Joy Changed to Mourning

[Admin]

April 14, 1865

The private telegraph Viktor kept in his quarters was chattering throughout the night, and from time to time the Ventrue paused to send messages. Most of the traffic was the same- shock at the murder of President Lincoln. However, mortal affairs were to some degree mortal problems, although the Kindred world was abuzz as well. Was this simply a mortal power play, or were there other actors pulling the strings behind the scenes?

Olympia itself had shook itself awake and citizens were huddled outside of newspaper offices and taverns, quietly talking and waiting for the latest news. The entire nation was in shock, and even as far removed from the Civil War as Washington Territory was, that shock played out in the dirty streets of it's capital city.

[Lillias]

Lillias gave the door of Viktor's room a light rap - a sound he had grown accustomed to over his years housing her.

She easily had the money to afford her own home, indeed already owning an establishment where she dealt her very successful medical practice out of, but perhaps out of loyalty, or fear, or any number of other possible reasons, she seemed very keen on remaining in his home.

[Admin]

Viktor pressed a buzzer that told her it was ok to come in. Getting up and going to the door was more labor than he cared to put in tonight as his leg was in more pain than usual.

[Lillias]

The little Scot opened the door upon his indication that it was okay, slipping into the room on silent bare feet and closing the door behind her quietly.

She walked towards him, clinging to her rosary. "Everyone is talkin' about it, the mortals on tha street." She said quietly, her head tilting curiously. "Do ya know what's goin' on?"

[Admin]

Viktor nodded. "The President is dead- shot by an assassin in Ford's Theater. Most tragic."

[Lillias]

That genuine sorrow she felt whenever she heard about any person's dearth darkened her features, her head lowering some.

"So it's true, then. How awful.. what happens now?"

[Admin]

Viktor leaned back in his chair and gestured for the little Giovani to have a seat.

"I suspect the Radical Republicans will take over Congress now and run roughshod over the southern states, instead of implementing LIncoln's plans for generous reunification."

[Lillias]

She moved towards him and gracefully lowered herself into the seat he'd motioned to, nodding as he spoke.

"What is next for us, then? Does this affect us as a society?"

[Admin]

"As a society? No, not at all. Somebody lost a powerful mortal piece, and others have suddenly increased in value. But we are timeless, we will continue. It's possible this was an entirely mortal action."

The Venture scowled at the telegraph as another message chattered through, which he hastily replied to.

"Then there are the idiots among us who think this is the start of Gehenna..."

"To put it into perspective though, the most advanced navy in the world, and the largest, most powerful and well trained army on the earth both lie in the hands of the victorious Federal forces. The Czar of Russia and the Prussian state are allied with the United States. This ensures European stability as there will be no meddling in affairs over here. The Ventrue have no interest in a global conflict, and these last few years have been enough for even the Brujah to sate their lust for violence."

"We will be fine. The mortals will not be though. I predict bad things, very bad things for the southern people and the negroes both."

[Lillias]

She frowned at his words.

Although she had been with him for several years, now, she still maintained her nervous poise at all times. Hands folded in her lap, ankles crossed below her.

"Some seem to think everything is the start of Gehenna. What can we do for the mortals, to make this all easier for them?"

[Admin]

"You are a good person Lillias" he said, while smiling at her question.

"That is an excellent question. Here, we can do little. We are far and away from where people will be most affected. LIfe will go on here."

Viktor paused and thought for a long moment. "Personally, I agree with the Radicals. A harsh reconstruction, as unpleasant as it seems may be needful to fully root out the problems that lead to the recent war. The Southern people had a culture that revolved around slavery- it was a sort of very late feudalism. They do not have a democratic society, they do not even practice capitalism the way people like you and I do, and they will not so easily give up their feudalism, and do not seem inclined to graciously change their society."

"No, I think my good friend, what we must do is see to the plight of the Freedman in all of this. They must be elevated as social and political equals, while their former master's must be prevented from regaining political power and control. And this will be unpleasant for a generation or two, until a new generation, free of the taint of the past is raised up."

"But for the moment..." he smirked "We must find a way for you to stop being so damned nervous around me."

[Lillias]

The girl's blue eyes widened and she straightened up even further in her chair, her mouth making a cute little "o" shape.

"I'm not nervous around ya, sir. Ye've made me feel nothin' but safe, here. I just.. continue to observe proper etiquette, that's all."

[Admin]

Viktor smirked. "It's appreciated. You can stand down though, this is the frontier, it's noticeable that you behave so formally to me."

As he spoke, a somewhat scruffy gray tabby cat popped out of nowhere and landed on Lillias' lap, meowing and purring.

[Lillias]

"I.. I will try ta.. erm.. relax, a bit, if it pleases ye, sir." She did make the effort to settle back a bit into her chair, though she was still of such a stiff posture it was just comical.

