, when they spoke of Tommaso in the way that they did, another look was exchanged. If there was deception, it was exceptionally masked under the amount of confusion they were showing.
When Harpur became threatening after tugging them closer, the younger one paled and the older one, well, he turned just as aggressive. "You keep your hands off my brother or I swear, I will knock you right off your ass. We were doing our jobs and you've no right to treat him this way. If this continues, you better believe I will be taking this to your superior and having a talk about further business with Lord Grimani."
He'd force Harpur to let go of said brother, but turned to Marc. "I will accompany you to the House, absolutely." Because despite his mannerisms, he was atleast not trying to manhandle them. "I will get to the bottom of whatever this is."
Harpur Eberhardt — 09/11/2021
Harpur bared is teeth at the one forcing his hand from his brother, his teeth grow longer and his jaw bristles for the barest of a second. He snaps his mouth shut and takes a deep breath. He gets it under control fast, but these episodes are getting harder to control as the full moon draws closer every day.
"You're lucky I'm on a break." he grumbles. Harpur never took holidays, but obviously this wasn't the same Harpur they'd known of before they left if his body was changing shape even slightly.
"M' not looking for trouble" he relents, he's trying to be ... well... 'better' but figuring out what 'better' was when you'd always thought you were backing the right horse was hard. "We just want to get to the bottom of this too, please uh...help us?" he looks stiffly at Marc. He's suspicious still but fuck he's trying to smooth things over. Either way he walks with them, ugh he'd gone and made things worse hadn't he?
He couldn't worry about that now, they needed to know what was going on.
Marc — 09/11/2021
He'd NEARLY lunged (like a CHILD...or like anyone else his age!), nearly let a "Yeah? Do it!" slip out when the older brother yelped about doing further business with Lord Grimani - maybe that's what the'd wanted, maybe that's what they'd needed, if a couple of horse-boys getting riled up would get attention where other efforts had failed, maybe it'd all be worth it...
"Things are not all right, no." Was instead what he'd let fly with instead, a rather underwhelming but even-toned answer to the younger brother.
With the emergence of the wolf came the emergence of an imperceptible, undefinable sense, a tug of longing; there was no devouring, no absorption here, but it was a thoughtless reflex, a starved thirst for something that was never his. It was gone as quickly as the guard's own shift.
Marc was grasping at his elbows again, calming himself down., and luckily the exchange with Harpur was providing him space Harpur making amends was something the older man should address at his own pace, and at the pace of those willing to work with him. And luckily, Harpur did back down, and it had given Marc the space to re-collect himself.
"Please. Help us." It was an echo, but the steadiness and quiet command of it surprised even himself. "All of us. Captain Eberhardt too, your brother." And then the tiniest little quirk of a half-smile threatened to tug at his mouth. "Answers time, mmm?"
Rook — 09/11/2021
The change in Harpur didn't help any, but the younger of the pair reacted by moving away as if expecting the Captain to suddenly attack him. The other one, however, was standing his ground and kept himself between them. Shock turned to more when Harpur kept talking. "You're not looking for trouble, but you threaten us?" Clearly, he was going the opposite way if that were true.
"The bottom of what?" That was a question he was still not getting answered, but he turned to his brother. "The letter." Once it was given to him, he'd tuck it into his pocket. "I'll go, but he'll stay here. You've given him enough for one day, I don't need him breaking down."
Whether or not Marcello or Harpur agreed, he'd head for the Grimani house. "Whatever answers you need, I can give them alone."
Harpur Eberhardt — 09/13/2021
Harpur sighed, was this how it was going to be now? Did he have to change, to relearn everything he'd always known and been good at? he couldn't dwell on it now. He eyed the older brother "You'll understand when we get there. If you have nothing to hide you have nothing to worry about, do you?" he grumbles. He doesn't want to split them up either, he wants that brother to come with them but he realizes he probably needs to be lenient in this moment to even get one of them to come with them.
He looks to Marc as he's called 'Captain' though and it only causes a pang of sadness. "I'm off-duty, Master Marcello. The decision is yours." he...perhaps for the first time in his life, steps back for someone else to take the lead. It's obviously hard, he's tense and he has to look away. But he does it. Whatever is decided, he'd walk alongside the group.
They needed to get to the bottom of this.
Marc — 09/16/2021
This was tense and he didn't like it and he really hoped that his want, his need to unravel and come apart with the sheer roiling force of his impatience and terror was kept inside, that he wasn't actually coming undone.
Training was keeping him together admirably, all things considered - though the brother's decision to split up had him stiffening sharply. He feared the empathy and loathed the suspicion, but they were both there and twisting a terrible knot in that strange empty chest of his. But his thoughts aligned with Harpur's - he could be worried about nothing, suspicious of the wrong people, and only ready to divide this already tense situation further. And bringing the second seemed like a 'don't let him escape.'
A deep breath, and he took on a stance not unlike one his father often took. He was faking it rather well."We have reason to believe Tommasso never made it home."
He looked from Harpur to the older of the pair. "The both of you, come with me, please." Then his stare met the more nervous of the pair.
"You - what's your name? Stay here. We will meet you back here when we're done...and perhaps you can help us." It looked like a concession to allow one 'free,' perhaps was, though it seemed a slightly pointed ask.
Rook — 09/16/2021
"Where else would he have gone? It was down the same path." Perhaps a different route, but it all sounded strange to him. He didn't seem too keen on listening to Harpur, but the aggression and the sudden change had him on edge. The Racist Captain was actually a supe?
What a night.
When Marcello pushed for his brother to follow, he paused for a moment. The younger one, though, raised a hand in a hesitant greeting. "A-ah, Stefano. Yes...yes, I'll be here." A concerned look followed to the older man, and he'd head back to the horses.
The older man followed the pair when they headed off, quiet along the way, unless they decided to push him for answers then.
Harpur Eberhardt — 09/18/2021
Harpur shared the same sentiment as Marc, maybe it was simply for one to get free. Perhaps he communicated that in the way he exchanged a glance with the younger man and then started walking "Hold, a moment. I came to fetch Valentino." and for a brief moment he slips into the stables. Horses scream and panic and the man finally emerges looking irritable with his rather more calm stallion.
He walks at Marc's side. It's subtle, but he gently squeezes the man's elbow in emotional support. It doesn't last long, but he lets Marc know he's there for him.
Marc — 09/18/2021
"Thank you, Stefano. We will be at Grimani should you change your mind."
If he was having second thoughts over leaving this guy behind, he didn't show it. Though the pause before and the words of the second statement were vaguely ominous enough to let some of what was on his mind slip through.
"Should you feel uncertain about all of this, head to Aiolfi."
He did not push the man any further; their walk was determined and dutiful, and socially delicate. Harpur's reassurance saw Marc meet his eyes - and there was naked emotion in his perpetual stare if only for a moment. Thank you, Harpur. He was really glad you showed up, Harpur. And he was very, very, very frightened for Cienna.
Marc's tunnel-vision was his love, and he tried to press outside of it for the sake of this investigation - but miraculously, he'd managed to keep putting one foot on another, managed not to fall apart mentally or physically, and managed an eye on their company until they got to the Grimani house.
Rook — 09/18/2021
Probably to the pair's relief, Sante continued along with them to the other house. He was quiet on the way, but had glanced over his shoulder to make sure Stefano didn't seem bothered he was leaving. Once he was at the House, he looked to the pair briefly.
"So, we're here. You had questions, yes? Or do you need the others here?" Sante would ask, less hostile than before. Something calmer, almost curious.
Harpur Eberhardt — 09/19/2021
Harpur felt every emotion conveyed, if only in a look.
He's worried too, though he hardly shows it. When they arrive at the Grimani house he turns his eyes on Sante as soon as the question leaves his lips. He grunts at him "I'd like us to go speak with the family." he looks to Marc to see if the young man agrees. Why else should they come here?
Poor Aeson, he thinks. If this is all a lie, as it sounds to be, it's going to worry him sick. It'll stress him out, he's sure, but they all need to know. Need to understand.
Marc — 09/19/2021
"Walk with us. I would...like to find someone at the house so you can compare notes, as it were. Sorry for frightening Stefano," he added, somewhat disconnectedly. "If Lord Grimani is home, that would be...ideal."
He couldn't exactly climb (or...fly) up to Cienna's window, but he could look for men; if they weren't on loan today Marc would at least seek out a familiar face if he could find one - though at this stage and if uninterrupted he would walk right through as many doors as he could.
