RP:The Lock Component
Part of the The Dust Up In Cenril Arc
Summary: Hudson drops by to give Brennia the solution to her irksome problems.
Smyth College of Bardic Arts
After finding your way through the Topiary Garden it would only be fitting to come upon a building which looks like a section taken right out of any castle in the same style as all of Schezerade, in all it's decadence; marble forming the entirety of the large building accented with gold and platinum in which you'll have to cross over a glass bridge in order to reach it. The front door is welcoming for all shapes and sizes that are the citizens of Hollow and spans a great distance in it's solid French Door of a design. Opening it up one might be perplexed at the ability for the fortress to hold such music coming from the main hall there with all of the astute students practicing their talents. Once immersed, the eyes might be stolen by the gaping cathedral ceilings above, spotted by gold and platinum in which encircle mini glowing stones to mimic the night sky, but beauty is not what the ceiling is for; it carries one's voice in the most pleasing fashion. This main hall is quite a vast oval-shaped room, but the walls are shelves, carved into small diamond shapes. Each slot contains a scroll to nearly any song someone might wish to hear or practice in it's magic. Among the marvelous white-wood, gold-accented, concert grand piano in the middle of this large room there are a plethora of nearly every musical instrument imaginable, one just has to look.
Nearing further into the castle one's nostrils might pick up on the scent of mouth watering food being cooked wafting from the kitchen which is north of the main room and it also holds an elegant dining area containing a handful of small tables. In the corner of this kitchen there is a winding staircase which travels below where students are bustling to and fro. If you wish to stay, grab your favorite spirits from the well stocked kitchen and listen to the bardic magics, relax in one of the many luxurious sofas strewn about these to areas. Off to the east corner of the main hall, there is a locked staircase with an outreaching design in onyx stone overlay which is seemingly inking over into the pristine luxury you’ve found yourself in. It's as if the area above holds a darkness that's attempting to leak out into this little slice of heaven… Better just leave that door alone.
Hudson had found this tome about Brennia to be more engaging than he'd anticipated. Reading on his couch (and of late, bed) in the Office's interior office, he'd learned a great deal of Brennian (new word) history. He'd gotten what he needed, though: the ingredients that comprise her tattoo, the true backbone of the Raven, include colossal squid's ink, yoke of a dragon's egg, enchanted elder maple sap, and eldest sibling pixie wings. Some grim and hard to get stuff, pixie wings are black market only for example. Hudson immediately has a few ideas. Funny, that. Somewhere along his becoming a drug lord and learning to make explosives he'd started to like alchemy and truly apply himself in the way Alvina had always wanted him to. He spends a little time at the library to check out a hunch or two and then goes about cobbling together core various ingredients into a formula, among them: mistletoe essential oil, the blood of a manticore, and silver nanoparticles (handled with extreme care). Because of his "allergy," he hires a professional cleaning service to clean the lab afterwards, and then he stashes the stoppered flask in his backpack and flies directly to Schezerade. He remembers Brennia's chef, who lets him in, but the guy doesn't seem like he follows sports, so the small talk is stilted and limited to the weather.
Courtyard
Off of the to the west of the vast Main Hall through large paned glass doors you come to a large cobblestoned and marble walled courtyard, but it is not without a bit of vines growing along the walls and a couple large old trees somehow planted in the two centers of the courtyard. The outdoor area here is just as long as the main hall, but narrower by half which is still saying quite a bit for the area. The front half seems to be dedicated to painting and recreation as there are some lounges, easels and tables about if some of the students decide to enjoy their meals outside on nice days. The back half is arranged as a training area adorned with some weapons and dummies next to a few obstacles.
