Trust and Compassion

Sheriff's Estate - The Vault

This room covers almost the entire ground floor of this house. The majority is taken up by a stylish reception area; three chunky, white leather couches places in a neat U-shape, with a low table in the centre. Another corner holds a modern, black table, six comfortable chairs placed around it as though for conference. The final feature is a bar, well-equipped behind it and with a pair of chunky fridge-freezers, containing a variety of synthetic blood. In one corner is a staircase, leading upstairs. On the same wall is a door through to the only area on this floor not part of this room, where sits a small bathroom and the route downstairs, a featureless door, metal constructed and lockable from one side only, though plated to fit with the design of the house.
Three walls are white, the fourth covered in ceramic panels to give some colour to the place. The floor is tiled, in a pleasant, neutral shade. Windows at regular intervals stretch from floor to ceiling, concealed blackout blinds above them. One wall bears a huge flatscreen television, and one aware of their surroundings will spot the speakers concealed at various points in the room. The general feel of this area is a clinical style, a blank, neutral canvas for whatever happens to be going on. Those who know Will generally refer to this area as The Vault, for the round pillars that stretch up to the roof.


How much sweeter the rest when you can /almost/ sleep in your own bed. Granted, it's not her own appartment or even her own hotel room, but at least it's no longer Marius' cod. Followed by a very human guard, Susan Baker walks down the stairs, a good 45 minutes before the sun's about to set. The clicks of high heels announce her 'lazy' arrival, the maid of the middle ages costume being washed. Thank god. There's a quick scan of the vault, the ice blue eyes mostly checking how much she should be on guard herself, then it's a straight line to the fridge and the TrueBlood. There's a note block anc a pen sticking from a rear pocket.

Chloe has been and gone several times since her run-in with Marius the night before. She's coming up from the basement, with a small jar of something in her hands. A glance toward the table shows her that her laptop is still in place. Wandering over to it, knowing full well that there's a human guard nearby, she sits herself on the couch and hefts the laptop over onto her lap. Setting the jar on the couch, she flips open the lid and begins to type in something. While she waits for her search to come through the library database, she pull over a book entitled Hessian Soldiers of the American Revolution.

Only a brief glance is given to the guard and the vampire. Then a look to the clock to see if it's that time or not. Noting that it isn't, she gives the vampire a curious look but says nothing — in short, she's only been informed of four vampires in residence and she's no clue if this woman is visitor or prisoner.

The guard closes in on the vampire as Susan pops two random bottles -not daring to take out the sheriff's real blood- uncappedin the microwave and punches in the required time. "It's the King's woman," the man hisses under his breath, though he might as well not have, the projection of his thoughts loud and clear to Chloe, "So I can promise you, hurt but a hair on her head and it's a stake for you." The vampire doesn't answer the man, though her gaze travels to the girl on the couch. Hm. And it stays there for the duration of the heating of breakfast. Thoughtful, considering. In the end, assuming Chloe is watching her way, there's a small -but warm- smile and a hand lifted in greeting. The guard snorts loudly. "One hair."

The chances are very good that it would be far worse than a staking, but Chloe doesn't correct the guard. She glances over at the man, smirks a little, offers Susan a nod, and starts to pry at the man's brain to find out just who this woman is.

While she does that, she sets the book aside and looks at the laptop screen. A frown, followed by a glance to the jar and she sighs. "I swear, if this stuff smells, it's going right back to the sender." Then she gently opens the jar and begins to softly rub the salve onto her still deep purple bruise.

The one word the guard's describing Susan, rather disdainfully, is Marius' new 'maid'. Or should he say the sheriff's? He's a little uncertain just this moment. All he knows is that he doesn't like her and hopes that the whip, the sheriff or even the king himself will soon rid this world of Susan Baker. All while the microwave buzzes, then sounds, the woman taking out two bottles, putting one to her lips. There's a questioning glance to Chloe -very much not the guard- and a finger pointed at the fridge, an unspoken invitation for breakfast, or drinks. Again, the guard snort, walking back to the stairs, wishing that Sue wil please-please-please set a foot wrong. Really doesn't like her.

The salve doesn't smell badly, but has a distinct handmade vibe to it, both in the scent of the tincture and the smooth bees wax. Not unpleasant, but not meant to be fluffy and sweet. It's a salve with a purpose and it doesn't beat around the bush.

Susan's observation of Chloe turns a little more thoughtful as the bruise is now taking center stage.

When the fridge of blood is offered, Chloe just snickers. Her head is given a shake, and she turns to the guard once more. The poor man seems… nervous? Edgy maybe. A thought is sent his way to calm down before he makes a misstep, and then she recaps the jar. Of course, with salve on her hand it means she has to wipe it off somewhere. Since she doesn't want to ruin her clothing or the furniture, it means that she needs to head to the kitchen to grab a towel.