And if he could find someone, there'd be a brisk and semi authoritative, "Is Ci-is Lord Aeson or Cienna home?" Then with as much innocence as he could muster, "Or Tomm?"
Rook — 09/19/2021
"Of course." A response to both, and Sante nodded his thanks to Marc, as he dug out the letter from earlier to have it ready. For now, he just waited, and kept his own attention up for anyone to approach.
It would be Danaus that arrived, first glancing to the carriage rider and then the other pair. "They are not, she was supposed to be with him." To Sante, who immediately brought over the letter. "I was given this from Tommaso, who said it was from your Father. It was on..."
As he paused, so did the eldest brother. "....On?"
Harpur Eberhardt — 09/21/2021
Harpur was quiet, a strange thing for the guard who had often injected himself loudly into everything. He knew this was sensitive, he didn't want to do anything that'd cause the already fragile tower of information to fall apart before they could get anything helpful from it.
As they're greeted by Danaus he bows his head in respect. He watches, and listens, and is surprised to hear that Tommaso himself had supposedly been there too.
On? on what?
He turns his head sharply to look at the rider, raising a brow in question. Well???
Marc — 09/23/2021
The eldest brother's appearance was a relief, for a moment. But if Marc still had a heart in that mangled chest of his, he could've sworn it dropped like a stone into his stomach, and he felt his throat tighten unpleasantly when Cie's brother confirmed she wasn't there.
It was on business - somewhat - so Danaus would get a brisk bow, with one hand clasping a closed fist. With familiarity came a slight loosening of the mask, however; Marc would meet the eldest brother's eyes with no small amount of worry.
Attention shifted back to Sante, and as the man faltered, so Marc took an instinctive step between him and Danaus - as he no doubt had several times in far more normal circumstance.
Danaus voiced what the other two didn't need to voice, but now the poor rider had all sets of eyes locked in on him.
Rook — 09/24/2021
While minor distraction came in Harpur's direction, following that polite bow of his head, it didn't last long. He waited for Sante's response, looking irritated and somehow also thankful for Marc's movement between them. "Get on with it." He said sharply, opening up the letter finally.
"....This isn't my father's writing, not really."
Just before he could demand further explanation, Sante's stuttering continued and he soon just....fainted. Danaus started forward, turning to a guard. "Go get a cart or...something, so we can take him somewhere!"
Harpur Eberhardt — 09/24/2021
Harpur kept himself steeled, but his eyes were full of questioning as he looks at Danaus. Would this shed some light on the situation? he feels urgency coursing through his veins though he stands as still as a gargoyle. The revelation comes and Harpur's features tighten and he turns his head to sharply regard Sante.
He's not expecting the man to faint though, with all the strange things happening to this family he almost considers a curse that prevents the man telling the truth. No - don't be silly, he's just overwhelmed. Of course he does his best to turn and catch the man as soon as he knows it's going to happen but he barely grasps Sante's arm before it slips from his fingers.
"Startin' to think these guys r' tellin' the truth" he says sadly to Marc as he drops down to pick Sante up with strength even greater than he'd once had. "..Marc" he says softly to the younger man "We'll find 'er. We'll set off right away if y' give th' word." he coos to poor Marc who he knows is probably crumbling inside, though Harpur knows he's strong, perhaps stronger than him, even.
Marc — 09/24/2021
And Danaus confirmed everything Marc was fearing so far with that letter.
Marc swore explosively as Sante went down (a puppet whose strings were cut was a ghoulish image Marc couldn't entirely banish from his mind) but Harpur swooped first; which was good even if he didn't quite catch the poor guy , as it was some considerable effort that saw Marc finally move again, and he nodded to Danaus, ready to sprint off for a cart.
"Is your father home? Do we want him inside? With a doctor? Garden?" Oh could Marc even LOOK at the garden, now? Perhaps there was some faint hope that she'd impossibly turn up in her usual spots. The rider was less looking like an impostor and more like a poor sucker with every minute - but that only tore open the ever-increasingly possibility that this was all wrapping back around to the missing guard.
"We left his brother at the stables." It was something between worry and a growl of frustration. That felt like a fuck-up. "I need...Dad. I need Richa, too," was a murmur. "Harpur, if that was Tomm, and this is all part of the thing you and...the Lords were working on, best you stick closely with us, too." The tone was gently implicit Danaeus and the twins were probably next.
Perhaps Harpur especially would be aware of how doggedly he was controlling his breathing, how he was doing his absolute best not to teeter into a panic attack.
Grabbing a cart from nearby would at least give him enough distraction - and the faster they got to the bottom of this, the faster they'd get to Cienna. So Marc did, returning to help scoop the rider up should the men need it.
"Stick with me, Harpur. Please? Stick with us."
Rook — 09/25/2021
The letter was shoved into a pocket, since he figured he could deal with it later. Sante went down, and that was his concern.
"I'll get the place under alert." Danaus said as he turned to Marc, who seemed to be panicking. "We'll be fine inside, there's a lot of people in there." Maybe the twins wouldn't notice, but it was unlikely. They'd pop up. "Where can you look?" He asked of Harpur, but elaborated further. "Of my sister, I mean. I can send along more guards if you two want."
When Marc returned with the cart, Danaus would scoop the man up alongside him and would drag it to the house. A side door, just to make it easier to go inside. The doctor would be sent for, someone who did house calls, and the nobleman found a couch to lay Sante on. He was still breathing, just unconscious.
"We can handle this, if you two want to get going."
As anticipated by their older brother, the twins did show up. "Is he okay? Do you want us to find dad? Do you need our help?" The two swapped between who asked the questions, and they almost kept going. As kids do.
Harpur Eberhardt — 09/25/2021
Harpur nods to Marc "I'm not going anywhere without you Marc, I'm here." he assures him, he's there for him, he won't disappear. He deposits Sante to the couch
"I had been thinking we start with getting the brother. Marc?" he leaps up onto the back of his horse and offers a hand to the younger man to join him. They need to make haste.
"I just hope he's still there. From there ...all we can do is retrace their steps."
Marc — 09/25/2021
To the eldest, he nodded. "I'll send word ahead to Enrica and my father, we'll get a few of ours over here too, just in case."
It might've been overkill, but Aiolfi and their extended guard were savvy to vampires and supernatural wiles, if this was indeed related to the Jack thing. The decision also deeply drove that guilt home in Marc's mind - the moment he wasn't there, something happened. Whatever this was, now, it was targeted and it was serial.
The least he could do is protect what was left of Cie's family, and he was more resolute at the appearance those twins. "Dunno about the guy," it was true enough, "Just fainted, that's all. But look after your Dad for a sec, huh? Let him know we've got a few coming over, and they'll bring Rosa. And that disc Jac keeps trying to teach her."
"I had been thinking we start with getting the brother. Marc?"
"Best case scenario, he's still unguarded and a ...sitting duck. Let's go get him."
Harpur's decision was sensible. And it accounted for the brother. But when he joined Harpur, he did murmur, just for him.
"It's that town, the one Dad found." He could 'dad' freely around Harpur. "I know it."
It might've been mad with grief, but for something so insane, he sounded incredibly even, if not outright angry.
Rook — 09/25/2021
To Stables!
Once they get there, Stefano is nowhere to be found! The horses are still there, happy as can be, with their oats and hay. If they ask the stable workers, they'd tell them one of the horses got agitated and bit at the boy, so he went home.
Nothing out of the ordinary! Horses get sassy, and bite hard.
Harpur Eberhardt — 09/26/2021
Harpur rides there as fast as he can without throwing poor Marc off the back of his beast. He trusts him to hold his own back there though.
When they arrive the news is less than good. He bares his teeth and snorts in a dog-like way before turning and taking off back towards town. After a moment he has to slow down "Wait ..." he utters to Marc.
He's still...ashamed of what he is. To use one of his new abilities is hard but this is important. He looks to the man behind him and then ahead, sniffing the air.
"Okay...he did go this way."
He remembers their smells from the meeting earlier, had he filed them away on purpose or was it just something he'd done subconsciously?
"I think I remember roughly where these guys were from" he mumbles and heads that way, across the bridges. People part to get away from them if only because Harpur sits at the reigns.
But then they go past Jack's place and he eyes it suspiciously, stopping to sniff the air around it before humming and heading onwards.
In this time he says nothing to Marc, he's ...thinking. Where is this guy going?
