Captivity of the Nicer Kind

JP with Lucian and Cindy

The Ellington Estate, Paris
May 12, 1889
Around 8:30 PM

Moving Iris gave Vor the quiet he needed, the servant helping him move her matching his silence as they went. He spoke once, denying the suggestion of restraints, hoping he would be able to keep her calm for the time being without blowing his cover or further stressing her. He realized this also meant he would need to remain as Ritikios for longer than he thought…

For now, he thanked Metira for the moment he had to collect himself. While his grief was great, he couldn’t fathom what She felt at seeing her teachings so thoroughly bastardized. For children to be taught they were inferior…

His body and breath trembled slightly as he let the emotions trickle through, wanting to cry but unwilling to crack just yet. Looking at Iris and working to control his breathing, he assumed this would be a long night for everyone.

It took another fifteen minutes or so but eventually, Iris began to stir. She was confused, at first, and didn't see Ritikios in the room. Suddenly, her focus started to come back, the young woman looked at Ritikios and she shot up in her seat, looking terrified, as if she was expecting something terrible to happen to her. However, sitting up so quickly caused a sharp pain to go through her head, and the girl felt dizzy, she held her head to keep from passing out. "My Lord, forgive me for whatever I did to anger you. Whatever punishment you inflicted on me I am sure I deserved it." There was something in her tone, Iris seemed far more scared than remorseful.

Stiffening into character with her jump, Ritikios held a hand up to silence her.

“No punishment. We were attacked and you were lucky to have survived. We are safe for now.”

Hearing the fear in her voice, he disturbingly wondered how others of his kind had acted with such privilege. Had they been so easily swayed into acts of wanton cruelty?

“In the tunnels you seemed confused over what was happening. Has this occurred before?”

Iris seemed relieved when Ritikios said there would be no punishment. She took a moment to answer his question. "No. Well, not here. From what I have been told the founders were attacked many years ago, in Greece. Some went underground, some, like my family fled, to other parts of Europe. So every sect of The Children is on constant alert so they practice drills of what to do incase they're attacked." Iris thought for a moment. "The way everyone went in one direction, opposed of where we were going and that they didn't scatter wasn't what we had been trained to do. Maybe, they didn't want people crowding you, my Lord."

He nodded, to ease her nerves and think it over. A welcome distraction, trying to piece it together like he did when it was all just books for him to study.

He also wasn’t about to knock around dead fish, seeing that Iris was either firm in her alibi or was telling the truth. He wasn’t the right person to get a solid answer from her. He instead sought to gain other information.

“When did you join them? When did you first see the truth?”
His spoke softly in Greek, looking at her with a gentle curiosity.

Iris looked grateful that Ritikios had switched to Greek and did the same. "My great grandparents were founding member. They raised my grandmother in The Children who brought in my grandfather. My mother met my father in The Children they were both members. So, I have been raised in it." Iris paused. "They want me to raise in the ranks. My family is full of higher ups so it's expected of me. "

An interesting turn of events, one Vor couldn’t help feel was orchestrated just for him.

“And you hope to live up to such a fine pedigree?”

His continued his sincerity, though held his rigid composure.

Maybe it was the injury or the fact Iris was out of sorts but her response was maybe unexpected. "I have no choice." Quickly covering her mouth as if she had said something horrible. "Forgive me. My head is still hurting. Of course, I hope to live up to those expectations." But her face turned white, she had already let a crack be seen to, of all people, an Arundan. That was not a good thing from what she knew.

Ritikios chuckled, humored by her response as much as Vor was intrigued. Cracks in the cults facade?

“You can speak freely. I did choose you for your mind after all, not your looks.”

Vor was eager to use this moment. The distraction of possible redemption and a hope to undermine the cult drove him to play his role a bit more recklessly here.

“You have proven devotion and admiration to me, so your faith is of no question. What blasphemy is there in questioning the plans others would have for you? Why must you reach for others standards, when Our Mother sees that every current, big and small, has its own value?
"It's what I've been taught. Not to question. That it's disrepectful to the Arundan and the higher ups in the Children." Iris sat up a little more and coughed a bit. "No offensive but you are not how I expected an Arundan to be."

