Phoenix Manor of Essentia

It was late evening, going into an early night now it was Winter. The temperature outside was bitterly cold, and so it was the same on the inside of the large Manor she lived in. There was no real source of heat, not like she or her companions needed it anyway. After taking a cool bath, she stood in the middle of her room, gazing from the large gothic lead window to that what lay below her in the midst of the surrounding trees. She was toward the top of the castle like Manor, the grand room. "Hilda," she spoke slowly, and a few maids hurried in. They too were Vampires, but of low standing. They brought in silk and corsets, leather and material encrusted with jewels. She put her undergarments on herself, but then held her arms out either side of her for them.

Surprisingly, they began to dress her themselves, her long wet hair flat against her head and her body. She continued to stare out of the window, her bright green eyes having a dim sparkle in them. The maids hurried around her to make sure she was clothed appropriately. She'd not been in a good mood today. She changed often from good to bad, to good, to bad. And today was one of those days. Her maid men and ladies hadn't been around, clearing a few things she had in order for her and she'd spent a good deal of the day alone.

Her jaw tightened ever so slightly when one of the ladies pulled the corset on her back tighter.

Hoggle pushed the front door open a crack, peering inside. He watched the maids disappear upstairs. He shrugged lightly as he opened the doors fully, shutting them behind him. He slid his hands into his pockets as he let out an impressed whistle. His eyes roaming around the entrance hall. "Not too shabby.." he said with raised eyebrows. His eyes then moved to where the maids had disappeared to. A light smirk appeared on his face as he followed after them. He moved down the hall way, peering into each room as he passed until he saw a maid disappear into one.

The scent of cleanliness enter his nostrils. The smirk remained on his face as he moved over to the door way. He leaned his back into the door frame as his eyes moved over Heidi as she was dressed. He then looked to the window, his eyebrows drawing together. She didn't look particularly happy today, great. "Damn, I'm too late." he said with a slightly dark grin.

Heidi kept her arms out either side of her, closing her eyes gently when she felt the corset being tied. Her eyes only opened the minute she heard Hoggle speak, and her head turned over her shoulder rather slowly. Her head cocked to the side, her wet curls brushing near her stomach. "Stop," she instructed her maids once it was tied. She turned in her footsteps to look over at Hoggle, and the lightest smile etched on her face. She had no makeup on, but it didn't matter to a Vampire. Her lips were lighter than the usual deep red, and her eyes weren't as darkly framed, giving her a more earthly look with her brown hair and green eyes.

Her eyes shifted as the main maid finished tying what held her skirt and top together, making sure it wouldn't come loose. Her jaw tensed, raising her head a moment before her eyes caught Hoggles once more, and she kept the faintest smile on her features.

"You are," she said lightly, leaning her hands in front of herself, her eyes instantly turned a tad suspicious. "You found my home alright?" she questioned, walking a little more over towards him, her maids following ever so faithfully. She glanced him up and down a moment, before straight to his eyes once more. "I haven't seen you in a while. Where have you been?" she questioned, her tone slow.

Hoggle's eyes moved over her form, before moving over her face. She looked very different from the last time he'd seen her, still as beautiful as ever though. He watched as the maid finished tying her clothes. His eyebrows raised lightly as the smirk re-emerged over his features. "I'll rectify that another time." he said lightly. He tilted his head to the side ever so slightly. "Of course." he said. "No problem." he leaned up from the door frame and turned to face her properly.

He laughed under his breath slightly as he watched the maid follow her. His attention was then drawn back to Heidi as she questioned him. "Just here and there." he said with a light shrug. "Never stay anywhere for very long, I like to get around. You know me." he said with a slight grin. "What about you, What has the empress been up to?" he asked as his eyebrows rose slightly.

Heidi's eyebrows rose slowly. "Leave me be," she spoke suddenly to the maids. They bowed faithfully, muttering under their non existent breathes before hurrying past Hoggle. They bowed to him also to show their respect for someone of higher standing than themselves. Heidi waited until they'd gone, before crossing the room to where her seats where. She sat down calmly, looking then over to Hoggle, she signaled for him.