But inevitably his nose leads him to the coliseum and he slows to dismount "I ...I think he went in here? ...I can't imagine why. Lets take a look."
Marc — 09/26/2021
The stable workers are rather unfortunately treated to a lord's son swearing rather explosively (and then promptly amending it with "it's not you, it's not-!") Luckily he's still on the horse or he might've punched a support beam or two while he was at it. He had to destroy something. SOMETHING was at fault.
"Thank you, Harpur."
It's weird, but Marc had spent the past year draining magic by touch and taste. He'd outright eaten an enchanted gem once, and THAT was weird; weirder that it went down rather easily. He'd kept that part from Cienna. Between that, and the ever-present lapses of Jacomo beginning to do the same, he'd take a bulky guard and guardian sniffing out a wayward rider any day.
He even managed a somewhat desperate little snicker. "I won't say 'good boy' or anything." It was a false joke without humor, lonely and revealing. He also noted the people parting. He offered a small and somewhat distant wave, anyway.
And when they arrived, Marc dismounted, and he fell into line to flank Harpur, strangely soundless.
"Lead the way, I'll follow."
Rook — 09/26/2021
Jack's house seemed the same as it ever did. There seemed to be the sound of tapping at a window, as if someone was doing so with a single nail - any investigation would find no one there. Perhaps the sound of the house settling, and nothing more.
Once they got to the coliseum, they'd find Stefano sitting there, hands to his lap and staring down at the empty ring quietly. He seemed relatively normal, but with a sickly gleam to his skin. Cold sweat and all, though there were signs he did wipe at his forehead.
He wouldn't acknowledge them at first, depending on how quiet they were.
Harpur Eberhardt — 09/26/2021
Harpur had laughed weakly at the 'joke', both of them were feeling rough but Harpur knew Marc had to be feeling ten times worse if not more.
He nods to Marc's request, he leads the way and heads into the coliseum only to see Stefano in plain view.
He approaches slowly, but keeps a good distance, trying to smell the air. Something was wrong "Something's wrong with him."
Then..
He whispers "... the brother, we left him with them" he doesn't explain his train of thought but he most certainly now is wondering why the brother had really fainted. Was it sickness?
With all his worry of vampires lately he's wary to even get closer.
"Stefano." he calls out lowly "What has happened to you?"
Marc — 09/26/2021
Marc could only frown and nod.
"Looks like a lure." It was already weird enough and the poor guy nipping off to see a show that wasn't there only heightened those senses. "S'why I asked for Richa. And...Dad."
He strangely didn't seem as affected about getting closer; perhaps it was that youthful brawler confidence, or something else.
He can't smell the air but he reaches for that yawning and hungry sixth-sense. He steps forward, anyways. Still soundless, still wary. Harpur is the one to break the silence first. Marc only listens at first.
"You feeling all right? Your brother's in a state, got us worried."
Rook — 09/26/2021
Seemingly lost in a daydream, Stefano didn't react until Harpur called out to him and he started slightly. "Oh. C-Captain!" He moved to his feet suddenly, though outside the sickness, he seemed relatively normal.
"In a..a state? What happened? Where is he?! I...I thought maybe I'd wait here, go some after and see him." Perhaps not now, and he seemed to hesitate on moving or not.
"I...I think I'm okay, I got home and things went a little dark. I think it's my anxiety? I have issues with that, but I was suddenly wandering and didn't feel right....so I just kept doing so. It's quiet here, so I thought I could just clear my head. It's a little better."
He explained, and he'd walk over. "Is my brother at the infirmary? A-at home?"
Harpur Eberhardt — 09/26/2021
"Just Harpur." He corrects the younger man. He's not on duty, and ...well maybe it'll calm the lad down.
He'd blacked out, he was looking pasty and he had no idea why he was here it almost seemed. He'd explained it away but it didn't seem enough.
"Turn your head left to right as far as you can" he demands, ignoring the questions, Marc can handle those.
He draws in closer to get a good look, given his paranoia about Jack and vampric things he's at least looking for any marks on the young man's neck. "How do you feel? Hot? Cold? Dizzy?" he rests a hand on the hilt of his blade as he draws nearer, not a threat but a precaution.
Marc — 09/26/2021
Harpur would examine, and Marc decided he would tell the truth, or at least...enough of it. He stood and approached directly before Stefano, would be eye-to-eye if Marc wasn't so adverse to doing so under normal circumstances.
"We took him to Grimani; he's under their doctors' care now, at least until he comes-to. But he'd fainted, hard.
"I'm sure you've heard about the Lady Cienna's illness," gods it felt weird to give her a title, but it was subtly goading all the same, masked in pleasantry. "Worth checking up on the both of you after spending enough time in close quarters, you know?"
It sounded mildly horseshit to someone like Harpur who knew the pair had been seeing each other, and Marc was here evidently unhindered by either mother or girlfriend's illness.
Rook — 09/26/2021
"Oh...uh, alright." Stefano immediately complied, and...revealed no bite marks. There were the faintest hint of scratch marks just starting at his collarbone, but hidden when his shirt-collar shifted. "F-fainted? Did he hit his head?" The mention of doctors were met with relief. There was that atleast.
"D-do you think that's it?" There were similar symptoms, he realized, but the fainting... "Did she ever wake up wandering? The Doctors she went to couldn't do anything! What if they can't help me?" There was a mild bit of panicking again.
"We were barely in contact with the Lady Cienna, even when we took breaks!"
Harpur Eberhardt — 09/29/2021
Harpur frowns, he's no doctor...he's not entirely even sure how fainting happens outside of someone hitting their head. And even then his logic was "big hit bad!", else he might have been thinking along different avenues "he might have, I tried to stop his fall but i didn't get to him on time" he mumbles and then gently reaches out for the guy's shirt "Do you mind if i check you for marks?"
If let he'd just pull the collar back, trying to see what those scratches were. He'd ask if the guy remembered getting them if he'd let him look in the first place.
Did Cienna wake up wandering? Marc knew more about it than him so he cast the younger man a look and then stepped back "Don't worry now. Lets just get you back to your brother and sit you down. I'm sure we can get you both something warm to drink."
Contact- it couldn't be contagious could it? After all, Marc hadn't gotten it and well...he'd been close to her a few times at the least. "I- I doubt it's contagious. Her family is alright, aren't they?" it's better to word it that way than out Marc, he thinks. "Come. Lets go, we can find a cart at the barracks and take you back. I'm sure we can send for a doctor once you're safe."
He even surprises himself by caring so deeply. Then again he always had for the right kind of people, but normally he'd be suspecting these guys of doing something to Cienna, paranoid. Yet... he feels no deception, maybe he's wrong but this poor young man is unwell.
Marc — 10/02/2021
Harpur had control of the more direct approach, and for that Marc was appreciative, and Harpur's paranoia was met with Marc's silent confirmation through looks and nods - yes, check for those. Leave the vampire investigations to the notorious hunter. For all of his own nerves and impatience to just get to Cienna... Stefano did give Marc pause, and his next words were warm and as reassuring as he could muster - his own anxiety ebbing as he tried to help the other man get a handle on his.
"It's all right, it's all right. Cienna wasn't wandering, not while she was with me while I was on duty. Neither was my mother. And her brother seems fine." It didn't exactly out him either; he appreciated Harpur's discretion on the matter. There was a little faint, reassuring smile at that that he tried to make reach his eyes.
He would assist in getting the rider somewhere safe should that be the plan; regardless of whether they moved or stayed, the next question would be the same:
"Do you remember anything more around when things went dark?" Marc didn't have too much hope around this, but even a non-answer would be an answer.
Rook — 10/02/2021
"I hope he's alright...I need to go check after." When asked about marks, Stefano nodded and unbuttoned his shirt. "They are something I did in my sleep, I had a horrible dream." He explained, and exposed the scratches. Human made judging by the appearance, stopping near the bottom of his right person with another couple near his hip. The angle however seemed straight down, as if someone had been hovering over him. "I'd like a drink." Hot or otherwise, at this point.
Once Harpur was done his inspection, he'd focus on Marc. "That's...that's a relief." Up he'd stand, just before considering the nobleman next question. "I had an urge to leave, and so I'm...here. I'm sorry, it's not much. I just knew I had be somewhere and then I stopped feeling that way." He seemed vaguely anxious now.
"Can I go to my brother?"
