Topic: Barrister Calling

Lucky Duck

Date: 2007-11-10 23:28 EST
"The two prime movers in the universe are time and luck." - Kurt Vonnegut, Hocus Pocus

Rubble remains greeted the Barrister as he stepped out of his front door. A gaping hole in the streetscape, one that should have brought no small measure of relief. Instead, it mocked him, teased him. He was being too cautious, it whispered at him. He was looking a gift-horse in the mouth, it teased. It was poet justice, it cooed. He shook his head to chase those thoughts away as he walked past the exploded remains of the DCH's offices.

Lucien looked up at the rebuilt Courthouse, bustling with activity as if nothing had happened. It almost seemed like a lifetime ago in a realm where memories were often short-lived. Out of sight, out of mind as it were, for objects as well as people. And he was just as guilty of it. He drew a deep breath and adjusted the wrapped packaged that was tucked into the crook of his arm. He carried no briefcase this day. The Courthouse was not his destination and he turned to the west and headed north.

The Barrister's gait slowed as he walked through the gates leading to the North Road. Gywr had suggested he take the carriage, but Lucien had refused. It was too fine a day to waste in a carriage, he'd told his faithful manservant. The truth was, he needed the walk.

A deep breath was drawn against the weight already pressing against his chest as he neared the Empress' villa and the Sanctuary. He swallowed down the tinny taste of blood that rose in the back of his throat. He closed his eyes briefly against the crimson veil that wavered before his eyes. He shook his head to block out the airy melody that was starting to play in his memory. Another deep breath was drawn as he continued heading north toward the round-about. Not all memories were as short-lived as he'd like.

Nevertheless, those were to be revisited another day. The House gates came into view. This day's visit was for other matters.

Lucien stepped up to the guard at the gate. "I am here to see Lady Belial."

LdyBelial

Date: 2007-11-16 17:54 EST
The Bloods on guard duty smile and nod to the Barrister as he approaches, the man is well known and respected by most in the Family. Lucky is always welcome at Onyx. One of the guards moves to unlock the gate, the other stands off to the side, out of the way. He glances over to Lucien.

"Afternoon, Mister Mallorek, good to see you sir. Hope all is well with you and your lady?" He offers Lucky his friendliest smile.

"Belial should be up at the House, Barrister." Informs the other as he opens wide the gate, allowing Lucky free access to the estate. "Indi might be up there too, and Ole One-Eye." He's referring to Wylde. "Have a nice day, Barrister."

"Yeah, what he said!"

Lucky's walk to the house is rather uneventful; however he may notice the increased activity about the place. There seems to be a lot going on. Bloods are moving here and there all over the grounds. Some nod to him, recognizing him, others may offer polite smiles but none pause for conversation. It seems everyone has something important to do.

When Lucky arrives at the house, a young, unfamiliar Elven girl opens the door and waves him inside. "Hello sir. Bel is expecting you. She's in her office. It's this way, sir, please follow me."

The girl leads him down a rather lengthy passageway lined with many doors. Some have names on them, in varying languages; some have nothing to mark what?s beyond. Near the end of the hall, an office away from Lord Lankyn, the girl stops and knocks.

"Enter." Calls out the familiar voice of Belial from within.

The girl smiles and nods Lucky to go inside.

As he steps into Bel's office, he finds her sitting behind a rather plain looking desk. Papers are strewn in front of her, yet that green gaze is not on them, no, but rather on Lucky.

"Hmm' Lucky, how nice to see you sweets?" She sounds distracted, busy and seems as much. "To what do I owe this honor, eh?" A small hand gestures to a comfortable looking chair set before her desk. "Please" sit, make yourself comfortable??

Lucky Duck

Date: 2007-11-22 01:10 EST
Lucien gave a nod and a smile to the guards as he stepped through the gate. "Good afternoon, Gents." An appreciative nod of his head followed at the guards instruction of Belial's whereabouts, a brow rising at the mention of Indi and Wylde. Ole One-Eye he had run into a while back. Indigo, he hadn't seen in ages. "Thanks much," he offered the pair of them before continuing toward the house. Perhaps another time to visit Indi.

The Barrister offered polite nods and smiles to the others that he saw in passing. A bow of his head was offered the young lass that greeted him at the door, "Hello sir. Bel is expecting you. She's in her office. It's this way, sir, please follow me." ...and fell in line behind her. The House was a familiar and welcome sight for the Barrister. He looked over the doors lining the hallway, noting the details in the frame and finish, rather than the names or lack there of.

"Enter."

Belial's voice drew Lucien from his thoughts. He gave the young girl an appreciative smile, then moved past her and stepped into the office. He stepped away from the door and further into the room as he heard the door behind closed behind him. Lucien nodded to the clutter of papers on her desk. "That looks like my desk," he remarked with a light tone of jest. His gaze rose to meet hers as he took a more somber tone. "Good afternoon, Belial. I hope I am not interrupting anything."