"Sit," she almost instructed, then leaned her hands crossed onto the small black marble table in front of her. She smiled idly at him, her hair brushing down onto her lap now she was sat down. "Here and there?" she mused, her eyes staring down at her folded hands on top of the table, then up once more to the man that stood near her.

"Care to clarify?" she asked, a touch of sternness in her voice, before she laughed quietly at his own question. "What has your Empress been up to?" she said, as if asking him like he should know. She shook her head once.

"I have been bombarded with queries, questions and inquiries onto this hunting order," she murmured, brushing a bit of her wet hair from her face and behind her ear. "And I also hear about recent deaths of our kind..." she said, her voice lingering, she looked directly at Hoggle, her green eyes flashing.

Hoggle nodded his head to the maids as they bowed to him. He turned back to Heidi as she told him to sit. His eyebrows came together as he moved over to the chair slowly, sitting himself down comfortably. "Here, there and everywhere." he added as she questioned. He leaned his arms to the table as he looked across to her. "I've been roaming through the kingdoms, trying to find out anything I can about the order." he said before leaning himself back into the chair.

His eyebrows rose as she spoke. "Which is why I decided to help, without being asked might I add." he said with a nod. "I've not got many leads, only that they're setting up traps now." he said sitting himself up. "They've lured a few lower classes into them, non on the scale of Ishmeal though." he said, scratching his chin.

Heidi waited until Hoggle had finished speaking, her eyes glimmering a little with interest as he spoke. Her fangs ran against her tongue as she pushed it to the roof of her mouth, leaning her hand to the side, she rung a bell that hung down. Her eyes then shifted directly back towards the man sat opposite her once more, she smiled almost kindly at him.

"Oh? They're setting up traps for us?" she asked curiously, leaning back in her padded chair. "Any idea what those may be? My own Lords and Ladys aren't fond of me leaving the Manor at the moment," she murmured. Through ringing the bell, she knew someone would come with a jug of fresh human blood.

She ran her hand through her wet hair that was already beginning to dry gently, and her eyes squinted hearing about the traps. "This Order I believe are getting too luxurious and raising in power. However," she murmured, her eyes turning out of the window. "Winter is in and the Night approaches early. They will not be able to hide forever," she said quietly.

He watched as she rang the bell. Looking across to the door anticipating who it would be. A slight smile moved over his lips. "And for good reason." he told her. "You're too important." he cleared his throat then. "They've been using human groups to lure us out, large ones, travellers, merchants. Any type of people that would be in large groups." he said cracking his neck. "The lower ranking vampires tend to go for them, thinking they can pick people off without being noticed. The order has obviously realised that." he shook his head.

"Agreed." he said with a nod. A dark smirk moved over his lips. "Well I did learn that their is still a McCarty in charge. Father McCarty the.. seventh I believe." he said as he tapped his chin in thought. The door then opened as Brutus stalked into the room with the jug of fresh human blood. A snarl escaped his lips as his eyes went straight to Hoggle. He placed the jug onto the table in front of Heidi, the snarling getting louder as he looked to Hoggle.

Heidi pressed her lips tightly together as she heard what he was saying. "The lower ranks need to be educated more thoroughly," she murmured, her eyes shifted to the window once more and her eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "I tire of receiving report after report of another Vampire's death," she murmured, before glancing back to him once more, her eyes widened for a second, then slitted once more.

"McCarty is a pest," she snapped, slamming her hands onto the table in front of her. Obviously she'd been getting wound up about this. Just as she was about to yell again, Brutus came in. She glanced immediately in his direct, before slinking back into a relaxed state in the chair once more.

"Put it on the table Brutus," she said quietly, having calmed down almost instantly. She glanced to him growling and smiled idly to herself, placing her head onto one of her palms. "You remember Brutus, don't you Hoggle?"

Hoggle rubbed the back of his neck. "They do indeed. They're getting sloppy." he told her seriously. "You and me both. At this rate, we'll be wiped out in a few years time." he said with a serious tone. "If they keep up this pace at-" he began before she slammed her hands down onto the table. "Of course he is. He's a garou." he said shaking his head. He cleared his throat as his eyes followed Brutus.