Harpur — Yesterday at 8:59 PM
Harpur's concern for this young man seems quite paternal, something Marc may have been noticing more anyway since he'd really truly been accepted into the Aiolfi family. He looks at the marks for a moment with a concerned look over at Marc before leaning a bit closer and sniffing as subtly as he can. Do they smell like someone elses hands? are any of them more recent?
He tries to laugh softly as the younger man says he'd like a drink "Lets get you back to him now, shall we?" he tries to slip a supportive arm around the younger man and guide him towards his horse, Valentino. "You can ride up top, we'll walk. Just take it easy." an urge to leave... compulsion could be vampiric, they were known for that sort of thing but it was also too vague to pin just on vampires. He can't let his prejudice cloud any sort of investigation.
Marc — Yesterday at 10:31 PM
"Yeah...he will be. They've got good doctors on call." For the usual things, at least.
With Harpur, he examined the scratches; he noted the angle, but remained silent about it. No sense scaring the poor man any further.
And at Harpur's suggestion, he helped escort him back to the horse.
"Yeah, we'll get you some things." He bit his lip at the mention of compulsion. "Just felt like it, huh? That helps, thank you. It works...we'll take you to drinks, to your brother, all of that. Talk to me about this dream."
Rook — Yesterday at 10:51 PM
It was likely due to Harpur being a lot more relaxed than how he was at the stables that resulted in the same reaction from Stefano. The scratches wouldn't have any smell on him that wasn't his own, strangely enough.
"Thank you." To Harpur, and he followed him to Valentino, though if the horse could sense things - it wouldn't, at that time. Up onto the warhorse's back he'd go, even if he wasn't used to riding a a horse of his make.
"Alright.." And then the dream. Stefano took hold of the saddlehorn, just to keep himself steady. "Last night, I dreamt of being around a house I've not seen before, but there were livestock around....but dead. I couldn't tell what by, but a woman was there. Don't know her, can't say I've seen her face before. Could tell she was angry, and just as I was going to ask her something, some other guy showed up. Just as he reached out to grab me, I heard someone say my name in my ear and I woke up. Figured it was Sante, but..he was still out."
Harpur Eberhardt — Today at 2:15 PM
Harpur looks sorrowful, he doesn't know what's happening. He doesn't find himself blaming these poor caravan guards anymore though, they just seem to be caught up in the fray. Something's wrong with them. Harpur only hopes that this guy isn't some distraction to draw them away from the house.
He takes the reigns of the horse, leading it. He thinks of Jack's house and glances to Marc as the strange place is described. "thank you for telling us" he tells the younger man quietly as he guides him back to the Grimani estate, leaning closer to Marc to speak more quietly.
"I don't know where we can find answers, Marc." he tells him in a whisper "But I'm going to that guards house, there must be something i've missed....I - just need to look at it again. I'm sorry this is happening." They're left with no leads, nothing. The two young men need to be monitored by doctors before further questioning.
Marc — Today at 8:52 PM
Marc stayed close as they all walked, keeping an eye on Stefano just in case he had to swoop and catch the poor man if he toppled.
"Yes. Thank you. I'm...sorry if it seems like we're acting a little strange, there's reason for it. You and your brother will be safe." It was emphatic, even with Marc's odd delivery. The brothers had served their purpose it seemed, to whatever force was acting upon them.
"If you like...if you remember, what was the woman like? Or any of them? What was the house like?" He exchanged a glance with Harpur as he said the last part; met his eyes at Harpur's whisper and nodded. "I will come with." It wasn't an option - the only reason that he wasn't taking off like a shot after Cienna was because he didn't know where she was. Anything, anything helped.
Rook — Today at 8:56 PM
Thankfully, Stefano seemed to get some of his color back, but had to deal with the dampness from the cold sweat. "Thank you." He murmured to the pair, and didn't seem to mind further questions.
"The house was in a forest, the livestock were all sheep. I don't think it's from here, the trees were different." And then the people. "They both had dark hair, but looked similar to each other and reminded me of the Guard who used to be here all the time. But, you know, had their differences. The woman was holding something, but I couldn't see what it was."
When they spoke of the house, he said nothing of it. Once they got him to wherever his brother was, Stefano's main interest was getting to him. "I....I really hope everything with the Lady Cienna is okay. I'm sorry, I really thought her brother was sent over."
With that, he'd leave them to their decision to go explore the other house.
It had been a while since that other Grimani owned carriage had left, having taken another one of the siblings and for a much different purpose. Marc had likely been sent the occasional letter, and any of his own were read and kept somewhere safe. Now one just had to hope that whatever treatment she got would help!
Instead of going straight to the house, the Riders had taken the carriage to the stables first - likely to handle the horses and their many needs. It would be considered a little strange not to take them to the Grimani's stables, but perhaps there was a good reason for that, right?
Marc — 09/08/2021
The pair had confessed their love once in a secret, small and lovely garden, and with Cienna absent and their parents rightly distracted as of late from all manner of propriety and betrothal by matters far more urgent and strange, it was a scene on loop in Marc's head, and for all of his fears and hopes that clawed at his mind with every passing day, he clung tighter to that memory.
His letters had been fast and increasingly frequent; at first they had started rather formal, written with evident restraint, but it was not long before some became informal, casual, conversational, as if she'd been right next to him.
Things like - Jian misses you, Rosa misses you. He'd found someone who breeds these raptors and he wanted to buy them her an egg very badly. That the other day, a quack had rolled through the main city with a covered wagon and a stock full of snake oil and he'd nearly bought something off of that cart to help her, anyway. That there is a little purple elf that keeps looking for her and he never knows how much to tell him. That he was not sorry at all for holding her as long as he had, before she left. That he missed how that felt with ever fiber of his being and couldn't wait for her return. That he bought the egg.
And some more letters still were outright romantic, thoroughly apologizing for his lack of talent in the flowery writing department, before he utterly went for it anyway.
--
Luckily Marc had at least gotten better at sneaking around, and excelled at moving quickly - even before that illness had made him something less - or something more. His Watch route had, perhaps mercifully, taken him rather close to the road and when he was off patrol, he'd gone back out anyway every chance was able to take to watch for the Grimani carriage. So when one finally returned, he was very quick to follow, the inevitable lump forming in his throat and twisting in his chest.
Rook — 09/08/2021
When they got to the stables, it was the usual work of getting the horses out of their bindings and every other piece of gear removed. The riders hadn't noticed Marc at first, but that likely wasn't going to last long, if he made himself a little more obvious.
"Master Marcello! Good morning." There was a bit of confusion with the younger man's greeting, but he shrugged it off and took a few crates from the carriage to set aside for now. "Is there anything we can help you with?" He'd ask, leaving the work with the horses to the other rider, who led them into one of the stalls to rest.
Marc — 09/08/2021
"Good morning!" It was a cheerful enough greeting, and he'd tried to plaster over his growing worry with every ounce of propriety and friendliness that had been trained into him, even going so far as to offer any assistance.
"I was hoping to speak to Cienna, I must have missed your stop back at Grimani?"
Rook — 09/08/2021
The offer to help was certainly appreciated; move some boxes here, check on the wheels and the rest of the gear. "Thanks! I-uh."
There came the big question!
They looked at each other and back to Marc. "Didn't- well, her brother came and got her, told us his father requested it. So, figured they'd have gotten here before us."
𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰 — 09/08/2021
It was a stab to the gut.
Tomm, who was vanished. Tomm who was probably dead and not yet properly mourned hoodwinked by one of the only undead that had shown the heirs kindness and understanding - dead no matter what his own father was insisting.
These guys seemed like they'd had no idea. Marc bowed, miraculously managing a polite and slightly ashamed smile that was wholly false; he felt like automata, that he was just acting, manners and actions coming to him without a single spare thought given to them. He folded his hands behind his back and stood up straighter.
Maybe he did just miss something. But arriving home without telling him was so unlike Cienna, never mind everything else going on.
"Thank you both. I must've missed that word. I will go speak with Tomm and their father. ...except. How long ago was that?"
Rook — 09/08/2021
Poor Marc!
The rider was certainly unaware, and Marc's continued mannerisms only helped keep him from noticing something was up. "You're very welcome. Perhaps they were tired, Cienna did have a few new treatments to try to help deal with her ailment. I imagine she was happy to get home!"
If anything to reassure Marc that everything was fine!
"Oh, I'd say about a day ago? Probably a little less, so I can imagine they just needed a break."