“As expected of those beneath us, to be blinded by gods and only see by the cast made by the shadow of their hands. And just what did you expect?”

Vor cocked his head to the side as he leaned forward. Here he could finally get an image of what the Children saw of his people… and maybe begin to change it for the better.

"Well, to be honest you are the first one I've met. I hear there are some in the Children but I am guessing they are mostly in Greece or other places." Iris then rsponded to the actual question. "We are told that the Aruandan's do not take kindly to those that question their ways. That any punishment we recieve is nothing compared to what your race can do to us. That you have untapped magical ablitlites but the ones in the order have tapped into some of those ablities. That the Arundan are God like." Iris said it but her tone held a air of maybe not being quite convinced of eveerything she had learned growing up in the Children of The Sea. Still, it was too much to say outloud.

Ritikios’s smirk faltered hearing it said out loud, a shadow of Vor’s troubled mind briefly cracking through the facade.

“It is true that many of us are… brash in our convictions. To be questioned about Metira’s plan and her favor towards us is the same as asking if we truly need water to live. I have long since grown tired of that fight and only entertain those with a more open mind, those like you.”

Mulling over a pause, Vor chose to file away her perceived doubts for a bit and choose a lighter subject.

“The other woman, she could barely answer my questions where you were so ready to respond. Would you know why she had such pitiful knowledge of the faith?”

Iris just nodded to Ritikos's response. She felt as if she could say no more on that subject without being asking.

"Cassandra? Yes." Iris thought for a moment on how to respond. "I have known Cassandra for several years. She is let us say, always in trouble for not knowing responses to such questions. She has gotten away with much based on her looks but I believe Omilitís tis Alítheias (Spirtual Leader) Antinea is growing a little weary of her. I would not be surprised if Cassandra's punishment this time was more severe than in the past."

“Indeed. I am curious then why Antinea would offer her alongside yourself then. Yet another question I have gained about your commune and their practices. Did you have access to the artifacts held in the temple? Perhaps being closer to our essence would have proved more beneficial for her.”

"I can not be certain but I believe she wanted to offer you a variety of choices." That would also explain why there were a few girls at the start. "I have seen some of the artifacts, sometimes they are taken out for the members to see. I know they have something called the Visage which I have not seen and I have never seen the Eye of The Sea, I am not even sure what that is." Iris explained.

His eyes flickered at hearing of the Visage. It felt like ages since he had seen it at the fair. It was welcome news for Vor.

“I understand the desire for choice, but my concern comes from presenting someone with such a loose respect of the faith.”

He couldn’t hide a bit of irritation in his voice, realizing he couldn’t quite tell if it was Vor or Ritikios behind it. He took a breath to continue.

“The Visage. You have merely heard mention of it?”

He couldn’t remember if he knew what the Eye of the Sea was, so chose to focus on the Visage.

"I am suspecting Antinea did not expect you to ask questions or perhaps she wanted to be prepared for anything?" It was clear Iris had no idea why Cassandra was presented, she was just guessing. "Yes. I have only heard of the Visage. It supposedly has magical properties." She tensed up a little. "I am sorry My Lord,you likely know more about the Visage than I do."

A moment later a knock could be heard at the door to the room.

He thanked Metira that the Visage seemed to remain whole for the moment and was grateful as well to the knock on the door.

“I will return in a moment. Try and get some rest.”

Whoever it was, Vor intended to speak with them outside of the room as he opened the door and moved to close it behind him.

Harold stood outside the door,. "I was checking to see if you or your guest needed anything. Tea or perhaps some dinner?'" It was about 8:30 pm and Harold couldn't be certain the last time anyone had eaten.

As Harold and Vor were speaking Elizabeth emerged from the room she had been in out into the hallway. Harold bowed to her, as he waited on a response from Vor.

“Dinner would be welcomed, thank you Harold.”

He had a thought to ask Iris hee preference, though decided that would be too forward given how open he had already been. Seeing Elizabeth distracted him from it as well, grateful to see her up and about.