It would appear that the telepath has no qualms in doing so. She wanders right past the duo in the kitchen, and moves behind the bar to the sink so that she can wash her hands.

"What on earth did you do to piss off Marius?"

Susan moves to the side so Chloe actually can, leaning her back against the counter as she watches Chloe go about it. There isn't a hint of hostility in her observation, or a hint of hunger for that matter. It's the look of making light conversation while waking up and having breakfast in a public place, nothing pushy. Chloe's comment causes brows to rise though, and in a moment they turn amused, probably for the human's purpose. Sue sets down the bottle and takes the note block instead, putting that down to write on it. Chloe can read the words as they are written of wait for the block to be held up.
Everything?
The vampire actually winks, which elicits another warning snort from the guard at the bottom of the stairs leading up.
The whip is a hard man to please,
Susan writes next,He's what you'd call archaic. I'd warn you about him if I didn't think it'd get me in a bad spot somehow. Hi. Susan Baker.

"Heh."

Arcahic is the exact word Chloe used on him last night. The words 'sadistic bastard' are also a favorite of hers to use for the man. "I'd probably suggest not pissing him off, but chances are he'd get cranky at the most minor of infractions." Two guesses on why her cheek is so bruised, and the first one doesn't count.

"Evenin'," the telepath offers. No 'nice to meet'chas' or 'pleasure I'm sures'. "You already know who I am. He told you," she says, nodding to the guard. He may not have given her name, but as she's fairly (though not absolutely) positive that this woman isn't a guest, she's not going to give the name until absolutely necessary.

Good ears.
Susan compliments with an easy grin. She picks up a bottle briefly to drink, then thinks for a moment, pursing her lips even, though you'd have to stand close by to see.
Minor is the word. Be careful around him. He's a very black and white 1400's mindset kind of
Sue stops writing with a glance at the guard and a general glance around the vault. She knows there's camera's.
Just be cautious. You have the favour of the King, that counts for much, Enough, I hope for your sake.
She pushes the block a little in Chloe's direction so she can finish her drink.
"Ma'am." ALmost hopeful from the guard. "If she's bothering you…"

Right. Good ears. Chloe just nods at that once and says, "The sound carries really well in here. Built that way by design I think." She has no idea, but it sounds good to her, and should be able to pass it.

"Favor of the King?" Laughing, she shakes her head. "I think you misunderstand, Ms. Baker… I am the King's. I belong to him." It is more than that to Chloe, but that is all the vampires need to know, right?

Eyes shift to the guard and she shakes her head. "She wouldn't dare. I'm sure she knows better than to attack another's property in the Sheriff's home…" Is that a hint of warning in her voice? It could be, though she seems to be playing it cautious at the moment.

Sucking in her lips to catch every last drop of TrueBlood, Susan shrugs and pens down,
Good enough for me Miss. What's the King's is the King's. I just want to get out of here. You do the math.
And if anything can be read in that uncultured handwriting, is that Susan Baker is not of a 1400's mindset. The guard however, still looks doubtful, still nurtures hope that Sue will do something. Anything. /Please/.

"The question, Ms. Baker, is what did you do to get here?" Chloe has no sway one way or another, no matter how much she likes to think she does. Sometimes she can see that punishment is lessened but honestly? Chances are that Will already knows the reasoning and didn't see fit to tell her for a reason.

Eyeing the guard again, she shakes her head. "Perhaps if you didn't give her warning, hmm?"

The guard sours at the comment, but only his thoughts are testament to Chloe hitting the nail on the head. "Just be careful ma'am. I've heard the sheriff say she's not to be trusted." Which is about the same as Sue has written down, now with a wry smirk, though a hint of amusement filters through.
The King's or not, I'm instructed not to discuss these matters with a human. What I can tell you is, 'I am not to be trusted'.
Starting on her second bottle -and drinking quite neatly at that- she gives Chloe time to read. In fact, everything she does seems to be paced down to human level. How thoughtful? Or…

"I already figured that," Chloe says to the guard, "or else she wouldn't be here, would she?" She may be human, but she's not foolish enough. Though she's pretty sure if Will was punishing her, that she'd already be dead. It seems par for the course then that the reason she pissed off Marius is that he can't kill her.

"It's fine," she replies to Susan after reading the note. "If I'm desperate to know, I know who to ask. At least then I'm sure I'd get the full story, and not something watered down." Shrugging, she folds the towel she's been toying with the entire time and then turns toward the couches. "Though I suppose if you're going to be here for a while, you should know that they won't like the fact that you're rising before they are."

