Explanations Owed

As he wandered through the garden, he would notice the ever so slight shift in the temperature as he came closer and closer to the Prince, herself. She was kneeling, wearing a very simple outfit, a dress with no petticoats or obnoxious ruffling. The white fabric fell off her shoulders and clung to her frame, the hem lightly speckled with dirt. She seemed oblivious to it, gloved fingers reaching out to lightly stroke the leaves of a green plant, speaking to it softly. "Now, now, dear," she told the plant. "Don't do that. I know the cold does not bother you, silly one."

There was a soft smile upon her face. Often, she appeared to be significantly older than she was. Most people forgot what age she was Embraced at, how young she really was beneath the vampiric powers. Sitting there in a simple dress, with her silver hair down to frame her face and a charm bracelet around her wrist, she looked... normal. Like an eighteen year old girl without hundreds of years beneath her metaphorical belt. 

The charm of a small sea turtle caught in the shining moonlight, reflecting ever slightly on the plants she surrounded herself with. She continued her evaluation of the surrounding leaves, making sure there was nothing weighing down the beautiful shrubs she took such care of. If Eto approached, she would seem oblivious to it. Her attention was on the chamomile plant she babied ever so carefully. Yet, as he approached her, she began to speak softly to him. 

"I used to want children," she murmured, leaning forward and inhaling the scent of the leaves ever so carefully. "I was destined to be Embraced, from the day my father found me. I knew I would never be allowed children, and I accepted that... I've spent years wondering what it would have been like to be a mother. It's why I have my dog, inside. It's why I have all these plants." She would look up at the Assamite, tilting her head to one side. There was a delicate, barely-formed smile upon her face, but it was the most genuine expression Eto would have ever seen cross her features. "They give me something to take care of." 

Amy chuckled softly, letting her fingers fall away from the leaves. They bounced slightly, as if missing her touch, as she turned the entirety of her attention towards her guest. She stood and offered him a welcoming smile. "Welcome, Etonis Vadia. What can I do for you?"

A soft chuckle fell from her lips as Eto spoke of his son. How interesting... A kindred that was able to spawn? She couldn't help but wonder what that meant. Of course, it made it easy to remember his demoness companion; the Fallen, the Unchained, the Demons... They all had their own way of doing things. If they wanted something accomplished, it would be accomplished. It was that simple.

Amy raised a hand and lightly pressed her fingertips into her forehead in contemplation, careful not to disturb the white tendrils that fell into her face. "I have heard that it is fairly normal for children to despise their parents, to some degree." She did not bring up her own father, the man she had adored and practically worshiped for most of her unlife. She had eventually come to loathe him, but that emotion was based on his actions and his words.

She removed her hand from her hand, dismissively waving off his envy. "Octavian is the one with the kind heart," she explained, simply. "Ask your questions. Or offer your explanation. Whichever you'd rather do first." Her icy eyes turned away from her guest, back to the plants that surrounded them. There was a tall stem with flowering, dark green leaves. As she brushed them aside, she exposed what looked to be black grapes dangling from the plant: small, metallic orbs that seemed firm when touched.

The last time Etonis brought up her husband, her rage had turned some water particles in the air to ice, frosting the tips of her hair and her eyelashes. Her lips had pulled back into what could almost constitute as a sneer, and the stiffness in her posture had done nothing to hide the complete, all-encompassing rage she had felt. Perhaps he had expected the same, this time, but there was nothing more than a slight frown. She continued her slow, delicate care of her plants, plucking off the largest of the spheres and holding it in her hand.

As he continued to ramble, she inspected the nub. She was listening intently to his every word, but interruption would have been considered rude. He had requested her attention because he had something he wanted to say... He deserved a chance to say that. When, at long last, his speech came to an end, she would lift her gaze to his own, holding it thoughtfully for a moment. Contemplation was obvious as she noticed the change in the red color.

"Mister Vadia, my husband will need your assistance with his new weaponry. Should you feel no obligation to his teachings, I will accept that. I have one other who may be willing to mentor Octavian." With a single motion of her hand, each finger stiff and hand spread, she expressed her disinterest in hearing anything further on the topic. If he chose to continue the lessons, it would be allowed, but she had no interest in hearing what he had to say one way or another. Not when there were more pressing matters at hand... Like the war, like Thorn, Queen of the Fiends.

"Now, on to other matters. Your companion... Thorn. She introduced herself as the Queen of the Seventh Layer of Hell. If my informant is correct, that means she is SilverThorn. She is trusted by somebody I care for deeply, and I will extend that trust. She is welcome in my City." Amy offered a half-nod towards the Assamite, knowing that the answer was incomplete. She was almost brought to her knees by a single touch and there seemed to be no hostility.

It seemed to be all she had to say on the matter, however, and moved on from the topic to the personal war. He seemed to want to know about the Kuei-Jin. "I cannot answer most of the questions you have about our enemies, however. I am not as intimately knowledgeable about the Eastern Monsters as I would like to be... I can refer you to somebody who can, and will, help you to figure out exactly how to bring every one of them down... with every detail about Nichiya DeMorieve that you might need."

Amy only glanced away from his gaze when he drew his sword, observing it idly. She understood his concern and held her own, but she had seen those swords, witnessed them herself. She knew the power they held. As her gaze rose once more, a shiver of apprehension passed through her. "I understand your concerns, Mister Vadia, but he has a new weapon that may change your stance. When you are both available, I humbly request a single training session to evaluate the possibility of improvement." And the likelihood of him surviving while wielding the weapons.

She took a deep, steadying breath, and then turned back to her plants. "There is a Memorial within the free territories of my City. I will give you a map to assist in the travels. Once there, voice your concerns and questions to the little one. She can answer whatever you might ask." Telling him to talk to a ghost would probably do her no good, so she left that bit of information out, opting to stroke the little nub in her fingers affectionately.

"You and yours have no enemies within the limits of my City. Understand that my informant means neither of you any harm." Finn, after all, was content gathering his information and letting other people do what they might need to do. "The two of us are the only ones, outside of you and perhaps Don, that know of her identity and problems. We will raise our swords to defend her, so long as you maintain your loyalty to this City."