Bringing Naomi into the Family (Naomi, Anton, Dromichaetes) - Dragon's Lair

With Naomi in the car, she pulled up to the house. She seemed to be in good spirits, which was helpful.

The ghoul sat nervously in the car, even as Rai pulled up. She chewed on the inside of her cheek and scratched the side of her nose. She was neat and clean in a pair of jeans and a blue sweater. She took took in the house with wide eyes, staring.

"Do you think I'll fit in here?" She was curious. Oh, so curious.

She smiled.

"Of course I do. I wouldn't have brought you if I didn't."

She gave the Sheriff a bright, hopeful smile. "I promise to be on my best behavior," Naomi said in a chipper tone.

She laughed and shook her head.

"Just be yourself. He'll let you know if he wants your behavior to change."

She nodded softly. "No physical collars, right?"

She blinked in surprise.

"I highly doubt it."

She beamed, truly beamed at Rai. "Then I am more than happy to be here." Off came the safety belt, she seemed ready to go.

She smiled and got out of the car, reaching out a hand for Naomi to take as she headed for the front door.

She took Rai's hand and walked with her instead of behind her, still drinking in everything with her eyes as she smiled.

Unlike previous arrivals, there was little fanfare of ghoul circulation around doors and gates. Instead, the grounds seemed largely... empty? Yet, when they approached the door, it was opened by the man more beautiful than the impossible beauty that brought the ghoul. He wore plain clothing, an obvious-to-sight course weave to what had to be hand spun linen offset the pale flesh of the man.

"Welcome, come in, please," he smiled the whole time, gesturing inward with a free hand.

When he appeared, there was a moment where Naomi's steps forward slowed considerably as she took him in. It wasn't as if she was appraising him, no. It was his beauty. She was slowed by staring at this gorgeous creature. Her mind went blank, but it was only seconds and then the moment was gone and she seemed to be back to normal-- well, normal for her.

As she stepped inside with Rai, she gave Dromichaetes a warm smile and inclined her head to him. "Thank you for having me," her smile even conveyed in her tone.

The smile grew a little as he laughed. "Think nothing of it. Is there anything I can get you? I am afraid that most of the help is away at the moment," his tone took a half-joking-half-sarcastic tone for what was said next. "Off conquering Romania or something."

He would wait for the pair to enter before closing the door behind them. "We do pride ourselves on offering assistance to those who may need it. Millenia of unlife shouldn't scourge every trace of civility out of us."

She seemed to mouth the word 'Romania' as she gave a fleeting glance to Rai, her left eyebrow raising slightly as she tried to process statement. Vampires were strange creatures.

"I am fine, thank you," she nodded politely. Naomi's eyes darted about as she pulled a strand of hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear. "You and Rai, then, are more civilized than most I know." It was something she seemed grateful for.

Her hand on Naomi's tightened, but only briefly. She knew much better than the ghoul that the quip about conquering Romania wasn't a joke by any stretch. But she gave the man a bright smile, her head tilting as she actually used -- though she may not have wanted to -- English to address him.

"Dromichaetes, is it safe to assume that you have been fully apprised of the situation?"

He smiled brightly still. "I am aware that our friend is in need of new guidance on nightly affairs. Whether it involves a new domitor or not is her decision, though I am led to believe it likely involves a regnant taking over where the failings of her previous left off." His gaze moved from one to the other and back throughout his words, speaking to both of them, rather than one of them.

The words left unsaid were those of identities, her's or the actual master of the house.

"If it is Miss Kurowski's desire to retain her memories of and place within our illustrious social gathering, to learn its intricacies more thoroughly and better her own abilities, then I would be more than happy to take on such a task, should she wish it. The absent Master of the House is likewise away, though has entrusted such activities to me and, perhaps down the line, will take over where I leave off, should both parties wish it."

His words were obvious in their careful selection. In another life, he would have made an excellent descendant of Set for the melodic words he spoke.

Her expression brightened considerably. "That is what I wish, yes," she nodded. But her head cocked to the side like a curious little puppy. "You won't... kill my parents, will you?"

He almost looked offended by the notion when she said it, the smile weakening somewhat. "Why would I dream of doing that, dear? Have they done somewhat to deserve such an act? Worship of the Infernal? Murder of the innocent or weak? Tortured the Just?"

She shook her head forcefully. "No, nothing like that at all. I mean, my mother is a dentist so most kids think she's evil," she blink a few times. "But.. Marvin said... He said he was going to kill them."

His demeanor returned to the way it had been as he laughed lightly at the suggestion. "Children will always think the worst of those who wish to help them when it is forced upon them. I believed my tutors were quite dim-witted with their recitation of ceremony and circumstance. Without them, I realized no more than a few years later, I would be incapable of aiding those who looked to me for guidance, and later salvation from their would-be oppressors."

He shook his head almost in dismissal of the idea of murder. "No, unless they have done something truly deplorable, they are quite safe, and will remain such until they drift calmly to the next life in their sleep as venerated elders of their community. If you worry of their safety, they can be relocated to a secured hamlet, even."

She gave Naomi a reassuring smile and a wink.

"You get me their names and addresses, I'll send them someplace safe. Dromichaetes, thank you so very much for your assistance. Would it be better for me to leave the two of you alone to get a little better acquainted? This is a big step and a huge change for her."

She said it kindly, with the compassion of someone who actually did know how difficult such a thing was.

He smiled still. "Whichever Miss Kurowski would feel more comfortable with. And I hear that Bucarest will be quite nice inside of a month."

Naomi's bright smile returned, though there was something bordering on shy with the expression on her face. "Thank you, Sir." She turned to Rai and nodded.

"I will give them to you. You've been most kind, thank you." And then she addressed them both, though she did not let go of Rai's hand, not yet. It was something of a lifeline at the moment, keeping her grounded in reality in a way. "Please stay?"

She reached up with her free hand to brush Naomi's hair back behind her ear.

"Of course I can stay. For a little while, anyway."

She bit her lip as she hesitated to speak again, but when she did speak her tone was mad it seem as if she were talking to an old friend-- calm, friendly and otherwise collected.

"If we are to get better acquainted, what would you like to know of me? Anything in particular?"