Nevertheless he continued to her desk and took the seat she indicated with a nod, setting the wrapped package lightly on her desk. "Thank you. I decided it had been too long since I paid my friend a visit. I feared it may have been so long that the guards wouldn't recognize me anymore," he added with a light tone of levity, not at all matched by the sober gaze of his eyes.

LdyBelial

Date: 2007-11-29 13:00 EST
In many ways" Belial is far from the typical female, however when it comes to presents there is an almost childlike quality to the lady. That green gaze goes from Lucky to the "gift" he's placed on her desk, a tickled smile tugs at full red lips as she leans forward with anticipation.

"Is that for me?"

And before Lucky can answer her, she looks to him and offers polite commentary on his attempt at light banter. It is the appropriate behavior after all...

"Not remember you Lucky' Ahh, all the Family admires you, Barrister" who else would keep them out of the local jail, eh?" A playful wink offered as greedy hands snatch up the present giving it a little shake.

"Hmmm' What's inside, eh?" Belial looks from the gift to Lucky then back. "You did bring this for me" yes??

During this interlude, Lucky does not see any sign of the taint trying to corrupt Belial. In fact, both alien powers move far beneath the surface, battling one another for dominion. Distracted as they are it grants Belial freedom from both....at least for now...

Lucky Duck

Date: 2008-01-05 13:30 EST
A crooked grin tugged at Belial's remark about the Family. Grin tugged to a smile when the wrapped package was greedily claimed and given a cursory shake. Private musings and curious queries were held at bay and his own melancholy lifted for the moment as he watched.

"You did bring this for me" yes??

"Of course I brought that for you, Belial," he replied.

Ice blue gaze fell to the papers littering the desk. It seemed to swallow the petite Blood. Movement was afoot. He didn't need any preternatural abilities to sense that. It reverberated in the walls and buzzed in the air. A brief flicker of concern colored the pensive furrow of his brow. When his gaze rose to rest on the Blood, the furrow was gone and a light grin showed behind the neatly trimmed beard.

The Barrister nodded his head to the package she held. "It was something from my private collection. I thought you might...," his paused was barely that. His smile settled into a quiet ease. " I thought you might like it."

LdyBelial

Date: 2008-01-14 19:30 EST
Green eyes dancing with sheer delight, Belial rips open the package Lucky has given her, excited to see what it might be. She catches her breath and for a brief moment there is only surprise and wonder on her face before she drops the wrapping aside to expose the old book.

It looks as if it had seen better days about five or six centuries back. The aged leather that bound the book holds a single symbol, the mark of Raziel, brethren of Belial's. It was said, a long time ago, that Raziel had made a book of the angelic arcane and gifted it to Adam. Some legends suggest that the book has passed through many hands, after having been 'rescued by Rahab, a primordial angel/demon of the deep. Rahab was said to have been set to the mission by the Great Architect himself.

From Noah to King Solomon, all have been named owners. It was said the book held the key to the manipulation of all energy and that much bound within has long been locked away. Only Seraph have been allowed the privilege to review the angelic arcane, that is" unless one is lucky enough to find a treasure such as this"

"Wherever did you come across such a prize"!" Wide eyes going from the ancient tome to Lucky then back again. "I can't believe it! I've been looking for this for the past two decades now" how could you know"!" Belial is utterly delighted as well as floored. It is indeed the perfect gift, but how could he have known of her interest' Why is he gifting it to her, and where had he dug this up"

"Alright, Lucky' what?s up" Such an elaborate gift, it begs to question' what the giver may wish in return." A delicate brow arches with inquiry as that green gaze contemplates the Barrister.

Nevertheless, the book is obviously cherished. Bel tucks it close to her chest and folds her hands atop it. Now that she has the prize there is no way she's giving it back"

She can't help but wonder how pissed off Daug would be were he to know of her most recent acquisition' of course, this thought brings a slew of new ones; all curious to know just what the old Bone Bags has been up to of late? Bel really needs to check in on that!

Lucky Duck

Date: 2008-02-01 03:25 EST
Lucien watched in silence as the Seraph tore the wrapping off the aged tome. Ice blues watched eyes of green light up with surprise. And listened to the catch in her breath.

"Wherever did you come across such a prize"!"

He was known as the Barrister. Lesser known as the Steersman. His allegiances, his loved ones, his residence"these were things that were publicly known to many and all. His interest and acquisitions of artifacts, powerful and arcane were closely guarded secrets and known to a rare few. The full extent of what he held in his possession was known to one other. The reasons driving his avid interest was revealed to none.

What began with singular purpose countless years past before even his arrival to RhyDin, grew into a lifelong passion. The Barrister came to own many items at a cost immeasurable, both in monetary and personnel terms. Lucien was no mage and held no abilities to wield the arcane by any stretch of the imagination. Nevertheless, he didn't need to hold intimate ability in magic to know the tremendous power lay in each artifact, be it a scroll, tome, brazier, map, or pendant. Power and magic pulsed and hummed off the artifacts.