Harpur — 09/09/2021
It was perhaps by (fortunate?) coincidence that Harpur had been headed to the stables himself. He'd been trying to exist in town for most of the day but distance from his job for a while had been eye opening. Even not in armor the towns people recognized and feared him. Had he really been so cruel? many whispered to each other while looking at him, everywhere he went were fearful, angry or judgmental eyes. How had it gotten this bad?
It was about time he moved Valentino to the Aiolfi estate though, and he needed to get away from the city center...maybe a little ride first would help. His head was pounding, his bones ached, his muscles felt pulled. The moon was coming soon, just some days away now. He still needs to figure out what to do about that.
Before he reaches the top of the shallow hill he smells Marc's scent coming down wind and catches the edge of voices. Upon seeing the Grimani carriage, however, he crests the small hill a little faster and makes his way over to them "Marc." he greets informally, calling over to him. He presents as casual as possible but his eyes are full of questions as they glance to the carriage and then back to Marc. What's going on?
Something feels off, anyway. The atmosphere, the smells. If he can get closer he sniffs subtly at the carriage on the way past. Cienna? is she here? "Has young lady Cienna returned?"
Marc — 09/10/2021
His arm was bleeding, his opposite palm smeared red and he didn't know why at first. The nervous fidgets had taken on a new tone; clawed at it, pulled out whatever had manifested. Behind his back, he'd not even gotten a good look at whatever it had been. He pulled a glove over it and rolled his sleeve over the glove. Marc's scent may have briefly spiked unusually, but his nerves would have overridden everything.
He did manage a nod, but could not allow himself to quite smile the same as if things were fine, this time.
It took everything he had to put one foot in front of the other as he retreated, took everything he had not to break out into a full run, race straight to Grimani, expecting to quell nerves and instead finding an unstable flutter of emptiness and fury at his core. It did carry him backwards right into Harpur though.
"Have you been to Grimani at all yesterday?" was blurted out, though he'd doubted it highly at this point. Things were building and collapsing around both families so quickly and Marc's head was where Cienna had been that it was often difficult to cope with them all still interacting at some degree of normal sociability. And he knew very well how unpredictable fathers who have lost their sons could be. Then straightened up with another one of those bows, adding innocently on the surface with only the slightest hint of ulterior meaning, "These men say she has."
Rook — 09/10/2021
There was a sudden anxiety in the air, especially with how Marc was acting and the arrival of one of the grumpier guards. The rider looked between the two and his assistant as he returned, both exchanging a concerned look.
"The Lady Cienna was retrieved by her brother, Tommaso, as requested by their father." The response was a bit more hesitant this time. How did both not know? "Did something happen?" Clearly not as knowledgeable about the noble families as everyone else!
"If...she's not, maybe they're taking longer? I....well, I thought they'd be."
Harpur Eberhardt — 09/10/2021
Harpur's hands automatically lift to catch Marc, squeezing his arms firmly in reassurance as he awaits hearing what Marc has to say. "Oh? do they now...?" he looks up at the men, immediately scanning their faces for deception. "Tommaso? Well isn't that good to hear. These men are just doing their job Master Marcello" he says warmly and steps towards them.
If able he'd step between them both and pat them on the shoulder lightly if he could before he'd attempt to suddenly clamp his hands down hard on their shoulders and yank them closer to him with an even tighter smile "So y' won't mind us takin' a little walk t' the Grimani estate with me n' Master Marcello right now will y?" he says in an overly 'kind' voice, one that can only come across a little threatening.
Marc — 09/11/2021
His mind was awhirl, his emotions wanted to escape him as a growl, but were otherwise strange and emptied, his scent was spiking and roiling - and then they'd only doubled down on their Tommasso story.
It took every drop of willpower and focus Marc had to rein himself back down to focus on the two before him, and Harpur's presence helped; he tensed and squared his shoulders as Harpur cramped down on theirs.
"Yeah, Tommaso." It was an echo. He was incredibly aware that his relationship with Cienna was now a hand that he was about to play, rather than a semi-secret and pure-hearted thing they'd spent years building. "I have to greet him too, it's been a little while...
"Shall we, Harpur?"
Rook — 09/11/2021
"Is everything alright?" It was the younger rider, who asked. Though, when they spoke of Tommaso in the way that they did, another look was exchanged. If there was deception, it was exceptionally masked under the amount of confusion they were showing.
When Harpur became threatening after tugging them closer, the younger one paled and the older one, well, he turned just as aggressive. "You keep your hands off my brother or I swear, I will knock you right off your ass. We were doing our jobs and you've no right to treat him this way. If this continues, you better believe I will be taking this to your superior and having a talk about further business with Lord Grimani."
He'd force Harpur to let go of said brother, but turned to Marc. "I will accompany you to the House, absolutely." Because despite his mannerisms, he was atleast not trying to manhandle them. "I will get to the bottom of whatever this is."
Harpur Eberhardt — 09/11/2021
Harpur bared is teeth at the one forcing his hand from his brother, his teeth grow longer and his jaw bristles for the barest of a second. He snaps his mouth shut and takes a deep breath. He gets it under control fast, but these episodes are getting harder to control as the full moon draws closer every day.
"You're lucky I'm on a break." he grumbles. Harpur never took holidays, but obviously this wasn't the same Harpur they'd known of before they left if his body was changing shape even slightly.
"M' not looking for trouble" he relents, he's trying to be ... well... 'better' but figuring out what 'better' was when you'd always thought you were backing the right horse was hard. "We just want to get to the bottom of this too, please uh...help us?" he looks stiffly at Marc. He's suspicious still but fuck he's trying to smooth things over. Either way he walks with them, ugh he'd gone and made things worse hadn't he?
He couldn't worry about that now, they needed to know what was going on.
Marc — 09/11/2021
He'd NEARLY lunged (like a CHILD...or like anyone else his age!), nearly let a "Yeah? Do it!" slip out when the older brother yelped about doing further business with Lord Grimani - maybe that's what the'd wanted, maybe that's what they'd needed, if a couple of horse-boys getting riled up would get attention where other efforts had failed, maybe it'd all be worth it...
"Things are not all right, no." Was instead what he'd let fly with instead, a rather underwhelming but even-toned answer to the younger brother.
With the emergence of the wolf came the emergence of an imperceptible, undefinable sense, a tug of longing; there was no devouring, no absorption here, but it was a thoughtless reflex, a starved thirst for something that was never his. It was gone as quickly as the guard's own shift.
Marc was grasping at his elbows again, calming himself down., and luckily the exchange with Harpur was providing him space Harpur making amends was something the older man should address at his own pace, and at the pace of those willing to work with him. And luckily, Harpur did back down, and it had given Marc the space to re-collect himself.
"Please. Help us." It was an echo, but the steadiness and quiet command of it surprised even himself. "All of us. Captain Eberhardt too, your brother." And then the tiniest little quirk of a half-smile threatened to tug at his mouth. "Answers time, mmm?"
Rook — 09/11/2021
The change in Harpur didn't help any, but the younger of the pair reacted by moving away as if expecting the Captain to suddenly attack him. The other one, however, was standing his ground and kept himself between them. Shock turned to more when Harpur kept talking. "You're not looking for trouble, but you threaten us?" Clearly, he was going the opposite way if that were true.
"The bottom of what?" That was a question he was still not getting answered, but he turned to his brother. "The letter." Once it was given to him, he'd tuck it into his pocket. "I'll go, but he'll stay here. You've given him enough for one day, I don't need him breaking down."
Whether or not Marcello or Harpur agreed, he'd head for the Grimani house. "Whatever answers you need, I can give them alone."
Harpur Eberhardt — 09/13/2021
Harpur sighed, was this how it was going to be now? Did he have to change, to relearn everything he'd always known and been good at? he couldn't dwell on it now. He eyed the older brother "You'll understand when we get there. If you have nothing to hide you have nothing to worry about, do you?" he grumbles. He doesn't want to split them up either, he wants that brother to come with them but he realizes he probably needs to be lenient in this moment to even get one of them to come with them.
He looks to Marc as he's called 'Captain' though and it only causes a pang of sadness. "I'm off-duty, Master Marcello. The decision is yours." he...perhaps for the first time in his life, steps back for someone else to take the lead. It's obviously hard, he's tense and he has to look away. But he does it. Whatever is decided, he'd walk alongside the group.
They needed to get to the bottom of this.
