[PRP] The Prince and the Pauper (Ravnos x Alessa)

[Yayoi]

So the rumors were true. A new Camarilla Prince had been named. Just one more thorn in Ravnos' a**. First the council thrown together by Caine and now the snooty Ventrue were running Camarilla politics.

Things never seemed to change.

He had sent a letter of...modest invitation to the Prince. Ravnos would never go to the Ventrue haven, nor would he set foot in a meeting place set up by one of the Camarilla especially the head honcho.

In the back of the bar that he regularly came too he sat in a small room. A table and set of chairs was all that it boasted. The doors were covered in colored glass so that he could watch the shadows of the bar patrons move about.

He had had a few drinks sure, but being undead and as old as he was the alcohol had no effect on him. Ravnos purely enjoyed the taste, nothing more. The small room was filled with smoke an ash tray lay upon the table with a few small cigar butts in it, yet another that was still lit hung from his lips. Another mortal enjoyment he had picked up over the centuries.

And there Ravnos waited. If he knew anything about the Ventrue is that this Prince would be right on time, perhaps even a bit early. Punctual as ever.  

[Noir Songbird]

Alessa had been wearing a distasteful frown from the moment she had opened the letter, and it only deepened when she arrived at the appointed meeting place. The new Prince was absolutely not looking forward to meeting the Ravnos Disciple. She had already dealt with one Disciple in her time as Prince, and dealing with a second was sending waves of something very close to panic through the normally detached Prince.

She stepped into the bar, knowing that in her rather elegant business attire she was very, very out of place here. She went to the back room, as the letter directed, and as she had experienced with Ishtar, felt very nearly bowled over by the power of the ancient vampire before her.

"Ravnos, I presume?"

 

[Yayoi]

Dark eyes studied the Prince for a brief moment before the Disciple sat forward in his chair. The small cigar still hanging from his teeth as he casually motioned with a finger to the chair across from him.

A small smirk tugged at the corners of his lips, pulling the small cigar out of his mouth to expel a waft of smoke before he flicked ashes into the ashtray. "Greetings, Princess."

He could feel the edginess in her. Taste it like a thick wine on his tongue. "Would you like a drink? Or perhaps something not quite as strong to ease the quivering belly that you tote about? I find for most that mortal drinks tend to not settle well with their pallets."  

[Noir Songbird]

Alessa took a seat across from him, trying not to show how much she disliked their surroundings. Really, she was unsurprised by his choice of venue. A dark, dingy bar? Excactly where she'd expect to find a member of his Clan.

She almost corrected him, reminded him that her title was "Prince," but she realized that there was little point and it would likely only serve to annoy him, which she really didn't need to do.

"I'll pass, thank you." She said. "Now, did you invite me here for a reason? Or are we simply going to share small talk?"

 

[Yayoi]

"Now now now, my dear Princess. I think a drink is just what you need." Grasping a small glass he poured the dark, red contents of the bottle into the glass, sliding it across the table to where it came to a rest right in front of her.

Pouring himself one, he lifted the glass to her then took a small swig. Placing the glass back onto the table. "There's a reason for everything, my dear Princess. Urchins steal food to live. Gajo need lungs to live. Its all a vicious cycle of reasons. Of needs."

Lacing his fingers as he placed his hands on the table, the same dark smirk tugging at his lips once more. "What is it that you need? Show me yours and I'll show you mine."  

[Noir Songbird]

Alessa eyed the drink he poured for her and sniffed it, considering. She decided that it would just sit for now. Better to avoid it, because it was very likely not her...preferred drink, and hocking up in front of a Disciple would be disgustingly undignified. "Well, thank you for the offer, at least," she said.

She raised her eyebrows. "What I need? Well, I need a bit less stress in my life, and I need allies so that we don't get trampled over. I'm sure you've seen what's coming, Ravnos. It's why I was appointed Prince."

 

[Yayoi]

He laughed. It was not a subtle laugh. It was a very loud and boisterous laugh as he tipped his chair backwards onto it's back two legs, teetering there for a moment before he fell forward again. Grabbing the bottle and pouring himself another drink.

"Less stress, Princess? If you wanted less stress then you would have told those who gave you your station to shove it up their asses and walked out the door with your middle fingers in the air." Ravnos was tickled pink by her answer. He chuckled now to himself as he downed another drink. Once done with that glass he picked up his thin cigar again, puffing on it slowly as he studied Alessa with humor in his eyes. She amused him greatly.

"Aye I've seen what's coming. Its been coming. I'd half expected it at least a century ago. But I guess the beings up high were too busy ******** each other to realize it." A thoughtful look appeared on his face. Leaning forward, smoke curling upwards from his lips the Disciple tapped a finger harshly against the wooden table. "You need allies? I can give you allies. For a price of course."  

[Noir Songbird]

Ravnos had the sort of laugh that was considered infectious, and even from the normally mostly stoic Alessa, it got a quirk of a smile.

"Alas, you know us Ventrue. All about our responsibility to the Camarilla. Kind of our clan baby." She said drily. Telling him that she was the only available Elder probably wasn't a smart move, all things considered. No reason to reveal her Clan's current weakness to someone who would be an enemy again come the end of..whatever this mess was.

"Yes, well, building or not, if I were capable of getting headaches it would give me one. I'm starting to think it might anyway." She said honestly. "A price? Of course. No one's help ever comes free. Not in our world."