Brutus's snarl turning into that of a growl. "Of course.. who could forget Brutus.." Hoggle said with a light laugh. "Maybe we should let fido go and find them.." he said with a smile. Brutus snapped at him in response, advancing on him.

Heidi's mouth twisted a little as he spoke. "Don't be ridiculous. We've been thriving for thousands of annos. No order is going to wipe us out overnight," she hissed, her temper flaring a little. "Garou. Protectors of Magna huh?" she muttered, leaning her head back onto her hands once more, her teeth clenched a little. She glanced down to the dark marble under her hands a moment, before lifting her head up once more.

Hearing what Hoggle suggested, she rose an eyebrow calmly, standing up once more. She smiled idly at Brutus as he advanced on Hoggle. "Be nice Brutus," she murmured to him, before walking over towards the window, crossing her arms by her chest as she looked out. The night was here now and it was dark enough for Vampire to wander. She could see her own kind from where she stood.

"Perhaps. An eye for an eye, you understand?" she called over her shoulder with a light amused look. "The Order need to leave it be. There is a food chain at the world and we are at the top, just like they hunt the cattle!" she flared.

"They need to realise, those humans and themselves are not at the top and they should settle with it. I will not be put down because of their sense of moral justice," she felt her temper bubble.

Hoggle rubbed at his chin lightly as he looked to her. "I'm just saying.. if they keep up like this, it wont take them long to thin down our ranks." he said as he tapped his chin lightly. "Just the one garou. The McCarty line has always been garou. You know the story of Elijah and McCarty.." he said with a raised eyebrow. "His line has just descended down to the seventh." he said as he rubbed the back of his neck lightly.

Brutus quietened his snarls. Lowering his head slightly at Heidi's murmur. He followed Heidi as she moved to the window. He was charged by the lords and ladies to stick close to Heidi to protect her from the growing threat of the order. Hoggle looked to her with a smirk. "Oh, I understand." he said darkly. "Amen." he said as he leaned back in his chair.

He looked to her with a tilt of his head. "Now you're talking." he said as he stood himself up ready. "You just give the order and I'll carry it to the letter." he said with a grin. "My empress."

Heidis eyes narrowed immediately, as if suddenly angry. "Do not remind me of the story of him and Elijah!" she suddenly snapped, unfolding her arms and holding them out by her sides. On her wrist, was a small inking of the letter 'E' in a lovely scripture that was her own hand writing, eternally marked onto her pale complexion. "Need I not be reminded of it," she muttered, looking over towards Brutus, wondering what his reaction would be to her shouting.

She let her arms drop then, spinning back to the window. She refolded her arms under her chest, shaking her head. Her hair was beginning to dry now, and the water had all but disappeared from it. "I refuse to let McCarty damage anything that Elijah started anymore," she hissed, her fingers biting into her palm.

She kept her back to Hoggle, her long hair just above the small of her back that could be seen over her low waisted skirt and higher up stomach corset. Usually when in public she'd wear more clothes, it being a scandal and all for cleavage, ankles and too much leg and stomach being shown, but Heidi was a trend setter.

She smiled then slowly; cat like, when he mentioned my Empress. She turned her head over her shoulder and gave him a slow smile. "I may."

Hoggle looked to her with raised eyebrows as she shouted, sitting himself back down again. "Forgive me." he said bowing his head slightly. Brutus looked to Heidi before to Hoggle, moving swiftly over to him before lifting him off the ground by the throat. The chair fell backwards onto the floor as Hoggle tried to pry Brutus's hand from his neck. "Brutus kill?" he said as he looked back towards Heidi. Hoggle slammed his foot into Brutus's chest, managing to get enough momentum to break the grip. Dropping onto his feet.

Brutus snarled to him once more before moving back over towards Heidi. Hoggle never did like the idea of covering a woman up. So the fact that Heidi was stood before him mostly naked, covered up in the minimum of ways, was a refreshing and welcomed sight. He kept himself stood where he was. The smirk emerging over his features once more. "Just give the order, my empress."

Heidi continued to glance out of the window, before she shook her head a little. "You are forgiven. But do not mention his and McCartys names in the same sentence. It's utter blasphemy," she murmured, running her hands down the front of her corset and feeling along the jewels and silk that gave it texture. She smiled to herself idly, before spinning to look at Brutus.

