[London June 14th 1230 9:40 PM Thalaba and Moriel both awake in their respective havens. The previous night was spent tracking the possible assailants of Renier to no end. It is now just after dusk and several hours before the agreed meeting time with the rest of the coterie.] [Begin.] 06* Moriel sits up in the darkness of a cell-like stone room. Without so much as lighting a candle, he makes his way to the next room to wash and dress. Then he wends his way through a maze of passages until he arrives aboveground, and heads north to St. Alban's Church. Once again she was dressed as she was expected to be fitting her station in the human world. She waves off her servant's offer to get the carriage, preferring to walk since she is early. Enjoying the air and the night she reaches the church with still a little time to spare, stopping outside like she did the night before at Mithras' manor. 06* Moriel stands outside the church looking upwards for a few moments, face unreadable. Then he looks down and notices Thalaba, and blinks. "Ah. You're here to see Demetria as well?" 06* Thalaba smiles at Moriel and nods "Yes.. but I am early." [The church at St. Alban's is fairly small. It takes up half of what will be the block it is on. Its bell tower rises before you and the shadow of a figure can be seen in the moonlight, standing in the bell tower. The doors before you are closed.] 06* Moriel smiles back, but it doesn't reach his eyes. Of course, most of his smiles don't. He says lightly, "You said last night you were often late. You seem determined to contradict yourself." 06* Moriel looks up at the bell tower again and murmurs half to himself, "Of course, it's not as if we had an appointment...shall we knock?" When things are very important.... lateness is a very bad thing.. and my life seems like a very important thing. *She looks towards the tower and nods "I'll do it!" she says brightly and steps forward to knock loudly on the door to the bell tower. [The door is opened by a young man with shoulder-length light brown hair, dressed in noble bright colors of purple and yellow. He looks beyond you both as if making sure you are not being followed. His eyes are wide with fear and then narrow suspiciously as he peers at you. "What business have you with the Oracle?"] [The young man is clearly a vampire.] 06* Moriel gives him a smile that's only faintly predatory. "The same business anyone else has with the Oracle. We wish to ask her a question." 06* Thalaba leaves Moriel to speak, examining the vampire who answered the door instead, curious by the attitude. [The young man's eyes dart back behind him before a booming female voice echoes from up the stairs behind him. "Let them enter, Augustus," she says, "I have been expecting them." The young man glares at you again and takes one more quick look behind you, before turning quickly on his heel. "Hurry then." And he begins to head up the spiral staircase behind him.] 06* Moriel 's eyebrows rise behind the young man's back, but he steps quickly inside, holding the door for Thalaba and then shutting it as quickly behind her. 06* Thalaba murmurs to Moriel as she steps through the door. "Thank you.. One would think the servant of the Oracle would be a bit... nicer?" 06* Moriel shrugs. "Not...necessarily. But...we shall see, I suppose." And he steps swiftly after the young man up the stairs. [You climb the spiral staircase for a few minutes before arriving at the top of the bell tower. Before you is ... well... a big bell. Standing in front of the bell is Demetria, whom you met earlier. She is dressed in a deep scarlet gown and a dark gray fine silk girdle. Her arms are at her sides and her eyes are wide open. To her right is the young man, Augustus, and to her left is a young woman, also a vampire. She is dressed in a green gown and her light hair is wound about her head. She looks down at the ground demurely. Demetria looks at you as you enter. Actually, she almost seems to look through you. "Welcome, young ones. These are my childer. I believe you have already met Augustus, and this is Valeria." At that, the young woman curtseys and Demetria continues. "What have you come to ask?"] 06* Moriel glances at Thalaba, to see if she wishes to be the one to speak. 