 

[Yayoi]

"Do not misunderstand me, Princess. I have no interest in your pet project of restoration of the Camarilla. I know the clans of all factions are weak at this stage of the game. But I DO understand at this point and time there are bigger fish to fry and I...." He paused for a moment, looking thoughtfully off to the side before his gaze fell upon her once more. "I am more concerned about my own kin above all others. As is my own right as well as those of other clans."

The male grinned widely. His white fangs a stark contrast to his dark complexion. "I know of a great remedy for headaches if you ever do develop them."

He extinguished his cigar in the ash tray, leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed over his chest. "Its good that you know and understand that aspect of our kind at least." Ravnos stroked his goatee subconsciously. "My price will be high I do hope you understand that at least. A favor for a favor. I do not wish for it now. But I will take it when I please. If you do not pay the price then you will suffer the consequence of your unpayed debt. Are you sure you are still so willing to make a deal with the devil?"  

[Noir Songbird]

"I hardly expected you to. You and your childer have never really been much for rules, now have you?" She chuckled. "Aren't we all? Me first has always been the way things work in our world." She absently swirled her glass, which she still hadn't drank from at all.

"...I hesitate to ask what this remedy is." She gave him a wry smile.

Alessa nodded. "I ask a large favor. Interclan cooperation doesn't happen often, and it usually descends into much wonderful passive-aggressive verbal sniping. Which has its place, but is a bit frustrating if you are trying not to die at the time." Her voice was dry. "I'll be meeting with a Lasombra Elder at some point. Surely you know how we Ventrue feel about the Sabbat, and the Lasombra in particular. Obviously I'm open to dealing with whatever devils are out there. As long as your favor doesn't involve blowing the Masquerade wide open, I'm sure I can manage whatever it is."

 

[Yayoi]

"Not your rules." He said flatly. Watching her swirl her glass about.

Ravnos dismissed the remedy conversation for the time being. He was in no mood now for idle flirtations. The time for those during this brief encounter was over.

"Ah you see, that's where you fail in your modus operandi. You don't put a cat and a dog in the same room and expect them to get along. No. It takes a more deft touch and a lot of back room, non-confrontational dealings." The male produced another thin cigar, lighting it and taking a deep drag.

He laughed. "You Ventrue think you are so well knowledged in business but you have no tact." Ravnos tapped a finger against the table again. "I will do some dealings for you and temper the steel of this lack luster sword you intend to forge, but it will cost extra. Think of it as me quelling the fire before you decide to walk across the coals. I have my finger in many pies. I believe that is the correct mortal term for it."

To her Masquerade comment he snorted. "If you have concerns over it let me calm your fears. It does not benefit me or my kin to do such things. And if I were you I would be more worried about the Anarchs or your precious poets in that aspect."  

[Noir Songbird]

Alessa sighed. "I was hoping to talk, to at least try to smooth things over. And possibly toss around a bit of Presence, though I can't say how much it would help." Damn, Ravnos was getting her to open up more than she would have liked, but she'd hardly revealed anything of strategic importance.

"I'm going to be up to my eyeballs in debt to you, aren't I." It wasn't a question, it was a statement. As much as she hated to admit it, Ravnos probably was better for smoothing things over than she, especially with the Sabbat. She had been dreading speaking with Sabbat Elders, knowing how much they despised her and her Clan. "I won't turn away aid, not now. I have my pride, but pride has no place in war."

She snorted. "I hardly expect so. It would benefit none of us to have the, ah, light shone on what we are, as it were. There are too many who would then fight us, and no matter our power, too few of us to fight them all." And then, she humbled herself one more time. "Thank you, Ravnos."

 

[Yayoi]

He tsked. Waggling a finger at her. "Talking and throwing your weight about gets you no where and no where fast. The problem with leaders is they all have egos and when you are in a position of power like you are, wishing to miracle the impossible from nothing, you have to stroke a few egos if you know what I mean." The Disciple made the universal hand gesture.

Ravnos grinned. "Yes, we all have to crawl on our knees through the muck sometimes. But that is where you are wrong, Princess. Pride does have its place. Its what keeps us from over stepping what basic morals we have. To not sell ourselves short to coin a term. But it takes a better man to swallow their pride to achieve their goals."

Rolling his neck, a few vertebrae cracked and popped. "Well as it were, we can perhaps hope that those fighting our enemies as well will dwindle their numbers. But only time will tell." He certainly was no used to being thanked, so did no quite know how to respond. Standing up, his chair slid back across the floor. Holding his hand up, Ravnos spit into it before holding it out for her to shake.  

[Noir Songbird]

Alessa sighed. "You would expect I'd be better prepared for this." She said, looking away and towards the wall briefly before returning her full attention to Ravnos. She let out a quiet snort at his hand gesture. Despite herself, she almost liked the Disciple.

"As much as I wish I didn't,t have to, if that,s what,s necessary to keep us from being wiped out, I'll do it," she admitted. Yes, that was how serious she considered this threat. They were surrounded on all sides to her view.

The Prince stood as the Disciple did, sliding her chair back in. She blinked for a moment, considering how to respond to the spit-covered proffered hand. Then, a wry smirk crossed her face. "Tell anyone about this and I'll stringently deny it," she warned, and then she spit in her own hand before going to shake his.