Marc — 09/16/2021
This was tense and he didn't like it and he really hoped that his want, his need to unravel and come apart with the sheer roiling force of his impatience and terror was kept inside, that he wasn't actually coming undone.
Training was keeping him together admirably, all things considered - though the brother's decision to split up had him stiffening sharply. He feared the empathy and loathed the suspicion, but they were both there and twisting a terrible knot in that strange empty chest of his. But his thoughts aligned with Harpur's - he could be worried about nothing, suspicious of the wrong people, and only ready to divide this already tense situation further. And bringing the second seemed like a 'don't let him escape.'
A deep breath, and he took on a stance not unlike one his father often took. He was faking it rather well."We have reason to believe Tommasso never made it home."
He looked from Harpur to the older of the pair. "The both of you, come with me, please." Then his stare met the more nervous of the pair.
"You - what's your name? Stay here. We will meet you back here when we're done...and perhaps you can help us." It looked like a concession to allow one 'free,' perhaps was, though it seemed a slightly pointed ask.
Rook — 09/16/2021
"Where else would he have gone? It was down the same path." Perhaps a different route, but it all sounded strange to him. He didn't seem too keen on listening to Harpur, but the aggression and the sudden change had him on edge. The Racist Captain was actually a supe?
What a night.
When Marcello pushed for his brother to follow, he paused for a moment. The younger one, though, raised a hand in a hesitant greeting. "A-ah, Stefano. Yes...yes, I'll be here." A concerned look followed to the older man, and he'd head back to the horses.
The older man followed the pair when they headed off, quiet along the way, unless they decided to push him for answers then.
Harpur Eberhardt — 09/18/2021
Harpur shared the same sentiment as Marc, maybe it was simply for one to get free. Perhaps he communicated that in the way he exchanged a glance with the younger man and then started walking "Hold, a moment. I came to fetch Valentino." and for a brief moment he slips into the stables. Horses scream and panic and the man finally emerges looking irritable with his rather more calm stallion.
He walks at Marc's side. It's subtle, but he gently squeezes the man's elbow in emotional support. It doesn't last long, but he lets Marc know he's there for him.
Marc — 09/18/2021
"Thank you, Stefano. We will be at Grimani should you change your mind."
If he was having second thoughts over leaving this guy behind, he didn't show it. Though the pause before and the words of the second statement were vaguely ominous enough to let some of what was on his mind slip through.
"Should you feel uncertain about all of this, head to Aiolfi."
He did not push the man any further; their walk was determined and dutiful, and socially delicate. Harpur's reassurance saw Marc meet his eyes - and there was naked emotion in his perpetual stare if only for a moment. Thank you, Harpur. He was really glad you showed up, Harpur. And he was very, very, very frightened for Cienna.
Marc's tunnel-vision was his love, and he tried to press outside of it for the sake of this investigation - but miraculously, he'd managed to keep putting one foot on another, managed not to fall apart mentally or physically, and managed an eye on their company until they got to the Grimani house.
Rook — 09/18/2021
Probably to the pair's relief, Sante continued along with them to the other house. He was quiet on the way, but had glanced over his shoulder to make sure Stefano didn't seem bothered he was leaving. Once he was at the House, he looked to the pair briefly.
"So, we're here. You had questions, yes? Or do you need the others here?" Sante would ask, less hostile than before. Something calmer, almost curious.
Harpur Eberhardt — 09/19/2021
Harpur felt every emotion conveyed, if only in a look.
He's worried too, though he hardly shows it. When they arrive at the Grimani house he turns his eyes on Sante as soon as the question leaves his lips. He grunts at him "I'd like us to go speak with the family." he looks to Marc to see if the young man agrees. Why else should they come here?
Poor Aeson, he thinks. If this is all a lie, as it sounds to be, it's going to worry him sick. It'll stress him out, he's sure, but they all need to know. Need to understand.
Marc — 09/19/2021
"Walk with us. I would...like to find someone at the house so you can compare notes, as it were. Sorry for frightening Stefano," he added, somewhat disconnectedly. "If Lord Grimani is home, that would be...ideal."
He couldn't exactly climb (or...fly) up to Cienna's window, but he could look for men; if they weren't on loan today Marc would at least seek out a familiar face if he could find one - though at this stage and if uninterrupted he would walk right through as many doors as he could.
And if he could find someone, there'd be a brisk and semi authoritative, "Is Ci-is Lord Aeson or Cienna home?" Then with as much innocence as he could muster, "Or Tomm?"
Rook — 09/19/2021
"Of course." A response to both, and Sante nodded his thanks to Marc, as he dug out the letter from earlier to have it ready. For now, he just waited, and kept his own attention up for anyone to approach.
It would be Danaus that arrived, first glancing to the carriage rider and then the other pair. "They are not, she was supposed to be with him." To Sante, who immediately brought over the letter. "I was given this from Tommaso, who said it was from your Father. It was on..."
As he paused, so did the eldest brother. "....On?"
Harpur Eberhardt — 09/21/2021
Harpur was quiet, a strange thing for the guard who had often injected himself loudly into everything. He knew this was sensitive, he didn't want to do anything that'd cause the already fragile tower of information to fall apart before they could get anything helpful from it.
As they're greeted by Danaus he bows his head in respect. He watches, and listens, and is surprised to hear that Tommaso himself had supposedly been there too.
On? on what?
He turns his head sharply to look at the rider, raising a brow in question. Well???
Marc — 09/23/2021
The eldest brother's appearance was a relief, for a moment. But if Marc still had a heart in that mangled chest of his, he could've sworn it dropped like a stone into his stomach, and he felt his throat tighten unpleasantly when Cie's brother confirmed she wasn't there.
It was on business - somewhat - so Danaus would get a brisk bow, with one hand clasping a closed fist. With familiarity came a slight loosening of the mask, however; Marc would meet the eldest brother's eyes with no small amount of worry.
Attention shifted back to Sante, and as the man faltered, so Marc took an instinctive step between him and Danaus - as he no doubt had several times in far more normal circumstance.
Danaus voiced what the other two didn't need to voice, but now the poor rider had all sets of eyes locked in on him.
Rook — 09/24/2021
While minor distraction came in Harpur's direction, following that polite bow of his head, it didn't last long. He waited for Sante's response, looking irritated and somehow also thankful for Marc's movement between them. "Get on with it." He said sharply, opening up the letter finally.
"....This isn't my father's writing, not really."
Just before he could demand further explanation, Sante's stuttering continued and he soon just....fainted. Danaus started forward, turning to a guard. "Go get a cart or...something, so we can take him somewhere!"
Harpur Eberhardt — 09/24/2021
Harpur kept himself steeled, but his eyes were full of questioning as he looks at Danaus. Would this shed some light on the situation? he feels urgency coursing through his veins though he stands as still as a gargoyle. The revelation comes and Harpur's features tighten and he turns his head to sharply regard Sante.
He's not expecting the man to faint though, with all the strange things happening to this family he almost considers a curse that prevents the man telling the truth. No - don't be silly, he's just overwhelmed. Of course he does his best to turn and catch the man as soon as he knows it's going to happen but he barely grasps Sante's arm before it slips from his fingers.
"Startin' to think these guys r' tellin' the truth" he says sadly to Marc as he drops down to pick Sante up with strength even greater than he'd once had. "..Marc" he says softly to the younger man "We'll find 'er. We'll set off right away if y' give th' word." he coos to poor Marc who he knows is probably crumbling inside, though Harpur knows he's strong, perhaps stronger than him, even.
Marc — 09/24/2021
And Danaus confirmed everything Marc was fearing so far with that letter.
Marc swore explosively as Sante went down (a puppet whose strings were cut was a ghoulish image Marc couldn't entirely banish from his mind) but Harpur swooped first; which was good even if he didn't quite catch the poor guy , as it was some considerable effort that saw Marc finally move again, and he nodded to Danaus, ready to sprint off for a cart.
"Is your father home? Do we want him inside? With a doctor? Garden?" Oh could Marc even LOOK at the garden, now? Perhaps there was some faint hope that she'd impossibly turn up in her usual spots. The rider was less looking like an impostor and more like a poor sucker with every minute - but that only tore open the ever-increasingly possibility that this was all wrapping back around to the missing guard.
"We left his brother at the stables." It was something between worry and a growl of frustration. That felt like a fuck-up. "I need...Dad. I need Richa, too," was a murmur. "Harpur, if that was Tomm, and this is all part of the thing you and...the Lords were working on, best you stick closely with us, too." The tone was gently implicit Danaeus and the twins were probably next.