Brennia was home, but she's out on the courtyard and Zachael let Hudson in although it was much quieter this night than his previous daytime visit. The chef doesn't speak a lick of common, but could so talk it ear off about Blitzball (the football Avian sport) and his love for The Falcons which is The Cardinals, Brennia's, rival team. Zachael would of course hold the panes window door open for Hudson which leads out to a beautiful cobblestone courtyard with marble walls adorned with vines and there was some street lamps about which illuminated the table in the recreational area of the vast courtyard. The first thing Hudson would see is a group of what looks like professors sitting around a table playing cards and the smells of cigarettes and Brennia's own potent expensive cigar, of course. Here was plenty of different liquors before them which they procured from the drink cart next to them. Jovial laughter as one of the fellow professors start to shuffle and deal so Brennia sits back, crossed one leg over the other in her narrow pencil skirt. She takes her reading glasses off to hang them on her unbuttoned silk white blouse and puff from her cigar. Her large blue eyes look to her left to see Hudson being ushered in by Zachael, "Merry meet The Sir!" She raises her dark wine as a cheers to him, "welcome!"
Small talk with Zachael is indeed rather stilted, in that case... Limited to meaningful nods and polite smiles. Hudson's gaze takes stock of the card game, maybe he'll get the details on that for another time. People forget that because he's an alchemist he's good at calculations, it's a neat little party trick to underestimate people with his jock demeanor for a few pots. He matches Brennia's smile with an easy grin. "Hey you, I hope I'm not disturbing," he holds out an arm to catch her in a loose hug, their cheeks touching in the standard air kiss of rich people everywhere. He nods politely at the card players. "By all means don't stop the hand on my account, I'll make myself a drink and wait for the lady of the house to free up." He waves them to it and moves to the drink cart to fix himself a tumbler of brown liquor over ice. He pays casual attention to the demeanor of the players involved in the game, as one does in this situation.
Brennia had stood when Hudson came near in returning the airs of those born into money and he was the only one her got her that way, "of course not.". She motions to the cigars on the cart, "have one. None of these scholars wanted to." One lady smoking from a theater length cigarette holder chimed in with an Irish accent, "Madame Smyth, those cigars are for royalty and we are far from!" Brennia waves her hand while sitting down, "Pish posh, Minerva!" Brennia was dealt her hand and she dawned her narrow black rimmed reading glasses while sipping her wine before addressing her colleges, "You know the rules, prized possessions on the table." All of them dropped a ring or necklace, pricy things and rare for them, but Brennia's is different, for expensive things didn't mean much to her and she dropped as worn out signed copy of 'The Siren' by EL Landon and this earned a groan thinking Brennia wasn't taking them seriously, "What? She's my favorite author and it's -signed-!" She protests before the start of her hand continues and Zachael brought a seat closer to Brennia for Hudson. He may notice he two other women sitting at the table were fanning themselves at the near look of the book. "How are you tonight The Sir?" She peered up at him over the rim of her glasses, looking like some sexy librarian.
Hudson doesn't need to be asked twice. He After making himself a drink, he goes about helping himself to a cigar. Maybe he should have worn something better than jeans and a golf shirt because it's fancy up in here. He flashes another one of his easy grins -- chill, lady -- at the woman who'd spoken up about the cigars. He puts his backpack by the wall for safekeeping now and stands sentinel over this game, puffing away and drinking intermittently. He hadn't planned on the day going this way but now it is, go figure. It's Hudson's turn to keep a poker face when Brennia drops a signed copy of one of his mum's novels. Zachael's brought him a seat so with a nod of thanks he sinks into it, hides a smile in his glass. "I'm goood," he says, in an amused cadence. "I have something funny to tell you later, in private," he adds, watching the betting start. He settles himself in his chair, observing who raises, who folds, their demeanor. "May I?" he asks about the book, reaching for it to thumb through the dedication. He smiles anew at his mum's handwriting, and then pages through the opening of the book. "She has very loyal women fans," he observes, grimacing at some of the text. He puts the book back lest he see more. The river is being dealt, time to see who's got the winning hand.