"I can't believe it! I've been looking for this for the past two decades now" how could you know"!"

The book Belial held possessively held to herself had been acquired for reasons that no longer mattered, along with a scroll he had given to the Ancient years past to translate for him. Instead of a translation, Sid imparted to the Barrister a glimpse of an apocalyptic battle, a battle of angels and a world laid to waste. Scroll and book were costly to obtain....costing one man his life and another his sanity. For years the book had sat hidden away in a vault, not seeing the light of day since that evening the Ancient gave him a peek at the frightening vision...until today.

"Alright, Lucky' what?s up" Such an elaborate gift, it begs to question' what the giver may wish in return."

Lucien effected an easy smile, stemming the unexplainable restlessness. "I just came by to check on a friend who seemed down and thought a present would help cheer her up," he replied nonchalantly, offering nothing more for the moment. He shifted in his seat and leaned forward in it. "So...how are you doing, M'Friend?"

LdyBelial

Date: 2008-03-05 00:35 EST
Bel sits quiet for a moment, staring at Lucky. Perhaps she's pondering how best to answer his inquiry' Perhaps she's caught up in some internal battle within" struggling to make some unknown choice" Either way the silence seems to stretch for what well may feel an eternity, until at last the smile fades from full, red lips. The book, so obviously cherished, vanishes from the cradle of her arms and she leans forward, forearms resting to the top of her work-littered desk.

"Hmm, we've been friends for?" a cant of her head Bel stares at Lucky, "What' Many years now, yes?" It seems like a question, it's posed like one, but she doesn't wait for him to respond. Instead she slides open one of her desk's drawers and withdraws what looks like surgical gloves. She tosses a pair over towards Lucky then begins to slide one on each of her own hands. She talks as she moves.

"Now" I am about to make a confession to you, Lucky, that I expect you to keep this between us?" She grants a candid look to the Barrister, not pleading, but forthright as seemingly out of nowhere the black ribbon appears. It lies in front of the pair of them on the desk between. It looks fairly harmless, nothing more than a ribbon perhaps of high quality, but otherwise" a rather simple looking ribbon. Bel's eyes drift from Lucky to the ribbon then back again. She grants it a tentative poke of an index finger, nudging it closer towards him. "Yes, I know" it looks like a ribbon. But it is far more than any mere ribbon and I think?" She comes to an abrupt stop, that green gaze staring down at it as if it were the greatest treasure she's ever seen. A shake of her head almost like waking from a daydream, then slowly her eyes lift focusing back on Lucky.

"I think?" She begins only to stall in yet another hesitation. "Ah?" Another lingering look cast to the ribbon before she forces her attentions away from it. Lucky can easily see the internal struggle reflected on beatific features. A nip taken of her lower lip, small teeth worry. "I think I am addicted to the things" and I need your help, Lucky! I can't allow the damn ribbons to have this kind of control! You will help me, yes?"

Lucky isn't the only one who can help her, Bel knows that' but he is the only one she trusts won't go off hopping mad and try to kill Lord Travanix. She gives Lucky her most angelic smiles while waiting for his response.

Lucky Duck

Date: 2008-04-08 02:19 EST
Lucien watched Belial. He watched her as she seemed to weigh the measure of her answer before she would give it voice. He watched her expression change and her smile fade. He watched her as she as she spoke, measuring her words. Worried words from Tasha and the Ancient about the Seraph rose in his thoughts and whispered against his consciousness.

He inched forward in his seat, brows rising as she tossed him a pair of gloves then pulled on a pair of them herself. Lucien followed her lead and began pulling the gloves on himself, giving her a firm and quiet nod. "Belial, what you tell me will be kept in the strictest of confidence."

The barrister fitted the gloves over his fingers with open curiosity. Curiosity turned to bewilderment when the black ribbon was revealed on the desk between them. He began to give voice to his puzzlement when Bel spoke up once again, nudging the ribbon closer to him.

"Yes, I know" it looks like a ribbon. But it is far more than any mere ribbon and I think?"

His attention turned to the Seraph at her sudden silence. His brow knitted into a furrow at the hesitation in her tone. Then turned to a full frown at the struggle he witnessed plainly upon her features. Lucien reached out a gloved hand and placed it over the ribbon, collecting it into his grasp at her final confession. Addicted. The word struck him right in the gut. What was this thing that came in the guise of an innocuous looking ribbon' Where did it come from' How did Belial come upon it' Questions rushed forward as fingers wrapped tighter around the ribbon now enveloped in his grasp.

The barrister's dour expression eased as Belial turned her attention from the ribbon on the desk and looked up at him. Lucky nodded, allowing a small smile to grace his features as he held the Seraph's brilliant green eyes. "Of course, M"Friend," he answered quietly without hesitation. "I'll help you."

The small smile faded with a sober nod. "Now, tell me everything you can about the ribbon."