A Tiger, an Owl, and a Phoenix at the Boar...

[Kendrick Deveroix]

I smiled, catching his jest and giving one back to him. "Well, if you and Julie weren't babbling on like seven year old girls..."

I flashed him a grin, then one to Julie, before settling back again, taking another drink of my brandy. "I've survived well enough I suppose. And you? How is Gentian treating you?"

[Julie Deveroix (D)]

Smiling, I set back against the bar, and as I'd forgotten to do so earlier, ordered another ale. I hadn't quite realized, but I was famished from all my training, and so I attacked ruthlessly one of the rolls, grinning at the exchange between my two brothers.

For now, I was content to listen - besides, there was still a million things for us to discuss. The night was young.

[Vincent nó Gentian(D)]

Since when did Kendrick get all evasive. "Well, as I told Julie, they treat me well enough, no grand adventures I'm sure, but I'm kept busy. Most importantly, they give me purpose. " I waited, watching them. "Is there something on your mind, I don't recall you being this brooding before."

[Kendrick Deveroix]

I watched as Julie drank away at her ale and just barely stopped myself from shaking my head - I swear, that girl could outdrink me.

Swirling the liquid absent mindedly in my glass, I glanced back to Vincent, my expression more placid than anything else. "Brooding? I'm not brooding." Eluas balls, did I have a sign on my neck that said I was? It seemed like every other person got that impression from me, even when I was smiling and doing my best to be polite. Shrugging inwardly at myself, I pressed on, answering his other question. "Nothing's on my mind currently - other than the fact that you have bone-white hair now."

I smiled as I said it.

Damnit, I wasn't brooding.

[Vincent nó Gentian(D)]

"Oh that. Well, you remember when they started giving me Opium, right. Well, I'd stopped using if for a time when I got taken to Cereus house. They thought it was very becoming of their cannon. At some point, they even had a Chirurgeon take a look at me. As best as they could find, I had what they called an allergic reaction to it. In any case, it was permanent when the roots didn't change back, though it could go back to black on day." I took a sip of ale. "Also, it turns out I'm allergic to dates now too," I shrugged.

I'd always been perceptive, and I got the feeling Kendrick might have something he's not saying. But, if it was dire, I could wait him out. Patience is a virtue.

[Julie Deveroix (D)]

I stifled a chuckle - if Vince thought Kendrick was brooding now, he hadn't seen him on my arrival in the city. That was brooding, and very, very well deserved on my part. Though maybe it wasn't really brooding, come to think of it. No, it was anger - well deserved anger, though.

I stuffed another piece of bread in my mouth, and chewed on it merrily, my eyes sparkling amusement. The worst part was, Kendrick was in an amazing mood, considering the recent drama we had been through at the house.

I swallowed the bite, and took another long swig of ale, looking at my mug with unabashed regret. It was empty. Oh well. I gestured for another one, and let out a large burp, my hand covering my mouth immediately. I hadn't seen it coming, that one. I grinned, blushing a little, and whispered, "Sorry."

[Kendrick Deveroix]

I listened to him as he talked, nodding as he spoke. "So if you smoked or otherwise inhaled opium again, what then?" I grinned, holding back the urge to let loose vulgar jest.

My eyes shifted to Julie as she belched, and I stared openly at her. "I swear, Jules, you could make a lush look like a babe-in-arms."

My grin came back and I winked at her, though the gesture was quick and muted. Raising my glass, I took another drink of the brandy, letting the flavor sit on my tongue before swallowing.

[Vincent nó Gentian(D)]

"Well, when I take opium , It doesn't have any effect now. It seems to have been a catalyst at the time. Though, I only take it prior to assignations, it helps still the mind."

I wondered after this time how they dealt with a sibling as a servant of Naamah, even given the fact that our home is within her province.

[Julie Deveroix (D)]

I winked back at Kendrick, grinning, and replied slyly, laughing over my mug, "I aim to please, darling."

Turning my attention back to Vince, I waited for his reply - I was curious to know... and I had an urge to ask if he would turn red like me. That would be rather amusing, indeed - no matter how unlikely it would be.

[Kendrick Deveroix]

"Ah," I said, nodding in understanding, "I thought mayhap you'd begin to glow."

I teased him, proving to both he and I that I wasn't surly or anything other than simply relaxed. With that thought in mind, I downed the rest of my brandy and refilled it again with the snifter as I gave Julie a dry look that I knew she'd understand.

[Julie Deveroix (D)]

I laughed wholeheartedly, this time - it seemed Kendrick and I had had the same train of thought - to tease Vince, that is, and I smiled brightly at my white-haired brother. "You'd fair be dashing if you did, Vinny. Though I kind of like this color. It's... different," I said sweetly, though I still had the urge to tease.

To try and restrain myself, I stuffed another piece of bread in my mouth, and chewed on it enthusiastically.

[Vincent nó Gentian(D)]

"Yes, well, on Mount Nuit, it does have it's advantages." I let go a tiny smirk. They were family, for some reason, there small teasing spurred me to glorify my facts.

"Seventeen." I said before taking a spoonful of soup.

[Julie Deveroix (D)]

I nodded, assuming that he meant it made him unique - though in my eyes, Vince always had been. I swallowed my bread, and lifted an eyebrow. "Seventeen?'

Now... what in the world was that about?

I looked at Kendrick. Did he have a clue what our mystical sibling was saying?

[Kendrick Deveroix]

I glanced at Julie after she toned out her question, giving a little shrug. I had no idea what he was talking about; if anything, I'd have figured she knew.

My gaze went back to Vincent and I waited patiently for the explanation.

[Vincent nó Gentian(D)]

I raised an eyebrow. Guess it wasn't that obvious. "So, you weren't curious then. How many assignations I've had?" I questioned, taking another sip, or rather bite of soup. It was particularly chunky, and hearty.