“My Lady, it is good to see you awake. How are you?”

Harold nodded. "Yes, Lady Elizabeth it is good to see you looking better."

"Thank you, Mr. Aster. Thank you, Harold. I am recovering fairly well though I believe I might have to excuse myself from any expeditions for the next few days." Elizabeth responded.

"I will go tend to your requests Mr. Aster." Harold responded. "Lady Elizabeth there is some food in the dining area, unless you would like something brought to you."

"No, that is fine Harold. Thank you." Elizabeth responded. Harold excused himself and left.

"Mr. Aster, how is our guest?" Elizabeth asked. Sung hadn't mentioned he had knocked out Iris but the woman was here and likely not where she wanted to be. If Vor was watching her, Elizabeth could only assume she wasn't a threat.

"She is well, if a bit flustered from the encounter. We have been talking since she woke. Based on her account the Visage is still intact and somewhere in the temple."

He consciously moved farther from the door, unsure if Iris would try snooping.

"Might I ask what happened? Did something go wrong to cause the attack?"
"Miss Lavigne's butler arrived. He would have instantly recognized Mr. Sung so we couldn't let him in the temple. He was not alone. Came with a few guards, and some magic users. So, we ended up having to fight them. The man in the mask, is an Eldren, Mr. William Sable. He is wanted by the crown. He did some awful things that I don't know if you care to hear about right now but it was bad enough that his title was stripped from him. They fought us. Her butler got away. Mr. Sung said Mr. Sable is being questioned, in the cellar. I have been informed that Miss Lavigne and Doctor Jackal have been kidnapped." Maybe not best to dwell on that. "Did you find out any other information that might be of use?"

"Nothing of note so far, other than a mention of another artifact that I regrettably do not recognize. The Eye of the Sea? Iris doesn't know where they are, but is confident the Paris branch of the cult has both items."

Elizabeth looked surprised at the mention of the Eye of the Sea. "They have the Eye of The Sea? That is rather disturbing. The Eye of The Sea is a powerful magical artifact. It used to be part of the Crown jewels of India but was stolen decades ago and has been missing ever since." She thought for a moment. "If they have that, they must be planning something big." Elizabeth's headache was returning. She closed her eyes for a moment to ward it off. "Well, it seems as if we have a number of items to retrieve from them."

Noting the discomfort, Vor smiled apologetically.

“Quite the growing list it seems. Do we have any way of knowing the Doctors and Miss Lavigne’s condition?”

"Unfortunately, no but I doubt they were kidnapped just to be killed," Elizabeth explained. "Hopefully, their wereabouts can be narrowed down tonight. They are the priority, of course." Elizabeth said. She spotted two servants walking back with Harold, carrying a tray of food and one of tea and water. She turned back to Vor, "Let me know if you find out anything else of interest. I will let you get back to your guest." Elizabeth then headed down the hallway.

Nodding to Elizabeth with a smile as she walked away, Vor followed Harold and the other servants in to the room.

“Would you be hungry Iris?”
"Yes, thank you, my Lord." Iris responded. The servants put the trays down. Harold caught the My Lord comment and went seamlessly with it. Harod bowed to Vor. "Is there anything else I can get for you, My Lord?" The other servants also went along, once they saw what Harold did, and bowed to Vor but didn't speak.

“That will be all, thank you Harold.”

Vor put emphasis on thanking him, grateful for their willingness to keep the ploy going. He also realized he still wore the ceremonial garb given by the cult and removed it. He would keep it just in case, but being aware of it touching him made his skin crawl. Placing it over his arm, he addressed Iris before getting himself some water.

“If there is anything else you need, I will do my best to accommodate you while you remain here.”

"Very good. Harold stated before leaving, taking the other servants with him. "Thank you, my Lord. Is there perhaps someplace I can freshen up a bit?" Iris responded. There was a bathroom, attached to this sitting room, However, it had a window, not large and up a ways on the outer wall but big enough for Iris to attempt to escape if she chose to.