[Transylvania] Castlevania

[Bloodedge]

As they continued to converse, Sorin's eyes narrowed over time. Surely this woman had to be fully aware of how much power she held over other members of the Convocation. If she were to seize control from the group, there would be little to nothing any of the others could do to stop her. Personally, Sorin was a bit surprised she'd not done such a thing already, considering how the council's members tended to operate. "And the Convocation believes they need understanding of what I've done. Of course. It would be a shame to have the son of Dracula decide to take control of Transylvania a mere seventeen years before his return."

The Convocation was apparently now without a proper meeting place. Since they had no neutral ground to call their meetings, they were resorting to Andais' ability for the creation of one. "You're connecting the dreams of others now? How frightening," he said. Sorin brought himself down to ground level, sighing as he made footfall. At the end of the day, this was hardly something he could avoid. "... Very well. Build your bridge, Dreamwalker."

[Apollymi]

Andais continued to float seeming to find this to be the proper way to move about, though she did so, only a mere hair's breadth above the ground. It seemed that Sorin took issue with the idea that the Convocation wished to know what he was doing so close to the time of Dracula's revival. "Yes, they need to know. Those are their words, I did only agree to come here to sate my own curiosity after all," she said seemingly amused by this endeavor. As Sorin lowered himself to the ground he mentioned that her ability to connect the dreams of others was frightening and then went on to claim she could build her bridge if she so desired. "Connecting dreams is a game. I've done so for amusement on more than one occasion," she said with a chuckle. And then she did exactly that. Moving no more than three steps forward, the edge of Sorin's dream began to bleed into another, the grass became paved stone and by the third step moved forward to the door of a large tavern. Noises could be heard from inside and it was simply something entirely different from the forests and plains of seconds prior. But such was the nature of travel within dreams.

Within said tavern sat in a high backed chair at a table, by the hearth one would find Kasmina. She was currently engaged in a high stakes card game, with people she created in her own imagination. The face of Hendryck and a few of the other baron's children were peppered around the table, and all of them sweating bullets. A grin was on this girl's face as she looked at her hand then back at the table. "You should fold... there is no chance of you winning here..." she said seeming to be amused. "You are always like this and you always win..." the man said placing his hand face down on the table and admitting his defeat. "And yet you still play," Having already been privy to the kind of dream the girl was having, Andais found herself within the tavern once more watching the game at hand. "It's rare, to see someone create such a scene. Your new sire is quite interesting," was all the elder vampire had to say on the matter.

[Bloodedge]

Moments after clearance to blend the dreams had been offered, Andais forged the bridge between his mind and Kasmina's. Suddenly, the Count stood within a tavern the likes of which one would find in Sibiu, near where he first met the woman that had become his wife. Now that he thought about it, there was the scent of a tavern overlapping the smell of her skin when they met. "A tavern? That explains much," he commented nonchalantly, taking steps to traverse the spaces between the tavern's tables. Soon enough, he was upon the table at which Kasmina sat. A card game was in progress, but one male pitted against the raven-haired woman chose to bow out of a hand. In this moment, Sorin understood much about that fateful night nearly one week ago. "So, this is your nighttime activity of choice? It is no wonder you were in such a calm state while being in the presence of a vampire. You gambled on your life that night. Come. This world is no more than a dream; the Convocation of Vampires wishes to speak with us."

[Apollymi]

As Kasmina looked to the boy she played cards with another man approached her table. She gathered her winnings but couldn't even offer another hand. He was of course utterly familiar to her but the surprise on her face couldn't be kept at bay. It seemed her husband would interrupt her dream, to tell her that the Convocation of Vampires wished to meet with the pair of them and explain to her that she was presently in a world she dreamed up. "It didn't start off as an activity of choice, but I've grown to enjoy it more than most others..." the girl said of her apparent gambling in taverns such as this. "And yes, there is a certain amount of calm one retains if you wish to be good at games like this, applying such things to our first meeting helped me carry on our conversation as two normal people," she mentioned, though it didn't much matter as she'd been safer in his presence than in the presence of any other.

"This is my dream. Of that I am certain... but what is a Convocation of Vampires? And not that I mind the company, but how did you end up consciously within my dreams?" she asked seeming to find it strange but offering her hand to clearly go wherever this man would lead. All the while Andais watched on in abject curiousness as this man spoke to his recently wedded wife. Unknowing of that fact but watching this pair speak to each other in quite a familiar way. And while she watched she created an alternate dream space. One which would house the Convocation, a room with several seats around a large stone table which were round and shrouded in darkness, all hidden behind one of the tavern doors to make for easier transport for all of them. The rest of the members would be summoned to this room as well, sometime in the near future.

