Griselda's Birthday (Open)

Victor Steele wrote:

Victor scowled. "We are supposed to be better than that... well then, he's obviously got a level of standing of his own aside from blood relations."

She smiled at him.

"You have no idea. You should go say hi. He's not likely to bite you. He's just a really old ghoul."

"I'm going to say hi. I didn't know who he was, you did. Now I know. "

Storyteller wrote:

The man arrived without fanfare. He wore a very nice suit jacket and shirt, walking with a stately air. He had a smile for everyone, though it was brief and didn't really meet his eyes. He was there, making his way into the circle to place a very small gift on the table nearby -- an obvious piece of jewelry, such was the size and nature of the box -- then moved over to speak quietly into Jamie's ear and pat Rhiana's head affectionately.

Jamie listened and smiled, giving the man a warm, welcoming hug. Then he nodded toward Erik with a slight smirk, spoke to the man in Gaelic and chuckled again. Standing up, he checked his watch, then tilted his head....

"She's here," he said, loud enough that everyone could hear him.

Victor Steele wrote:

"I'm going to say hi. I didn't know who he was, you did. Now I know. "

She smirked.

"Better say hi quick. His child is going to be here in about two minutes and then you won't exist to him."

Victor slipped over to the old ghoul and held out his hand. "Good evening Mister McKenzie. I am Victor Steele, it is a pleasure to meet you both in your current state and as Miss McKenzie's father."

Victor Steele wrote:

Victor slipped over to the  old ghoul and held out his hand.  "Good evening Mister McKenzie. I am Victor Steele, it is a pleasure to meet you both in your current state and as Miss McKenzie's father."

For all the man looked so regal and his jaw so chiseled, one might have expected him to react much like a spy would. They would expect for his voice to be somewhat hard, or his manner to be aloof.

Not this man.

He smiled, genuine, even if it didn't reach his eyes. In his eyes were fear, uncertainty, worry, anticipation -- a host of emotions. He took Victor's hand and shook it firmly, even warmly.

"'Tis a pleasure, Mister Steele," said the man, in a surprisingly soft voice. There was, by now, only a hint of his Scottish heritage left in the accent, but it was there and could be heard. "Do ye know my daughter well?" he asked, because he knew maybe three people there and one of them had not actually entered the grove yet.

Victor smiled.  "I do, she restored my health and helped me on a personal matter.  She is one of the few Tremere I actually trust. I have a lot of respect for her. You raised a good daughter."

"Are you alright?"

Storyteller wrote:

There was a sorrow in his eyes that ran bone-deep, deeper, into the soul. It was enough that even Victor couldn't help but feel the sadness that almost radiated from the blue, blue eyes. Though the sorrow was there, he smiled at the Ventrue.

"Aye," he said quietly. "She has always been a good girl, even when she was being a wee wildcat."

"Are you alright?" he said quietly. "You've been apart for a long time haven't you? She'll be here soon, I'll stand with you. You are Ventrue, that is enough."

Victor smiled. "Alright. Come see me in a few nights when you have settled, and I'll tell you my stories about her. Congratulations on finding your daughter again."

He slipped quietly back to Miyu's side with a strange sort of smile. "Tonight is going to be a very special night I think. A real blessing."

Victor Steele wrote:

Victor smiled.  "Alright. Come see me in a few nights when you have settled, and I'll tell you my stories about her. Congratulations on finding your daughter again."

He slipped quietly back to Miyu's side with a strange sort of smile.  "Tonight is going to be a very special night I think. A real blessing."

Miyu's brow rose.

"Oh, it is? Who is that man?"

Miyu wrote:

Miyu's brow rose.

"Oh, it is? Who is that man?"

"Her mortal father, who was ghouled by the man who killed Prince Alexander's mortal family. He was unaware that Griselda was still alive, and now after nearly 500 years has found out that she still lives.  He is naturally nervous. I invited him to visit when he has settled in, I hope you don't mind."

She looked at him and blinked again, shock on her face.

"Really? Well, that is interesting. And very much a blessing. I'll be sure to sing praises tonight to God for this wonderful coming together." She meant it. And she smiled. "I don't mind at all. He's family."

Miyu wrote:

She looked at him and blinked again, shock on her face.

"Really? Well, that is interesting. And very much a blessing. I'll be sure to sing praises tonight to God for this wonderful coming together." She meant it. And she smiled. "I don't mind at all. He's family."

Victor squeezed her hand and smiled. "It's moments like this where I feel like all the strife and struggle of the years is worth it, just to see one brilliant shining light of joy."

Matieu pulled Tris to him, seeing the man and headed to the corner, he also stopped Erik from taking back his gift, and let him join them in the corner - softly whispering to the other man - but in a language none here would understand.

There was a great deal of rustling and ruckus as Griselda made her way into the grove. She wasn't looking up because she was fighting with the skirts of her dress, which was, of course, in McKenzie colors. She was also on a bit of a tirade as she tried to rush, calling out to Jamie and Rhiana, having no earthly clue what was going on --

"Sorry! Sorry! But I swear to all that is holy, James Alexander, if you try to make me wear a bodice dress to another one of these things again, I'm going to cut off your balls and shove them down your...."

Look up. Look around. Pause. Stare.

"....throat." That was a lot more quiet. And she just stood there, kind-of...stunned. Blinking at everyone that was there. This...was not a McKenzie Clan gathering at all.

She looked like someone may have slapped her, at least, she flinched a little. And stomped her foot.

"Ooh, shit -- I mean -- gah, sorry, Daddy! But he started it!" she pointed to Jamie. Then the implications of her words hit her. She recognized the voice, enough that she reacted to it before she thought about what she said.

Daddy.

Her head came up and she stared, very hard, at Jamie.

Jamie's reaction was simple. He stepped to the side to let Joseph be seen and said, much more softly than her tirade had been:

"Happy birthday, Griselda."

She clasped both hands over her mouth when she saw Joseph, staring at him in wide-eyed fascination. So much so that she didn't seem to notice that she was moving and walking toward both him and Jamie, and by the time Jamie had finished speaking, her arms were around Joseph, hugging him tightly to her.

Okay, that's a lie.

She wasn't hugging him.

She had leaped at him, her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, much like a toddler might do when they were happy to see you.

"Sure I can't leave now?" he whispered to the other two.

"You do and I get to tease you the rest of your days...." with an evil look at him and tone that assured him she would."

She had debated but finally gave into going slipping in right before the guest of honor, she watched the "show" with a bright smile and shook her head. Now that was worth watching.