Perhaps Harpur especially would be aware of how doggedly he was controlling his breathing, how he was doing his absolute best not to teeter into a panic attack.
Grabbing a cart from nearby would at least give him enough distraction - and the faster they got to the bottom of this, the faster they'd get to Cienna. So Marc did, returning to help scoop the rider up should the men need it.
"Stick with me, Harpur. Please? Stick with us."
Rook — 09/25/2021
The letter was shoved into a pocket, since he figured he could deal with it later. Sante went down, and that was his concern.
"I'll get the place under alert." Danaus said as he turned to Marc, who seemed to be panicking. "We'll be fine inside, there's a lot of people in there." Maybe the twins wouldn't notice, but it was unlikely. They'd pop up. "Where can you look?" He asked of Harpur, but elaborated further. "Of my sister, I mean. I can send along more guards if you two want."
When Marc returned with the cart, Danaus would scoop the man up alongside him and would drag it to the house. A side door, just to make it easier to go inside. The doctor would be sent for, someone who did house calls, and the nobleman found a couch to lay Sante on. He was still breathing, just unconscious.
"We can handle this, if you two want to get going."
As anticipated by their older brother, the twins did show up. "Is he okay? Do you want us to find dad? Do you need our help?" The two swapped between who asked the questions, and they almost kept going. As kids do.
Harpur Eberhardt — 09/25/2021
Harpur nods to Marc "I'm not going anywhere without you Marc, I'm here." he assures him, he's there for him, he won't disappear. He deposits Sante to the couch
"I had been thinking we start with getting the brother. Marc?" he leaps up onto the back of his horse and offers a hand to the younger man to join him. They need to make haste.
"I just hope he's still there. From there ...all we can do is retrace their steps."
Marc — 09/25/2021
To the eldest, he nodded. "I'll send word ahead to Enrica and my father, we'll get a few of ours over here too, just in case."
It might've been overkill, but Aiolfi and their extended guard were savvy to vampires and supernatural wiles, if this was indeed related to the Jack thing. The decision also deeply drove that guilt home in Marc's mind - the moment he wasn't there, something happened. Whatever this was, now, it was targeted and it was serial.
The least he could do is protect what was left of Cie's family, and he was more resolute at the appearance those twins. "Dunno about the guy," it was true enough, "Just fainted, that's all. But look after your Dad for a sec, huh? Let him know we've got a few coming over, and they'll bring Rosa. And that disc Jac keeps trying to teach her."
"I had been thinking we start with getting the brother. Marc?"
"Best case scenario, he's still unguarded and a ...sitting duck. Let's go get him."
Harpur's decision was sensible. And it accounted for the brother. But when he joined Harpur, he did murmur, just for him.
"It's that town, the one Dad found." He could 'dad' freely around Harpur. "I know it."
It might've been mad with grief, but for something so insane, he sounded incredibly even, if not outright angry.
Rook — 09/25/2021
To Stables!
Once they get there, Stefano is nowhere to be found! The horses are still there, happy as can be, with their oats and hay. If they ask the stable workers, they'd tell them one of the horses got agitated and bit at the boy, so he went home.
Nothing out of the ordinary! Horses get sassy, and bite hard.
Harpur Eberhardt — 09/26/2021
Harpur rides there as fast as he can without throwing poor Marc off the back of his beast. He trusts him to hold his own back there though.
When they arrive the news is less than good. He bares his teeth and snorts in a dog-like way before turning and taking off back towards town. After a moment he has to slow down "Wait ..." he utters to Marc.
He's still...ashamed of what he is. To use one of his new abilities is hard but this is important. He looks to the man behind him and then ahead, sniffing the air.
"Okay...he did go this way."
He remembers their smells from the meeting earlier, had he filed them away on purpose or was it just something he'd done subconsciously?
"I think I remember roughly where these guys were from" he mumbles and heads that way, across the bridges. People part to get away from them if only because Harpur sits at the reigns.
But then they go past Jack's place and he eyes it suspiciously, stopping to sniff the air around it before humming and heading onwards.
In this time he says nothing to Marc, he's ...thinking. Where is this guy going?
But inevitably his nose leads him to the coliseum and he slows to dismount "I ...I think he went in here? ...I can't imagine why. Lets take a look."
Marc — 09/26/2021
The stable workers are rather unfortunately treated to a lord's son swearing rather explosively (and then promptly amending it with "it's not you, it's not-!") Luckily he's still on the horse or he might've punched a support beam or two while he was at it. He had to destroy something. SOMETHING was at fault.
"Thank you, Harpur."
It's weird, but Marc had spent the past year draining magic by touch and taste. He'd outright eaten an enchanted gem once, and THAT was weird; weirder that it went down rather easily. He'd kept that part from Cienna. Between that, and the ever-present lapses of Jacomo beginning to do the same, he'd take a bulky guard and guardian sniffing out a wayward rider any day.
He even managed a somewhat desperate little snicker. "I won't say 'good boy' or anything." It was a false joke without humor, lonely and revealing. He also noted the people parting. He offered a small and somewhat distant wave, anyway.
And when they arrived, Marc dismounted, and he fell into line to flank Harpur, strangely soundless.
"Lead the way, I'll follow."
Rook — 09/26/2021
Jack's house seemed the same as it ever did. There seemed to be the sound of tapping at a window, as if someone was doing so with a single nail - any investigation would find no one there. Perhaps the sound of the house settling, and nothing more.
Once they got to the coliseum, they'd find Stefano sitting there, hands to his lap and staring down at the empty ring quietly. He seemed relatively normal, but with a sickly gleam to his skin. Cold sweat and all, though there were signs he did wipe at his forehead.
He wouldn't acknowledge them at first, depending on how quiet they were.
Harpur Eberhardt — 09/26/2021
Harpur had laughed weakly at the 'joke', both of them were feeling rough but Harpur knew Marc had to be feeling ten times worse if not more.
He nods to Marc's request, he leads the way and heads into the coliseum only to see Stefano in plain view.
He approaches slowly, but keeps a good distance, trying to smell the air. Something was wrong "Something's wrong with him."
Then..
He whispers "... the brother, we left him with them" he doesn't explain his train of thought but he most certainly now is wondering why the brother had really fainted. Was it sickness?
With all his worry of vampires lately he's wary to even get closer.
"Stefano." he calls out lowly "What has happened to you?"
Marc — 09/26/2021
Marc could only frown and nod.
"Looks like a lure." It was already weird enough and the poor guy nipping off to see a show that wasn't there only heightened those senses. "S'why I asked for Richa. And...Dad."
He strangely didn't seem as affected about getting closer; perhaps it was that youthful brawler confidence, or something else.
He can't smell the air but he reaches for that yawning and hungry sixth-sense. He steps forward, anyways. Still soundless, still wary. Harpur is the one to break the silence first. Marc only listens at first.
"You feeling all right? Your brother's in a state, got us worried."
Rook — 09/26/2021
Seemingly lost in a daydream, Stefano didn't react until Harpur called out to him and he started slightly. "Oh. C-Captain!" He moved to his feet suddenly, though outside the sickness, he seemed relatively normal.
"In a..a state? What happened? Where is he?! I...I thought maybe I'd wait here, go some after and see him." Perhaps not now, and he seemed to hesitate on moving or not.
"I...I think I'm okay, I got home and things went a little dark. I think it's my anxiety? I have issues with that, but I was suddenly wandering and didn't feel right....so I just kept doing so. It's quiet here, so I thought I could just clear my head. It's a little better."
He explained, and he'd walk over. "Is my brother at the infirmary? A-at home?"
Harpur Eberhardt — 09/26/2021
"Just Harpur." He corrects the younger man. He's not on duty, and ...well maybe it'll calm the lad down.
He'd blacked out, he was looking pasty and he had no idea why he was here it almost seemed. He'd explained it away but it didn't seem enough.
"Turn your head left to right as far as you can" he demands, ignoring the questions, Marc can handle those.
He draws in closer to get a good look, given his paranoia about Jack and vampric things he's at least looking for any marks on the young man's neck. "How do you feel? Hot? Cold? Dizzy?" he rests a hand on the hilt of his blade as he draws nearer, not a threat but a precaution.
Marc — 09/26/2021
Harpur would examine, and Marc decided he would tell the truth, or at least...enough of it. He stood and approached directly before Stefano, would be eye-to-eye if Marc wasn't so adverse to doing so under normal circumstances.