[Julie Deveroix (D)]

I had no idea what that meant. Bayard's marque had been a third done when I contracted him, and he was about Vincent's age, but I had no idea how many patrons he'd had. That did make me wonder, though...

"Vince, tell me, how far along is your marque?"

[Vincent nó Gentian(D)]

I let my face turn neutral. Not quite the meaning I'd wanted to convey, but that moment was gone. "Not as far as Octatavier would probably like it to be." I said wryly. Before they could ask.

"Octavier is the Dowayne of Gentian house. He's been badgering me because I've left a few patrons with, less than good news."

[Kendrick Deveroix]

I nodded, understanding a bit more, though noting he'd managed to evade Julies question. "News isn't always good," I said in a somewhat dry tone, then dipped my head back to let the rest of my brandy slide down my throat.

Leaning forward, I stole a piece of bread from the basket in the middle of the table, though my eyes remained on Vincents. "If you've done all you can to give your patrons what they came for, then it is no fault of your own that the news they recieved isn't the news they sought."

And it wasn't at that. No one could fault Vincent if he had, infact, done all he could have.

[Vincent nó Gentian(D)]

I tapped my spoon gently on the bowl. "Well.." I went to explain the situation.

"First of all, do you know exactly what Gentian House specializes in, either of you?" No point saying more than I needed to.

[Julie Deveroix (D)]

I sighed, and my hand naturally sought out Vinny's, in a simple gesture of closeness. "Seeers, are they not? And you are a dream-walker," I stated matter-of-factly. I had taken the time to read those letters anew - and in hindsight, I understood a great deal. I wasn't sure what Vincen't specialty was, but I understand he had some mystic abilities.

Besides, there was no need to be one of Gentian, to understand that he didn't want to talk more of it all. Being his sibling sufficed.

[Kendrick Deveroix]

Dream-walker? Reader I would say, though Julie always had a flair for the more extravagant and dramatic in comparison to myself. She said, fairly much, as I thought, so I merely nodded and looked at Vincent, waiting for the explanation without interrupting.

[Vincent nó Gentian(D)]

"I suppose that's close enough. However, seer is a general term, and most if not all adepts each carry their own specialties. For myself, I'm most prone to see flashes of the future. I'd never noticed it before, as they were my own, and not as vivid. However, I see others when I sleep next to them. Sometimes however I see something that they don't want to hear, and well.." I explained to the best of my ability.

[Julie Deveroix (D)]

It only made sense - to give bad new was a task no-one took to eagerly. It Vince had a lot of bad news in his roster of patrons... My heart welled in understanding.

"The messenger gets the hit, huh?" I asked gently.

[Vincent nó Gentian(D)]

"That's a very good way of putting it." I'm glad to see she has kept her wits.

"I suppose I might be in more trouble if I were Camellia house, and striving for perfection. Still, one must put the patron first, which to some mean coddling them from that which could be."

I took a drink of ale, pondering my own dilemma.

[Kendrick Deveroix]

I nodded as I listened to them; it were true, the messangers sometimes did take the brunt. It wasn't right nor fair, but in the end...

"How far do you have to go on your marque?" I asked, curious. It would be easy enough to send money his way to help him along - or hells, we could just buy it - but I knew that wasn't what Vincent wanted. It would be a slap to any good character, to have family buy their marque to spare their ego when things go slower than expected. I was proud of him in that moment, that he was driven and daring enough to seek his own path in life. I knew Julie was looking for it, and one day... One day she would find it.

And I would forever be fretting for her.

[Vincent nó Gentian(D)]

"I'm almost halfway done. It comes slowly, but for the time being I'm not overly disturbed by it. I see it as more opportunities to practice my art." One thing was true, and that I was never worried about never completing it. I would perhaps take a bit longer, but then I would have learned so much more over that time.

[Julie Deveroix (D)]

Kendrick asked again, and I listened - I wanted to know the thick of it. Then, Vince replied, and I smiled to myself, piecing it together, with what puny knowledge I had of the night court.

Halfway?

That wasn't half as slow along as Bayard's. But he didn't seem eager to leave his house either... I frowned, thinking... and it wasn't very different from Ellette's situation either.

"I, errr.... met and adept who was about a third up, and he is your age," I stated matter-of-factly. "And I made a friend at Dahlia... she is only halfway done too, and our age. It seems like your situation isn't, err... exceptional, really," I said sweetly. "Besides, my brother is pretty enough to have patrons galore, he just needs to be just as sweet as me," I said, taunting, and stuck my tongue out.

[Vincent nó Gentian(D)]

"Mayhap. But it's not how many years you spend in the Night Court that detirmines when you finish, it's how many assignations you have." I paused, holding up a finger. "The average adept with the number I've had is usually four-fifths complete. That, little sparrow, is the difference."

[Julie Deveroix (D)]

I grinned more, teasing, "Well, quiet Owl, I guess that suggests I am correct, and that rather than being a comment on how pretty or skilled you are, it is one on your ways." I sobered up just a little, and said, gently, "You had ways of being gentle, on the estate, Vincent. Have you lost them, or did you try those ways?"

I was asking seriously, because I had a vivid memory of his last day home, and of the way he had asked that he be let go. He could do it with love, I had no doubt.

[Vincent nó Gentian(D)]

"Being gentle is relative I'm afraid Julie. And I've learned enough to know that sometimes people need to know the truth, even if it hurts. The truth cuts deep, but it's clean. Should I lie, I would only do damage that would fester later. The soul is delicate, and I love my patrons enough to give them what they need."

I wasn't sure if she'd understand, indeed that anyone would understand. But it felt right to me, and I didn't second guess myself at my purpose.