"Hmpf" The guard. And a little snickering sound from the speechless vampire. She nods her head to Chloe, gentle enough, seeming not to mind either way. The last comment quiets the humour for a few breaths and the time it takes Chloe to reach the couches, it takes Susan to write down word on another page of the block. And she follows the human, sip after sip to show the words, sitting herself down on the other side of the couch. Respectful distance. Nowhere near invading personal space. Curious eyes reading the book's title though and a knowing light dawns in pale blue eyes. Holding up the block,
They already know. Wouldn't be out 'n about if they didn't.
Honesty gets you halfway. A smile inserted at the right moment usually the rest.

The poor guard. Chloe does feel for him, even though he's just doing his job to warn her. So she turns enough to give him a warm smile. She would play the little mind-trick on him but having him spaz out before the vampires rise would be bad.

"You know, I don't believe that for a second, right? I've no doubt you'd be out and about, probably trying to get revenge… and the only reason you've not is because of what? Retribution?" She eyes Susan briefly. "You're either mute, or… your throat was crushed enough you can't make sound?"

Brows dark enough to betray Susan is /not/ a natural blonde rise high in surprise at Chloe's statement, a note of hurt visible, but pushed back. Still with the smile, though a little less wide now, less charm, more serious discussion. At least that's the thing she's giving the human, a discussion between - equals?
Believe what you will. I've told you, I only want to get out of here. And in this place scheming will only get you killed quite definitly.
There's a pause in which the vampire considers an action, but decides against it. Instead she mimicks scissors just as the guard, who stepped closer a little to keep a closer look on Susan, offers, "Tongue torn out. That one won't be able to glamour you if her existence depended on it ma'am." The vampire shrugs, it seems to be more or less correct. So instead she writes down,
The whip gave you the cheek?

"But what's to stop you from scheming once you're out of here?" Chloe may not be a vampire, but again, she's not stupid. She's got an idea of why they're keeping this woman around. It may not be absolutely true, but if she were a vampire? It's what she'd do. Keep a potential enemy close as possible.

"It's alright, Bruce. I don't think she'd be able to glamour me even if she had her tongue intact." There is no pity, no look of disgust. It's just what it is. Besides, a lost tongue? Nothing in comparison to being locked in a tomb of silver for eternity.

Bringing her hand to her cheek, Chloe shrugs. "Got in the middle of something at a bar." The truth, without saying what she got in the middle of or who's responsible. "It's a bruise, it'll heal." It could be gone already if Chloe hadn't been so stubborn, and took a small amount of Will's blood.

Quieter now, the smile has lost it's mirth and under Chloe's words turned sad around the corners.
Someone once told me there's no life, no living in the past, only in the future and I intend it to be a good future. Not like this.
Endearment flickered in her eyes as she wrote the first part, but it's gone when Susan looks back up to show Chloe what she wrote. There's nothing but open honesty to be seen, at least as far as outward appearances go. She lets the matter of the cheek rest though and finishes her second bottle while she rises, by the looks of it intending to let Chloe have her peace and her opinion.

"I hope you mean that, Ms. Baker. I'd rather like to see you reformed than used as an example." Chloe knows that if Susan doesn't try something stupid, chances are when her 'sentence' is over, she'll be free to do her own thing. That's the way vampire punishment works, at least so far as she knows. "I'll be here the majority of the evening if you find you just want to sit in company of someone that's not out to humiliate you. I've got some work to take care of, and some research to do, and I have plenty of books." Though she's not at all certain that the woman is a reader, or would be even remotely interested in the history of the American Revolution.

The surprise this time is honest, not just in appearance and Susan extends a thoughtful glance to Chloe, along with a nod. And the smile grows, appreciative now, so… Human in it's need for consent. Quickly she scribbles down, accompanied with that smile still,
I just might take you up on that. A moment longer she hesitates, then she nods again, one out of respect. One that might give a girl the feeling that being a queen and being treated like a queen is just around the corner. A smile, after all, takes you the rest of the way.

Oh, there will never be Chloe: Queen of the Vampires. At least not for a jillion centuries. She knows this. It's been explained multiple times. It's part of what's swaying her toward the Fontane way of thinking. Yet, that doesn't mean that she's a bully and going to be mean to the woman just because she did something wrong. If there's even an ounce of humanity left in Ms. Baker, perhaps some compassion will appeal to it and put her on even better behavior and the search for redemption.

"I'll be here. I'm not going anywhere." At least not until 3AM or so. Though she does know that the vampire likely has things she has to deal with this evening as well, so she doesn't force the issue.

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