[Bloodedge]

"I see. I believe I would enjoy hearing the tale of how this came to be. But, for now, we must away." With Kasmina's hand offered, Sorin reached out to take it and lead the way. As he began his trek, a question was offered regarding the identity of the Convocation of Vampires. Along with this came another question, that being how Sorin entered the sanctity of her mind during this dream. "The Convocation was once a great power within Transylvania. In Dracula's past life, the Convocation served as a council of Master Vampires who answered to him. Each Master Vampire possesses a 'territory' over one of the cities in Transylvania, which is about normal for a vampire of great power. Since Dracula's territory was claimed as all of Transylvania, members of the Convocation served as envoys to enforce his reign. They now function as a governing body over vampire-kind in Transylvania, until Dracula returns to rule over them again. Their fear is that I will take Dracula's place before that day."

Sorin's movements never ceased for the duration of his speech. As he approached an exit to the tavern, he gestured toward the closed door. His assumption was that it would open to reveal the room in which they were to have this meeting, and such a thing would also give sight to Andais. "It is not my doing that places me here. Andais McDermott, the Dreamwalker. She is the Lord Vampire of Clus; it is her power that connects our sleeping minds now."

[Apollymi]

A smile crossed the young vampires face as her husband spoke of wanting to hear of her previous adventures. It was quite strange, but Kasmina took a great deal of solace in knowing this man held interest in her life, it was more than she'd managed from her father since her childhood. But alas this pleasantry was soon neglected for an explanation to the pair of questions the young woman asked the man about his arrival in her dream space. As they paused before the tavern door they spoke of these things but there was one remaining question. "This day flows with information of things that are passed along as children's tales. Is there a reason they believe you intend to take over for Dracula?" she paused not coming to any immediate conclusion regarding this information. She also seemed to simply accept the existence of the Convocation. In her own mind, every society needed a government to function, it just so happened that Vampire kind had one which functioned specifically over them. Though she figured this would include high tensions when their leader was no longer with them, she wondered why it wasn't simply the case that someone else had taken over.

There was also the matter of the Lord Vampire of Clus, who had within her the ability to simply connect the minds of people in dreams. This power was already the slightest bit frightening, and seemed the sort of thing no person should possess at all. The look on Kasmina's face held this notion if but for a second before she simply wiped it away and let the calmness which was the general state of her mind when she was doing things return. She had no idea that vampires could possess such abilities, and the thought lead to series of questions in her mind that she quieted for the purpose of continuing on in this moment. As the door opened Kasmina caught sight of this Lady McDermott and the room which was organized for the purpose of their 'meeting'. The table around them curved around them leaving seats for the other Convocation members and in the middle were two throne like chairs for these two to sit in while they faced the Convocation. As an aside Andais herself was seated at the center of this table, as its creator and the obvious mediator of this group. "You could have taken a few more moments... there was no need to rush," she said seemingly amused as her eyes moved over the young couple before her.

[Bloodedge]

"Ah. Forgive me. I wasn't clear before," Sorin said as they approached the door and awaited its opening. A week prior, this woman had been in disbelief of vampires. She had no reason to know the truth of Dracula, and thus his lineage. Sorin felt he was now responsible for explaining himself, and the Lord of Darkness' existence. "You see, Castlevania is the home of Dracula. Fate would have him return every hundred years to 'cleanse' the world of mankind's sins against themselves. Some agree, some don't. The reason I exist as the lord of the castle is simple. My true name should be Lothaire Phantomhive Tepes, son of Vlad 'Dracula' Tepes. By mortal standards, I am another Dracula, and you, Draculina. We are the reason for the Convocation's nightmares until Dracula himself returns next."

When the door opened unto them, Sorin looked into a council room with Andais at the center of the Convocation's seating arrangements. Seated to her left was a young-looking blonde with two very long ponytails, a sharp red gaze, and a Gothic Lolita style of dress that was black and red in color with inverted red crosses upon it. Four other chairs were present in this arrangement, but one remained empty. To the younger one's left, there was an elderly male with a long, grayed ponytail kept in place by a pink ribbon. His ensemble was that of a butler, but there was a more regal air about him, just as there was an incredibly mature aura coming from the child to his right. The middle chair on the opposite side of Andais was occupied by a muscular blonde male with an orange glow in his irises, and a well-groomed mullet atop his head. "A few more moments would be unnecessary. I would see this over sooner, rather than later."