She jumped a bit as the cat landed in her lap, suppressing a sound of fright. After she got a look at what had surprised her, she gave a little squeak. "Heavens above, look at ye." She ran a gloved hand over the cat's back delicately, her full attention on the feline.

[Admin]

"Call me Viktor" he said for the umpteenth time, with a smirk.

The cat purred loudly and walked in a circle before curling up on the Giovani's lap.

"His name is Bill."

[Lillias]

"I'm sorry, s.. Mister Viktor. I'll try ta remember."

She scritched behind the cat's ears, her brows pulling together in pure bliss. "Bill, mm? What a handsome kitty." She continued her affections.

[Admin]

Bill the cat reciprocated with happy purrs and flexing paws.

Viktor chewed his lip for a moment and decided to tell Lillias something he'd been keeping from her.

"You know, your family has never stopped sending people to take you back. In fact it's reached a point of absurdity. Several times a year now, I am forced to kill or drive back at least one group, and it is getting both tiresome and dangerous, to the point where I suspect they are going to try and wage an all out war on me. There is a steamer in Seattle which will land here tomorrow, it contains another force."

[Lillias]

She would have stood up if Bill had not been on her lap, a hand coming to cover her mouth in shock.

"They - what? Why wouldn'a ya tell me? That's not your cross ta bear, Mister Viktor. I - I'm so sorry, I shouldn'a.."

She tried delicately encouraging the tabby off of her lap, "I shouldn'a stayed, as long as I have. I didn'a know, I should have, though, I'm so sorry."

[Admin]

Viktor smiled softly and looked at Lillias.

"You recall how I call myself Governor? It isn't just a silly bit of pompous arrogance. I was ghouled by a very powerful, very old Kindred. And my death... well that is an interesting story."

"The land has spirits Lillias, and those spirits in a way are shaped not only by who control the land, but also in who came before. Before the white man came here, the Indians and the spirits were in tune with each other. The lupines, the werewolves were masters of that relationship. Then the white man came, and destroyed the indians, ruined their lands and weakened their spirits. But we brought our own spirits with us, first the British, then the Americans. Then we brought our steam engines, and our electric telegraphs, and our sawmills, and all those change things too."

"My death rather by accident served as a sort of sacrifice to those spirits. All of them. The old guardians of the land were weakened. As I lay dying, my leg shattered and my blood spilling as my sire stood over me, I had a vision, and I gave my life to the land here, and the spirits judged it worthy, and made me the guardian of this land."

"In a way Lillias, I am Washington Territory. When I listen, I hear the land, and the land can hear me. Your troubles are mine, because you live here. And I invited you into my home, into the city I claim for myself and myself alone. Do not fret, your enemies will come, and when they become burdensome, the land itself will rise against them if needful."

"Also, Bill likes you."

[Lillias]

She listened, enraptured by his tale. She had no reason to question or disbelieve him, so she simply nodded slowly.

At his mention of the cat, she cracked a small half smile, glancing down at the fluffy critter in her lap.

"I'm..not certain I fully understand.. but.. thank ye. Is there something I can do ta help with the intruders?"

[Admin]

"You could ask them very nicely to leave you alone and stop coming to my home? Somebody tried raising the dead in the cemetery at Tumwater recently. Very poor show of things. One of these nights I might take the stake out of her."

"Seriously though, what does it take for a Giovani family to get the hint?"

[Lillias]

She gave a nervous little laugh and tucked her curls behind her ear, lowering her head.

"Ah, I'm not certain, Mister Viktor. My da' always said ta hold out for tha next big offer. Even if another offer doesn'a come, ya will never be known as the man who sold cheap."

[Admin]

That made Viktor chuckle, although some of that was also directed at the antics of the cat which had started to climb up onto Lillias' shoulder and rub his face onto hers.

"What would you like to do with this ship that is coming? The whole crew is Giovani- ghoul or Kindred. Quite frankly I I was going to have it sink in the narrows north of hear, but I'd rather not put you through that distress."

[Lillias]

She shook her head, genuine concern in her blue eyes as she looked at him pleadingly.

"Thank ya, no, ta sink them wouldn'a be fair - especially if any of them are ghouls. Let's.. let's see if we can talk ta them? Reason with them? Ye have such a way with words, maybe if I go with ye, they'll take note..?"

[Admin]

Viktor smiled, and somewhat painfully stood up and kissed the little Giovanni on her forehead.

"As you say then, we will try to reason with them." He scowled as the telegraph clattered to life again and then chuckled.

"Our friends apparently left ahead of schedule. They should be here within an hour. The wire was down from Steilacoom, which is why I'm just now learning of this."

"Tell me then, what would inspire your family to leave you alone once and for all? Years of invading my lands hasn't stopped them, what will make them stop now?"

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