Brennia fans open her cards making sure no one can see and uncaring if Hudson does. When he says he has something to tell her she offers a quirked brow, but when he picks up her favorite novel and starts looking through it earned a wink. "The Siren, eh?" The professor with the Irish accent chimes in, "I wondered where you got your inspiration, Miss Smyth." The table laughed together before Brennia took a drag from her cigar and the smoke slithers about her stunning face when she 'innocently' bats her lashes at the woman, "Whatever do you mean, Minerva?" There was lighter chuckle. The players focus on her cards once more when one of the male professors teases poor Brennia, "'Tis too bad you can't seem to think straight around that tinkerer, Mister Vi." Whoa! That earned an actual blush from Brennia, but she pretended to be too invested in her dealt hand as the male professor goes on, "I've seen her charm a snake out of it's skin, but not Mister Vi." The table splits off in turns mimicking all the times she's made a fool of herself in front of that guy and Brennia gives a good natured smile when she lays her hand down, winning the lot. She stands to lean over the table, "This was fun. Bring your poker faces next week." Surely from this position a certain asset was in perfect view to Hudson, "Adieu." There were gaps and pleased hums, but Brennia only wanted her book back. Her stilettos click away on the cobblestone, "Coming?" She asks Hudson as she enters the castle and made her way to the second floor of the main hall where the classrooms are. She chooses her own classroom, it's private and dark at this time of night and the sconces light aflame in her presence. Making her way down the graduated seating class room until she reaches her desk to place the book away for safe keeping and sit atop the large desk, "What have you got for me?"
Hudson supposes that the infamous Mister Vi is not a scruffily bearded werewolf with a ballplayer's build and penchant for wearing track suits for all occasions. It doesn't offend him, he can appreciate that they're not one another's type, but he is a little curious what this Mister Vi looks like (because frankly, he believes himself to be a strapping lad of a specimen, very all American, step right up, two tickets to the gun show, it's not a thing that he needs a haircut and can't seem to shave regularly, etc.). Maybe a tall skinny guy, curvy women always seem to go with them, like a law of nature or something. His gaze discreetly skims certain parts of her body made visible as she collects the pot. Looking away, he inadvertently makes eye contact with another guy who'd been looking and smiles in shameless acknowledgment. He reaches for his backpack and follows Brennia away from the table, drink in one hand, cigar in the other. "Congratulations," he says, about the game. As they head in from the cool, he puts out the cigar on an ashtray that they pass, not wanting to smoke inside. "I wanted to tell you that my mum wrote that book you have," he says, first, seating himself opposite her and pulling his backpack onto his lap. "That's first of all," he reaches inside and retrieves the stoppered flask he'd brought, holding it out to her, "this is second." He waits for her to take it in hand -- don't want to drop it and spray SILVER particles everywhere -- before reaching again into the backpack to retrieve her tome, which he slides onto the desk.
Brennia is always attracted to a man with vast intelligence and with how often Vi is covered up in layers she has not really seen his face until recently… And damn. "Thank you," The only place he can sit before her would be in her own desk chair while she's seated on her own desk. She crosses one leg over the other away from him while setting her wine down in order to puff from her cigar, this is college after all -- don’t be a prude now Hudson --. Brennia's eyes went wide, "What?" Her excitement bubbles up, "THE E.L. Landon is YOUR mom?!" A brilliant smile comes over her features, "Get OUT!" She emotes jokingly of course, "she is one of my favorite writers of this land. She weaves these tales that don't only invest you because of the saucy nature, but the underlying story of each book is just. Ugh." She was completely fan-girling over Hudson's mom. Brennia carefully takes the flask from him with intrigue, "Hm…" A brow quirks at her own family book, "So- It was helpful?" The look she bared down on him with those large oceanic blues were boding for him to be honest, she knows what he had to read was probably cringe worthy. She remembers her father, she lived with him and most of the more damning things went unknown, but he was a tyrant.
Hudson is maybe used to this reaction. He offers Brennia an indulgent smile, making efforts to suppress laughter as she starts to go on about how his mum's novels are so great. Apparently centaur erotica and similar can touch the hearts and lives (put it that way) of even classy countesses with complicated breeding/lineage. "Yeah," he exhales, "My mum wrote the famous sex novels. I can introduce you one day if you want." He rubs his palm up against his stubble, and then nods at the tome. "Yeah, uh," his brow creases as he considers a lot of the content in there, "very... wow. Uh, anyway, I think the flask, if you have the tattoo artist mix up ink with it, should help in suppressing the Raven. The only thing I would note is there's silver in there, so if you hook up with any people who have silver allergies, be sure you don't have them touch the tattoo. Also after awhile it might wear off, spontaneously." Helpful. "Manticore blood is really effective but also sometimes for no reason kind of unreliable, much like manticores." He shrugs, offers her a half-smile as if to apologize for manticores everywhere. Flaky creatures.