[Apollymi]

While Kasmina was filled in about the nature of her own creation, as well as the lineage of her husband, the other two council members appeared and took their seats. Beside the man with his blond hair a woman with hair white as freshly fallen snow. She looked youthful appearing to be around the same age as Andais, with a full figure and fangs which protruded over gently pinked lips. She wore a courtly dress made of red velvet which seemed to make her crimson colored eyes vibrate with their hidden potential. Around her neck, a rosary missing its cross and held together by a strip of leather. She seemed altogether bored and lacking in amusement. The last chair which was filled had seated within a blonde girl, barely blessed by puberty. Her short hair hidden beneath a bonnet, her clothing the smock of a child with white accents and lace. Little red ribbons seemed to be applied at various intervals to her person, long red nails graced her tiny hands as she allowed her small chin to rest in the palm of her right hand as she leaned against the table.

Having a look at all people present while, speaking to Sorin of the information he'd just given her. Kasmina was a bit stunned by this man's lineage, but it did nothing to detour her thoughts of him. He was the son of the famed Dracula but nothing one would expect of upper nobility or a creature of the night. Given this she had nothing unpleasant to say nor did she express much of any shock about the situation at present, taking all of it in stride as it changed nothing for her. "One cannot choose their parents, so that seems little to no reason to cause nightmares in people who have lived generations. Though even the 'cleansing' of mankind..." she said, in looking at this table of vampires though she supposed, age alone didn't always lead to logical thoughts. Her own father was proof enough of this, and with that in mind, she had a fairly good idea of the conversation which was about to happen and prepared herself for it mentally. "Well, at least I understand now... shall we?"

In reply to Sorin, the vampire currently at the head of the table only nodded. She'd taken her seat without any real fuss and with the rest of the council properly situated there was little to no reason to hold up this proceeding. She waved to the two seats present before them and spoke. "Then you may both have a seat. I did bring you here, but there is no reason this should be uncomfortable," she said, for a woman who plagued people's dreams and nightmares, she was not without common courtesy. This meeting of the Convocation was hardly necessary by her own thoughts, but it would be a good opportunity to see where the rest of the group stood as far as their ties to Dracula. "I've done as the Convocation asked and acquired Sir Phantomhive's presence along with that of his newly sired offspring. I would request the Convocation's members ask their questions in a calm and respectful manner," were Andais words with her eyes captivated by the pair before them.

[Bloodedge]

"Let's," was Sorin's reply to the woman. A simple gesture of both arms was meant to lead her directly toward her chair. Only after Kasmina sat would Sorin do the same. They were in for some level of annoyance, but with Andais as the Convocation's speaker, Sorin found himself wondering exactly how annoying things could become here. This was a world of her design, but there were sure to be members of the council who weren't very interested in acknowledging hierarchy of any sort, bar that of Dracula.

When the floor was opened to the members of the Convocation, the first to offer a query was the red-eyed blonde to Andais' left. She spoke in a voice that was as dainty as she appeared to be, but the essence of her words reeked of an old tongue. "This girl smells of a pureblood. Your blood. Did you not become her master?" she asked. "Of course not," Sorin replied quickly and clearly, casting his gaze upon this individual with an amount of due respect not shown to the others previously. "Forgive my failure to mention, but I was quite preoccupied with the queen's arrival. This is my wife."

[Apollymi]

It seemed that Sorin also knew and understood the amount of annoying their meeting for this evening would be. He likely had more of an idea of it than Kasmina herself. Still the young woman with springy drill pig tails took her seat at her husband's offering. Such a seat was taken with an unknowable bit of grace her back straight legs crossed at the ankle and hands resting in her lap. If she was going to be the spectacle of the day for the second time she thought she might as well treat it as she had the first her gaze not bothering to move very much about the room, though she seemed to be looking at nothing in particular until of course her husband spoke. When he did, her gaze shifted to him at her side and she took note of the amount of respect he granted to the small blonde seated upon the Convocation.

Still the murmurs of several Convocation members would come at the mention that the black haired girl seated next to Sorin was his wife. Eyes widened immediately and cold gazes would move over the young woman. Andais found herself covering her mouth with the fan, this was beyond what she expected and she'd been inside of both of these people's minds rather recently. The white haired woman seemed to be amused by this information, and the other blonde young woman scoffed at the news. Obviously, these people didn't form these sorts of relationships so they couldn't have cared though several of them would have had them in life. "I didn't know you married. Congratulations," Andais said still apparently amused though she knew others wouldn't be too happy about this news. The other blonde young woman shifted with her own distress like a petulant child about to tantrum. The white haired woman seemed to chuckle just a little. "No invitation for the rest of us? I'm almost disappointed," she managed but it was unclear in this moment whether she actually cared or not. "Who cares if they are married? That isn't really a good reason to just up and make another one of us..." these were the words spoken by the blonde dressed like a child.