"No, Brutus leave him," she sighed, looking to him moving back to her. She gave him a fleeting smile, and wandered over towards Hoggle. She glanced to the way Hoggle was looking at her, and laughed very quietly under her breath. "I see the way you're looking at me," she murmured as if to herself, before she stood behind him, placing her hands either side of him on the back of her chair.

Her long hair fell down in front of her. "How high a rank was our Ishmael?" she questioned, her body bent at her waist. She brushed a few strands of her hair behind her pierced ears. "We Vampire are not permitted to kill inside Essentia for peace with the King. If he finds out the Order have been killing us off, he'll know it'll strike us to revolt and cause havoc. He'll hunt them just as we do," she almost purred, before laughing.

"We will kill whatever rank they have that was the same as Ishmaels. We need not take more than our fill of the kill right now, Hoggle."

Hoggle bowed his head to her. "Of course." he said smoothly. He lifted his head in time to watch her run her hands over her corset, the smirk returned to his face once more. Brutus looked up to her, nodding firmly. He kept his eyes fixed on her as she moved over towards Hoggle. Hoggle smiled to her lightly. "It can't be helped. Can you really blame me?" he said raising an eyebrow higher than the other.

He kept looking forwards as he sensed her hands on the back of his chair. He leaned back into further. "Vampire lord." he said reluctantly. "He was the.. larger vampire." he said refreshing her memory. A sadistic grin moved over his face. Before it faded. "He wasn't killed in Essentia." he said with a frown.

Hoggle rubbed his hands together slightly. "Now that, I can do." Brutus looked to him darkly, evil thoughts moving through his mind.

Heidi listened to him curiously, before her eyes narrowed a tad. She glanced down towards him sat on the chair below him, keeping her hands on the edge either side. "Mm," she frowned, looking to Brutus before he straightened. "One of my Lords?" she questioned, before remembering exactly which one he was. She ran her tongue out over one of her fangs, before looking to Brutus.

"Bring me a glass of that Brutus," she murmured, signalling to the blood. "And one for Hoggle," she smiled idly, standing up properly so her back was straight, but her fingertips were still on the chair itself. She ran her nails along the plush edges, behind Hoggles back.

"Not killed in Essentia... Where was he murdered?" she asked, a curious look on her expression, making her green eyes twinkle a little before she smiled a moment. "Do they have ranks in this... Order," she said idly, her voice tinted with venom on the word.

Hoggle cleared his throat slightly. "Indeed." he said softly. Brutus looked to her, nodding once before moving over to the jug of blood. He pulled over two wine glasses, pouring the blood into each. He picked up the glasses and moved slowly over towards them. He held one glass out for Heidi to take, placing the other one rather harshly down onto the table for Hoggle. Just before it tipped over however, Hoggle scooped it up into his hand.

"The Felix manor. Or just outside rather." he said, reflecting. "I believe so.. not many though. Their ranks are rather thin." he looked back to her. "Apparently it takes alot to rise through the ranks, which is why there isn't many." he then took a sip from the wine glass as he smiled to her lightly.

Heidi glanced to Brutus gently, smiling softly as she took the glass from him. "Feel free to drink the rest, Brutus," she murmured, taking a sip from the glass, she sat back opposite in front of him, letting the blood soak her tongue and run down her throat. Her eyes seemed to shimmer with old life as she felt it surge through her body once more.

"Oh?" she questioned. "What Kingdom is that in?" she questioned stonily, licking her bottom lip as a bead of blood rolled along the pale pink lip. Her eyes lifted once more. "Not many of the Order, no?" she smiled suddenly. "And our Vampire race is plentiful. They wouldn't stand a chance," she murmured.

"You believe many are human, few are Garou?" she questioned, crossing one leg over the other, causing the skirt to fall down over her thighs.

Brutus moved slowly over to the jug as he bowed to Heidi. He then took it in one hand and poured the contents into his mouth. He allowed some of it to dribble of his chin. Hoggle looked to him with a raised eyebrow, shaking his head. "It's on the outskirts of Essentia, technically not in the kingdom, just outside of it." he said with a light nod. "Enough to allow them to do it anyway." he said with a shake of his head.