"We took him to Grimani; he's under their doctors' care now, at least until he comes-to. But he'd fainted, hard.
"I'm sure you've heard about the Lady Cienna's illness," gods it felt weird to give her a title, but it was subtly goading all the same, masked in pleasantry. "Worth checking up on the both of you after spending enough time in close quarters, you know?"
It sounded mildly horseshit to someone like Harpur who knew the pair had been seeing each other, and Marc was here evidently unhindered by either mother or girlfriend's illness.
Rook — 09/26/2021
"Oh...uh, alright." Stefano immediately complied, and...revealed no bite marks. There were the faintest hint of scratch marks just starting at his collarbone, but hidden when his shirt-collar shifted. "F-fainted? Did he hit his head?" The mention of doctors were met with relief. There was that atleast.
"D-do you think that's it?" There were similar symptoms, he realized, but the fainting... "Did she ever wake up wandering? The Doctors she went to couldn't do anything! What if they can't help me?" There was a mild bit of panicking again.
"We were barely in contact with the Lady Cienna, even when we took breaks!"
Harpur Eberhardt — 09/29/2021
Harpur frowns, he's no doctor...he's not entirely even sure how fainting happens outside of someone hitting their head. And even then his logic was "big hit bad!", else he might have been thinking along different avenues "he might have, I tried to stop his fall but i didn't get to him on time" he mumbles and then gently reaches out for the guy's shirt "Do you mind if i check you for marks?"
If let he'd just pull the collar back, trying to see what those scratches were. He'd ask if the guy remembered getting them if he'd let him look in the first place.
Did Cienna wake up wandering? Marc knew more about it than him so he cast the younger man a look and then stepped back "Don't worry now. Lets just get you back to your brother and sit you down. I'm sure we can get you both something warm to drink."
Contact- it couldn't be contagious could it? After all, Marc hadn't gotten it and well...he'd been close to her a few times at the least. "I- I doubt it's contagious. Her family is alright, aren't they?" it's better to word it that way than out Marc, he thinks. "Come. Lets go, we can find a cart at the barracks and take you back. I'm sure we can send for a doctor once you're safe."
He even surprises himself by caring so deeply. Then again he always had for the right kind of people, but normally he'd be suspecting these guys of doing something to Cienna, paranoid. Yet... he feels no deception, maybe he's wrong but this poor young man is unwell.
Marc — 10/02/2021
Harpur had control of the more direct approach, and for that Marc was appreciative, and Harpur's paranoia was met with Marc's silent confirmation through looks and nods - yes, check for those. Leave the vampire investigations to the notorious hunter. For all of his own nerves and impatience to just get to Cienna... Stefano did give Marc pause, and his next words were warm and as reassuring as he could muster - his own anxiety ebbing as he tried to help the other man get a handle on his.
"It's all right, it's all right. Cienna wasn't wandering, not while she was with me while I was on duty. Neither was my mother. And her brother seems fine." It didn't exactly out him either; he appreciated Harpur's discretion on the matter. There was a little faint, reassuring smile at that that he tried to make reach his eyes.
He would assist in getting the rider somewhere safe should that be the plan; regardless of whether they moved or stayed, the next question would be the same:
"Do you remember anything more around when things went dark?" Marc didn't have too much hope around this, but even a non-answer would be an answer.
Rook — 10/02/2021
"I hope he's alright...I need to go check after." When asked about marks, Stefano nodded and unbuttoned his shirt. "They are something I did in my sleep, I had a horrible dream." He explained, and exposed the scratches. Human made judging by the appearance, stopping near the bottom of his right person with another couple near his hip. The angle however seemed straight down, as if someone had been hovering over him. "I'd like a drink." Hot or otherwise, at this point.
Once Harpur was done his inspection, he'd focus on Marc. "That's...that's a relief." Up he'd stand, just before considering the nobleman next question. "I had an urge to leave, and so I'm...here. I'm sorry, it's not much. I just knew I had be somewhere and then I stopped feeling that way." He seemed vaguely anxious now.
"Can I go to my brother?"
Harpur — Yesterday at 8:59 PM
Harpur's concern for this young man seems quite paternal, something Marc may have been noticing more anyway since he'd really truly been accepted into the Aiolfi family. He looks at the marks for a moment with a concerned look over at Marc before leaning a bit closer and sniffing as subtly as he can. Do they smell like someone elses hands? are any of them more recent?
He tries to laugh softly as the younger man says he'd like a drink "Lets get you back to him now, shall we?" he tries to slip a supportive arm around the younger man and guide him towards his horse, Valentino. "You can ride up top, we'll walk. Just take it easy." an urge to leave... compulsion could be vampiric, they were known for that sort of thing but it was also too vague to pin just on vampires. He can't let his prejudice cloud any sort of investigation.
Marc — Yesterday at 10:31 PM
"Yeah...he will be. They've got good doctors on call." For the usual things, at least.
With Harpur, he examined the scratches; he noted the angle, but remained silent about it. No sense scaring the poor man any further.
And at Harpur's suggestion, he helped escort him back to the horse.
"Yeah, we'll get you some things." He bit his lip at the mention of compulsion. "Just felt like it, huh? That helps, thank you. It works...we'll take you to drinks, to your brother, all of that. Talk to me about this dream."
Rook — Yesterday at 10:51 PM
It was likely due to Harpur being a lot more relaxed than how he was at the stables that resulted in the same reaction from Stefano. The scratches wouldn't have any smell on him that wasn't his own, strangely enough.
"Thank you." To Harpur, and he followed him to Valentino, though if the horse could sense things - it wouldn't, at that time. Up onto the warhorse's back he'd go, even if he wasn't used to riding a a horse of his make.
"Alright.." And then the dream. Stefano took hold of the saddlehorn, just to keep himself steady. "Last night, I dreamt of being around a house I've not seen before, but there were livestock around....but dead. I couldn't tell what by, but a woman was there. Don't know her, can't say I've seen her face before. Could tell she was angry, and just as I was going to ask her something, some other guy showed up. Just as he reached out to grab me, I heard someone say my name in my ear and I woke up. Figured it was Sante, but..he was still out."
Harpur Eberhardt — Today at 2:15 PM
Harpur looks sorrowful, he doesn't know what's happening. He doesn't find himself blaming these poor caravan guards anymore though, they just seem to be caught up in the fray. Something's wrong with them. Harpur only hopes that this guy isn't some distraction to draw them away from the house.
He takes the reigns of the horse, leading it. He thinks of Jack's house and glances to Marc as the strange place is described. "thank you for telling us" he tells the younger man quietly as he guides him back to the Grimani estate, leaning closer to Marc to speak more quietly.
"I don't know where we can find answers, Marc." he tells him in a whisper "But I'm going to that guards house, there must be something i've missed....I - just need to look at it again. I'm sorry this is happening." They're left with no leads, nothing. The two young men need to be monitored by doctors before further questioning.
Marc — Today at 8:52 PM
Marc stayed close as they all walked, keeping an eye on Stefano just in case he had to swoop and catch the poor man if he toppled.
"Yes. Thank you. I'm...sorry if it seems like we're acting a little strange, there's reason for it. You and your brother will be safe." It was emphatic, even with Marc's odd delivery. The brothers had served their purpose it seemed, to whatever force was acting upon them.
"If you like...if you remember, what was the woman like? Or any of them? What was the house like?" He exchanged a glance with Harpur as he said the last part; met his eyes at Harpur's whisper and nodded. "I will come with." It wasn't an option - the only reason that he wasn't taking off like a shot after Cienna was because he didn't know where she was. Anything, anything helped.
Rook — Today at 8:56 PM
Thankfully, Stefano seemed to get some of his color back, but had to deal with the dampness from the cold sweat. "Thank you." He murmured to the pair, and didn't seem to mind further questions.
"The house was in a forest, the livestock were all sheep. I don't think it's from here, the trees were different." And then the people. "They both had dark hair, but looked similar to each other and reminded me of the Guard who used to be here all the time. But, you know, had their differences. The woman was holding something, but I couldn't see what it was."
When they spoke of the house, he said nothing of it. Once they got him to wherever his brother was, Stefano's main interest was getting to him. "I....I really hope everything with the Lady Cienna is okay. I'm sorry, I really thought her brother was sent over."
With that, he'd leave them to their decision to go explore the other house.