[Bloodedge]

This news of a marriage between the vampires here struck a nerve within all present somehow - even the pair of males on the Convocation. None were stricken more than the blonde who'd offered the first question, though. She seemed upset, even downright appalled by the thought of this. Even so, she remained silent for several moments while processing this information. Sorin took a moment of general silence to respond to the others. "Many thanks, Lady McDermott," he said first to the speaker of the Convocation. Afterwards, his gaze fell upon the white-haired woman. "My apologies. I'm afraid, though, one such as yourself would not have been able to attend, invitation or not. As for another of us," he continued, addressing the other blonde female in the room. "I don't believe we can be called similar. Of course, I mean not to offend."

The men of the Convocation seemed to have nothing to say. Most specifically, the muscular blonde vampire was totally indifferent, by the looks of him. The elder man merely showed signs of disagreeing silently in his visage. "No!" Suddenly, the voice of the first questioner resonated throughout the dream room. It happened in the same moment she stood and slammed her hands against the table at which she sat. She was not simply infuriated by this marriage, but outright opposed to it. "I refuse to accept this! Nearly five decades, and you decide to wed some... some... some harlot from the streets!? Moreover, you give her the blood of Dracule! Do you have ANY idea what you've done!?" The coming of her tirade's end marked the closing of Sorin's eyes, which accompanied a sigh. He'd seen this coming, but he'd also hoped the intensity would be toned down a bit from what it was now. The Count of Sibiu seemed to need a moment for the sake of composing himself.

[Apollymi]

Andais found this whole room to be full of an emotion she couldn't quite understand. It wasn't the earlier fears she'd sensed from some of the members as they noted the powerful being created by Sorin. No it was something entirely different. As Sorin went on to answer inquiries it seemed that the white hair, had her brow raise inquisitively. "Really? It isn't as if I am bound normally. I can go where I wish when I wish, except...." something donned upon this woman, and it made her eyes widen. "You married in a church?!" it was almost an accusation. Of course she wouldn't have put it past a man like him to do such a thing. Still, it seemed a bit rude to not invite what was essentially your family to your wedding.

The other blonde haired girl seemed to be incapable of speech before the outrage of the more appropriately dressed blonde came into the forefront of the discussion. Her palms hitting the table seemed to draw all attention towards her as she went on to berate Sorin's actions and his choice in bride. Andais covered the smile coming to her face with the fan she kept for just this purpose. She didn't much care for this situation but knew well it was the most likely of reactions from this woman concerning Sorin's actions.

Kasmina on the other hand held the blankest of faces without even the slightest of twitches as she was spoken of in such a way. If nothing else, dealing with her father had made her perfectly capable of hearing other people's opinion of her and retaining the cool demeanor she was known to have regardless of how she felt about the situation. Still, there was something quite interesting afoot, as her own observation of this situation hinted at the idea that only three of the people present had anything disconcerting to say about what had already taken place. The grey haired male, and the two female blondes. Though admittedly the one with the pigtails who spoke to Sorin in such a way was obviously way more invested in her anger at this situation than the other blonde girl who seemed to just be annoyed by the potential toppling of their power structure. Kasmina was nothing if not curious about this woman's anger in this moment, because it seemed to be misplaced, but Sorin deferring to this woman made her wonder their relationship to make it thus.

[Bloodedge]

Soon enough, Sorin found himself able to formulate a response to the blonde. Once he had it in mind, he opened his eyes and met the crimson gaze of the blonde. "Of course I am aware. I am no less aware than you of the situation, but the implication you are making is of a situation that will never matter. Dracula will return simply because I live. Or... is it the child itself you worry about now?" When this question was asked, the blonde seemed taken aback. Hands that were pressed firmly against the table lost a small amount of their impact in a moment of shock, but the force was returned by the fist of the elderly male to the blonde's left. "You will watch your tongue, boy! You have no ground to stand on here," he spoke.

Of all the nerves that had been stepped on this day, Sorin's had not been among them. That is, until these most recent words were spoken to him. His brows drew together, and his voice became accompanied by an air of distaste. "If I have no ground to stand on, I assume you've taken to a life at sea, Sir Wolff. When did it become policy of the Convocation to defend one another in civil matters? Did your beloved Dracula not instill in you a sense of equality when he allowed you onto this council, or have you simply begun taking your pledge of loyalty more seriously over the past few decades?"