"I believe only McCarty is Garou. As far as I know, the rest of the Garou nation do not want a war." he said as he scratched his chin. "Nothing we couldn't handle though, my empress." he said with a light smile. His eyes wandering over her once more. Brutus wiped his mouth on his sleeve as he glared across to Hoggle.

Heidi's temper snapped almost immediately. She'd finished the blood very quickly, and suddenly launched the glass at the wall, standing from her chair. No wonder some found her bi-polar. "How dare they!" she yelled, her hair sweeping down over her body. "Right on the outskirts of our home Kingdom. Right where there is a law, do not kill and you shall not meet your own fate!" she snapped, a look of annoyance running through her face.

"They're getting confident, taking such a giant risk. They're picking a fight with the dominant race. And what bothers me, how on earth my Vampire do not defend themselves! What is it this Order have?" she asked, turning to look at Hoggle.

"We will not war with the Garou despite our intense hatred for one another. It would be foolish of myself and Kasheri to do such a thing," she hissed, her eyes looking more vicious than before.

Hoggle's eyes widened slightly at her sudden change of mood. Her mood swings happened so often that her lords and ladies were used to them, yet it still made them wonder. He didn't say anything he simply nodded in agreement. Before finding his voice once more. "They're nothing but lucky dogs." he said simply. He shook his head. "I know why Ishmeal didn't fight back. He had had his heart broken seconds before." he said rubbing the back of his neck. "I doubt that's an excuse but that's what I've been told."

Hoggle sighed lightly. "Of course, my empress." he said said looking to the table lightly. The entire time Brutus was glaring at Hoggle. His teeth clenching together, almost grinding. Hoggle's eyes lifted from the table to land on Heidi once more, to continue listening to her rage.

She listened to what he had to say, before her eyes glittered. "Then we'll rub out their luck," she muttered angrily, before she felt herself laugh in sudden amusement. "In love was he? Love?" she suddenly teased. "There is a reason we do not have beating hearts, and that is exactly the reason!"

She walked a little to the side, her skirt trailing a touch with her feet as she moved, her jaw tensed and tight, ready to snap again at the slightest signal. "We have forms that would utterly destroy that Order. Hard as it is to turn back, they would not stand a chance against us," she murmured. "If Ishmael fought back with that, he would still be alive to tell me information!"

She turned to look back at Hoggle, now she was stood right next to Brutus. She leant a hand out to the large beast like mans hair and stroked down it fondly, calming down almost. She closed her eyes a touch, taking a deep inhale of air she didn't even need.

"The Order will be destroyed by our hands. First, we show them what an insult killing one of my Lords has done," she smiled, opening her eyes. "And their deaths will not be quick."

Hoggle grinned to her statement. "Excellent idea." he said as he looked across to her. He joined in the laughter. "Indeed. Selene Felix." he said with a laugh. He nodded in agreement. Indeed we do empress.." he said he leaned back slightly as she shouted again. "They would be nothing but chunks of meat in his teeth." he said with a nod. Brutus didn't take his eyes off Hoggle as she stroked down his hair. His jaw lessened however.

Hoggle smiled to her lightly. "How do you want me to proceed?" he asked lightly, his eyes moving between Brutus and her. Brutus turned to Heidi, patting a hand onto his chest, volunteering himself rather than Hoggle. He snapped his jaw to further that point.

Heidi sighed a touch, thankful he was agreeing with her. She would not take arguments, and none dared to oppose the woman. She brushed her now dry hair behind her ear and smiled at him lightly, still stroking Brutus' hair. She glanced down to the man, noticing how he was volunteering. "Oh you want to do it sweetheart?" she murmured to Brutus, before to Hoggle.

"I assume it won't be too hard? And seeing as this Selene is the one who had Ishmael killed, why don't the three of you go do it? I'm sure it would not be hard for all 3 of you to take down one person in the Order. But remember, we want just him or her first. Make your demands clear. If the killing of our Kind does not stop, we will revolt with a thousand Vampire."

She let go of stroking Brutus and walked back towards Hoggle. She crouched so she was looking into his face, her eyelashes moving up against her eyebrows from how long they were. "I'm sure you can handle that, can't you?"