06* Thalaba looks at Moriel and then back to Demetria "I guess it would be too easy to ask if you know who actually killed the man we have been accused of killing?" [Demetria shakes her head and stares off into the distance, her eyes unblinking. "Sadly, I have not been blessed with a clear vision of the event. I see five individuals attacking him, but their identities are hidden from me."] 06* Moriel sighs. He does it silently, at least. 06* Thalaba looks off into the distance as well when Demetria does, though obviously not seeing anything "So you're saying it could have been us.." 06* Moriel 's gaze snaps to Thalaba and he says dryly, "I should think we would have remembered." "Come on.. with all the evidence we've found.... 5 foot prints.. 5 bite marks.. Even i'm wondering if maybe we didn't to it in a moment of mass hysteria!" [Demetria turns back to Thalaba and tilts her head curiously. "You do not need my sight to see that, do you? You know your own actions. I am saying that I have not seen whether it is or is not you. My vision is... cloudy."] 06* Moriel cocks his head to one side, considering that statement. "Is this unusual for you, my lady?" 06* Thalaba turns back to Demetria "no you're right.. We did not do it.. but the evidence.. or lack of.. hasn't helped us at all. " She grows quiet.. not wanting to interrupt anything important that Demetria may say. [Demetria looks out beyond the bell tower. "It is not unusual. Apollo grants me the visions that he wishes me to have. Sometimes they are very clear, such as your visit to me tonight, other times they are shrouded in mystery."] 06* Moriel nods. "Then...can you tell us to whom we might speak to learn why he was murdered, or why he wished to speak to us?" "Any information you can offer.." She adds quietly [Demetria turns around abruptly and tilts her head. "You did not ask me why. You asked who." It is more of a correction than anything else. She does not volunteer information beyond that at the moment.] 06* Moriel smiles faintly. "If you had known who, it would have made matters simple for us. As you do not...we must hope that knowing why will tell us who." 06* Thalaba smiles at Moriel "good idea!" [Demetria closes her eyes momentarily. This seems to be a voluntary effort. She does not blink normally. "He was killed for... political reasons. Someone had something to gain from his death. Something... deceptive..."] 06* Moriel waits politely, hoping Demetria will add more. [She does not. Instead she returns to staring through you both. "You will gain the answers that you seek. Do not worry. But remember... you can only gain answers that you search for. If you travel down the wrong path, you will find only deception at the end."] 06* Moriel closes his teeth on another sigh or any other politically imprudent utterances. "...can you tell us anything of why he wished to speak to us? Or who might know?" [Demetria shakes her head. "I am receiving no justification of his wish to speak with you..." She pauses for a moment. "Are you sure he did? I... I do not know. Yes... he did... but... no?... I do not know the reason." She raises a hand to her head and for a moment it seems as if she is not talking to you, but, rather, to herself. Valeria moves over and places her hand on Demetria's shoulder.] ["Madame Oracle?..." She then turns to you and curtseys. "I do believe that my lady needs to rest. She has exerted herself much tonight and Apollo does take so much from her for the gift of these visions."] 06* Moriel bows. "Of course. Thank you for your council, Madame Oracle." [Demetria does not respond. She appears to be somewhere else mentally.] 06* Thalaba bows to Demetria, gives Augustus a look much like he gave them when he opened the door for them and turns to Moriel "shall we?" 06* Moriel nods, bows to the trio in the belltower again, and walks out without saying another word. 06* Thalaba follows Moriel out and takes a deep breath when they are finally outside "Well.. that was.... yeah..." 06* Moriel looks back up at the belltower again briefly once he gets outside. He sighs. "Fruitless. Yes." 06* Moriel looks down at Thalaba and seems to re-focus. "I suppose we had best go to our next rendezvous." 06* Thalaba nods and smiles as she starts walking but stops to look at him again "We can walk together yes?" 06* Moriel smiles. "But of course." And he offers her his arm, in best courtly fashion. "Thank you." She takes his arm and once again starts walking again. "It will be disappointing when we share this information with the others.. I had hoped to have at least something for them." 06* Moriel shakes his head. "I, too." [Mini End]