"This is going nowhere." At long last, the final of three males in this room spoke. Though he'd seemed apathetic up to this point, he of course had his own opinions. "This pointless dribble will get us nowhere. Does this girl even know what's going on here? If we don't know her intentions, there's no point to this meeting!" At his words, the two angered individuals within the Convocation fell silent and returned to their seats, albeit reluctantly. "Forgive the rudeness of my colleagues, young lady. Allow me to introduce myself: Dragomir Petrov, of Alba Lulia. Accept my welcome to the life of the nightwalkers." This moment was one Sorin chose to use for the sake of addressing the white-haired woman he'd spoken with briefly at the beginning of this meeting. "Ah, forgive me. Yes, we were wed in the Great Church. I would have of course invited you if it were a more... unholy ceremony."

[Apollymi]

As the argument took place with the two most obvious of their opposition, Kasmina watched the reactions of all present. It seemed that Sorin had indeed already known of the problems their marriage and her creation would make for him, and his arguments were prepared enough to knock the wind out of the blonde young woman's sails. This of course didn't seem to detour an older male from coming to her aide and even trying to silence Sorin himself, but there was yet another comeback from her husband. This one laced with more venom than she'd even seen directed at her own father. But if she was shocked by this occurance her face did not show it, though Andais herself had trouble stifling a giggle at the old man's expense and quickly turned to face front, her fan still covering a grin dotted with obvious fangs. What she could not hide though was the amused light within her eyes.

But just as this entire thing would have bubbled over, the final male in the room chose to speak. Pointing out the fallacy of present conversation and the fact that aside from Sorin and Andais none had bothered even trying to address the young woman seated at his side. This was a rather interesting turn of events for Kasmina, as the amount of apathy his face showed had previous led her to believe that he would remain quiet for a while longer. The smallest of upturns in her lips would cause a smile to cross her face and mark her as at the very least understanding she was being spoken to at long last, as she diverted her attention from the group at large towards the blonde male who'd named himself. She was quiet for a few seconds longer than necessary. "Forgive me, I was a bit stunned. I was not actually expecting anyone to speak to me directly. It is of course a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Sir Petrov. My name is Kasmina, many thanks for the kind welcome," she said purposefully not making a further extension of her name. This seemed to serve as a moment of reflection for the other women in the group. At least two of which had no issue making an introduction.

The white haired woman spoke up after Sorin confirmed that he'd indeed married within a church. Though it was no mere side church but one of the greatest magnitude and splendor. She could hardly be upset such a venue wouldn't allow her entry. "Well, I would normally have more complaints to lodge, but that is quite the impressive venue. It's nice to meet you Kasmina. I'm the Countess Elizabeth Bathory and I control Hust. Congratulations on your recent nuptials," she mentioned her crimson eyes turning to acknowledge the girl who looked a bit stunned. This was a name she knew and it was quite notorious. "I am sure, Sorin already introduced me as well... I'm Lady Andais McDermott of Clus," said the woman who's fan finally lowered. "Of course, it's a pleasure to meet you both as well. And thank you." From what she understood the other people at this table also controlled different areas of Transylvania, but the girl was not one to push for further information before it presented itself. She assumed there were real questions to be asked of her at some point in the near future, and as such she would wait for them as well.

[Bloodedge]

"If there is a point to be addressed here, perhaps introductions should be considered a waste of time as well, Dragomir," said the elderly man once three of six council members introduced themselves to this newblood. He and the blonde girl seemed utmost disgusted with most of the Convocation at present, and they both thought to move this along. "Quite," added the physically young woman. "Speak then, girl. What sort of mind do you have to call yourself a vampire now?"

These words did not sit well with Sorin, nor did Dragomir take a liking to them. The latter of these two males spoke again, once more in disagreement with the actions of his peers. "Did neither of you hear them say they've been wed? It should be obvious why the girl has become one of us. The information we seek should be whether she even knows what sort of atrocity we claim her to be." Of the three most recent speakers, this man had offered words filled with the most clarity. Sorin respected this, even though Dragomir was not among the favored council members list due to the elder vampire's methods outside of this meeting. Sorin offered his own response, both to address concerns, and clarify for the "newblood" of current topic. "The Convocation of Vampires, formed to extend Dracula's rule over creatures of the night into Transylvania during his second life on Earth. There is a difference in opinion in the Convocation as to whether Dracula's return to power will be a boon or a bane, but all vampires - including the entire Convocation - fear the existence of something more powerful than Dracula. A Master Vampire is created with a power derived from their very soul. A born vampire, however, may also inherit powers from either of its parents... or both. If one were born of Dracul blood between two Master Vampires, it would undoubtedly stand on a pedestal unreachable by any other creature."