[Buda, Hungary. April 16th, 1262, about midnight.] [Life (or unlife, or whatever) has been going on at Jurgen's court. Prisoners have been interrogated, research has been done, awkward small talk has been made...and Moriel has decided to adopt a six-year-old human kid. Who knows what Eliana thinks of this - but she may get the chance to tell him, as he's knocking on her door now!] [Begin!] 06* Eliana answers the door shortly after Moriel knocks, in full scholar's robes, though cloakless and gloveless. "Moriel MacRae," she says with mild surprise. "Good evening." 06* Eliana 's hair is in order, yes. 06* Moriel looks up at her. "Good evening, Eliana Casale. Do you have a moment?" He seems quiet and calm as ever, but Eliana probably knows him well enough to know something's on his mind. 06* Eliana nods. "Come in." She opens the door the rest of the way and steps aside. 06* Moriel steps inside. "Thank you." He looks around briefly, but Eliana's room is probably much like his, since they're both guest rooms. He finds a chair that she doesn't seem to have been sitting in and folds himself into it. 06* Eliana 's room is effectively identical, yes, with the exception of a few personal things and some books and scrolls, likely taken from the library. She moves to sit at the desk, which is where she was before he knocked. A book lies open on its surface. What are you working on? 01 German. I've pretty well mastered Hungarian at this point. 06* Moriel smiles wryly. "I wish I had your talent for languages. It'd be convenient, with all the traveling we do. And the research." 06* Eliana looks down at the book and picks at the edge of its pages. "It is convenient, yes. But you have your own talents." 06* Moriel tilts his head at Eliana. She doesn't usually pick at things. So he decides to change the subject. "I was speaking to Aliz again." Pause. "I wanted to ask you...if you had any advice. About taking her in." 06* Moriel says wryly, "Aside from it being a rather foolish endeavor to begin with." 06* Eliana turns in her chair to Moriel, opening her mouth to say something, but then he pre-empts her by telling her not to say it's foolish. She stops, then, and tries again: "Despite my sex, child rearing is not one of my talents." 06* Moriel blinks for a moment, and then he laughs. "I didn't mean to ask you because of that. I asked because you're more practical than I am, and you think of things I do not." 06* Eliana snorts. "Fine." She faces Moriel fully, even turning her chair to do so, and crosses her legs. "What do you plan to do with her?" 06* Moriel 's expression turns unhappy, and he traces patterns on the arm of his chair absent-mindedly. "Raise her, as best I can. She has no living family, or at least none she knows. It may be a blessing, as even I am not so foolish as to be willing to simply turn her over to them." He's quiet for a moment, and then he continues, "I'll have to find...someone...to help me, since I cannot watch her during the day." 01 No. 06* Moriel blinks in surprise and turns his eyes back to Eliana. "No?" 06* Eliana thinks for a moment, then says, "Jill Leftherder could. She’s had experience raising children in the past, and she may be glad for the company." 01 This would make her unable to function as well at night, but I assume you only need the help for a decade or so. 06* Moriel blinks more. He doesn't seem to know how to respond to this immediately. "She's - ah - yes, only for a decade or so," he manages. "And - Aliz did suggest she might start sleeping during the day more, so perhaps Miss Leftherder might be available for part of the night." He still seems nonplussed. 06* Eliana nods. 01 You possess property fit for living habitation, so that's fortunate. You will need to provide food, heat, and clothing, or at least funds and materials so Jill can provide them for you. How do you plan on handling her education? Food and clothing will be easy enough. I'll simply have to replant some of my garden with vegetables, and I can make her clothing myself. Heat won't be much more difficult. As to her education...I'll teach her whatever I know, or whatever she wishes to know. 06* Moriel smiles a little. "You can help, if you wish to." Then the smile slips and his eyes turn troubled as he wanders down some other line of thought. 06* Eliana is about to say something, but at Moriel's look she switches to: "What's bothering you?" 06* Moriel frowns unhappily. He looks at Eliana and takes a breath to answer, but then he stops. He shakes his head. "...she'll never have a normal life, with me," he says softly. 06* Eliana snorts. "She'll never have a normal life *without* you." 06* Moriel is still and silent for a long moment before he murmurs, "Yes. I suppose that's true." 01 I don't see why you would desire such a thing for her, anyway. Her sex and station indicate a normal life that is, ultimately, rooted in misery. 06* Moriel looks stricken at that, but then his eyes turn clear and thoughtful. "I - excuse me a moment." He puts his head in his hands. 06* Eliana raises an eyebrow, but she doesn't say anything, so Moriel must be excused. 06* Moriel straightens up again about a minute later, looking much calmer. "Your pardon. She might *want* a normal life, no matter what it's like. But I don't know. I'll simply have to deal with it if it comes up." 01 She probably won't. Maybe not. Anyway - you were going to say something else, before. 01 Aliz won't know what to wish for. 06* Moriel considers that, pensive. "No? I don't wish to completely isolate her from her peers, risky as it might be. She'll know her life is out of the ordinary, though she might not have a perfect notion of what ordinary is." 06* Eliana shakes her head. "I was referring to her education. You said that you would teach her whatever she wishes to know. Aliz - at least initially - won't know what to wish for." Oh. 06* Moriel smiles a bit. "I know. But I imagine that as I teach her, she'll discover that some things interest her more than others." 01 True. And, assuming I have the time, I'll be more than willing to help educate her if need be. What do you intend to do if she asks you to sire her? Or become your ghoul? 06* Moriel stills. "I don't...know yet. I think...if she asked me to ghoul her, I would do it. She'd know what she was getting into, and it's not permanent, after all. If she asked me to embrace her..." He shakes his head. "I don't know." 06* Eliana nods and says, more gently, "It's something you'll have to consider." 01 It's unlikely she'll see our kind as evil or unnatural. 06* Moriel rubs his face. "Yes." 06* Eliana tilts her head, considering something briefly, then pushes it away. "It seems you have her affairs largely in order." I'm trying to plan, yes. 06* Moriel watches Eliana, wondering what she's thinking, but he doesn't ask. 01 Since you've requested I not mention what a terrible idea this is, I find myself out of advice to give. When we return to London, I'll see how amicable Jill is to helping you with Aliz. 06* Moriel can't help but smile at that, but he tries to suppress it, with only partial success. He nods. "Thank you." 01 You're welcome. If there's nothing else...? 06* Moriel shakes his head and rises from the chair. "No. Good evening." He nods to her and moves to let himself out. 01 [End!] [Mini end!]