Brennia gave a wide smile which poked adorable dimples in her cheeks and showed off her pearly white teeth when he offered to meet his mom, "I would owe you big time for that." On the inside she was absolutely melting from excitement, but it was extinguished a little when the conversation came back around to the book, "Yeah, my father was… Not a very good man." She gulped hard before downing more of her drink and dragging a bit more of her cigar as well, she would kindly offer her lip stick stained cigar to him. If Hudson was observant enough of Brennia, which I think he is, he might notice that even in the dim light of the dark classroom that her eyes are a bit bloodshot and glossy from 'herbs' more likely. It seems she's had to go back to some of her older habits to contain The Raven. There was her giggle, coming a bit easier tonight and it is rare for most to hear it; its sweet and a bit raspy, "So, no dalliances with the likes of lycans." She gave a fake pout, "Luckily I'm over my lycan phase since my last and only owner." She winks playfully with another short giggle. His additions are a bit vexing, "So, are you saying I might need to get regular touch ups with this?" She set the flask down gently next to her drink.
Hudson politely does not comment in great detail on Brennia's rearing, it seems a very personal thing. He bobs his head in a nod and says, "I'm sorry," in the manner of someone who doesn't know quite what to say. Better to let the conversation linger on safe topics, like ... the unreliability of manticores. "You can have 'dalliances,'" air quotes, "just wear a sock over the tattoo or something." He knows from personal experience that it's supremely annoying when one party has silver on their person. He has to grunt as she shrugs off all werewolves, good naturedly taking the hit in stride. "The 'likes of lycans,'" he imitates her, rolling his eyes. "I only have happy customers myself. Anyway." A little playful boasting here... "Yeah, I think a touch up is right. If it stops working, I would. I also recommend making the tattoo a rune, that's not my thing but it seems better more efficient and less painful for you than trying to cover up anything."
Brennia giggles once more, "Yes very sexy, get all naked with a lycan 'Hold on babe, let me just get this sock'" She mimics like she's strapping a sock to her left waist for that's where the lock is going. She giggles again leaning on her arm a bit toward him, "Yes the 'likes of lycans'" She smirk was devious, but playful when he rolls his eyes at her, "Ey! Keep on rollin' your eyes at me, maybe you'll find a brain back there." She was only playing with him and she listened to his advice on runes, "Point taken." Then he said something about pain, did he forget who was sitting before him. She lingers on her wine while giving him a look like he's stupid, "Um.. I have tattoos on my face…" She points out the pattern accenting her temples and some of her hair line, but her plump lips turn up into that smile again before the cigar was placed between those perfect teeth. Sliding off the desk she stands beside him and bends over to the bottom drawer of the desk in order to unlock it and open it. "By the way, 'ere," she held the cigar between her two fingers now as she stood up and looked down at the loot of ingredients he needs to continue making 'Tripping Face'.
Hudson emits a strangled laugh as Brennia acts out the silver-proofing sock play. It's... pretty close to reality. What, sometimes you improvise and just can't be arsed. "Wooooooow," he says in response to the ribbing he receives about his eye rolling. "I see them," he says about her facial tattoos. "I'm just saying, maybe you don't want to be constantly refreshing a huge tattoo all over your person, it's a time suck too." A barbed exchange is a bit par for the course with them. He's smiling when he stands, backpack in hand. He moves to the drawer she's standing over and finds to his delight that it's rife with the ingredients he needs to make more of the product they'd mutually discovered. He swings a lofted brow at her and then bends to lift the materials into his pack. "Twenty percent on what I sell," he offers her.
Brennia shrugs, "Whatever works. I've got some more arse to kick." She winks before sauntering her own heeled arse out, "Stay in a dorm or don’t, but I trust you know the way out. Come and join us if you wish." She winks before leaving out the door at the top of the steps of the lecture hall.