Put Some Madness to the Method

[Lion]

Vandryn downed the rest of the tea and his eyes gave a peculiar gleam to her, chuckling his own throaty laugh.  "You may think what you want," he replied with a grin.  "But Mat'nacht as not called for blood yet...  And when she does, if you want to volunteer yourself, don't let me stop you."  He laughed again.  "When Mat'nacht demands blood...I deliver.  That's what I do.  So if you think I lack the will to kill, think again.  It is the target that matters, and some targets are for fruitful than others.

"How about this," he continued.  "I won't kill you all the while we are training together.  Will I seek to draw blood, yes.  Will I beat you within an inch of your life, certainly.  And I will expect you to do the same.  That...at least, you may trust me in.  If not in some others."

[Clair]

She shrugged and remained where she was sitting. "I was curious as to why you hadn't killed me yet. I wasn't sure if there was something you were waiting for... and this... Mat'nacht...? Why don't you do what you want, rather than for some deity? I think you'd find your life more fulfilling if you did things for Vandryn rather some made up hocus-pocus-being." Dorothea knew that chances were she was walking onto thin ice, and it was getting thinner each time she opened her mouth. "I mean, you seem reasonable enough. Why don't you set the fairytale aside?" She gave him a faux innocent smile.

[Lion]

"You amuse me with your talk.  But there are things in this world we are not meant to understand, whether we care to know them or not," he muttered.  "And surprisingly enough, I did set the fantasy aside...  Mat'nacht cannot be explained through words, or physical actions.  She does what she wants, when she wants, and we are all her play things....  Perhaps we even want the same things.  Which would explain why she herself hasn't killed me yet.  But I love tempting her..."

[Clair]

Dorothea raised and eye brow and frowned deeply. "I think you're mad," she said after a few moments silence. She stood and walked over to sit with him. She didn't want to go out into the cold, and despite how off he might seem, Dorothea did really want to learn from him. "But I guess in a way, most people are..."

[Lion]

Vandryn leaned forward and grinned.  "Aren't we all?  I mean, why would you leave with a complete stranger after only having met him for a few seconds.  Seems pretty mad to me.  But I digress...  What about you, you don't seem to put much faith in invisible things, not saying I can blame you.  But I have my reasons.  What about yours?"

[Clair]

Dorothea frowned, looking down at her hands distantly. "My reasons..." she said softly, as if asking herself. "I... I'm not sure. I just don't believe those things can exist." She looked to him, curious. "And what are your reasons? Has Mat'nacht made herself appear to you? How do you know she is there?" Dorothea wasn't sure why, but she was curious to hear what he had to say about his goddess.

[Lion]

Vandryn wasn't sure how to discuss the topic of Mat'nacht.  He wasn't sure he wanted to, but she asked, and he saw no harm in telling her from his own experience.  He tilted his head and ruffled a hand through his hair.  "A better question would be, when is she ever NOT there," he laughed a little.  "Her connection to this world...is a thread-like one, fragile but tense.  I have felt her, touched her, and vice versa.  But she is no ordinary...goddess, if that's the word you want to call her.  You do not reach out to her, she comes to you, if she is pleased with you.  In your dreams, visions...your nightmares

"I was almost dead when she came to me.  She pulled me back and restored me under the condition that I be bound to her.  I did not object, I saw no reason too.  You don't always know when she might appear to you, but when she does, you feel it without a doubt.  Tense, eager, drawn, an attraction more magnetic than I can really describe."

[Clair]

Dorothea nodded, considering this all. It was fascinating and a bit exciting to hear. Oh, she wanted to meet this Mat'nacht, if what Vandryn said was true. It was clear to Dorothea who was most powerful here; Mat'nacht was definitely someone to look up to. She was startled with herself for thinking such things and she shook her head, choosing to focus on something else.

One hand extended Dorothea reached out and touched Vandryn's scarred cheek, gently running her finger tips down his jaw line. "Are these scars from that time... when Mat'nacht saved you?"

[Lion]

Vandryn nodded.  "Yes, you could say that," he murmured.  "They were the remains of who I was, and I had to get rid of them.  So I did, and nearly killed myself in doing so...  Maybe I have a death wish...  Is that mad?"

[Clair]

Dorothea shrugged but gave him a genuine smile. "We're all a little mad," she replied softly. "And I don't understand... you did this to yourself? I'm sure you were quiet beautiful once... why would you try and destroy that?"

[Lion]

"I was beautiful...once.  But it was my face that marked me as something I had no interest in being.  If it destroyed whatever beauty was there in the process, then so be it.  It was a consequence I was going to have to live with," he said.  His hand went up and wrapped around her smaller wrist, his thumb feeling the pulse that thumped there.  "Why would you care if I was beautiful?  Did you hope I was?"

[Clair]

Dorothea chuckled a bit but nodded. "Beauty is something that should be treasured... but, as silly and foolish as it may sound, it's not only skin deep. You know, Vandryn, your strength is beautiful. It's awe-inspiring. It's desirable; it makes you desirable." She laughed again, letting his hand remain around his wrist. "You did what most would be too vain or scared to do."

[Lion]

Vandryn squeezed her wrist with some pressure before letting it go.  But what she said made him laugh, louder than she did.  "Desirable.  Tch, what have you been putting in your pipe that would make you think I would be desirable.  I suppose you think yourself desirable."

[Clair]

She laughed and ran a hand through her red hair. "I know I am desirable. And I think that's a true sign of your weakness, Vandryn. Your strength is enough to get anyone you like. And you carry yourself in a way that is desirable. You should probably take full advantage of that, Vandryn." Dorothea chuckled again and winked at him. "But perhaps you're too frightened."

[Lion]

"You're sounding faintly, naive, Dorothea," he said.  "You and I both know that there are varying degrees of strength and to say that my abstinence is a sign of weakness is highly presumptuous of you.  You're very bold; I can admire that, but others might not find it so appealing.  Besides why should I?  I've always found the flesh to be so...fragile."

[Clair]

Dorothea laughed. "Flesh has such exciting appeal. It may be fragile, but it can provide thrills nonetheless," she said with a smirk. "I'm sure Mat'nacht doesn't pleasure you, hm?"

She finally stood again, stretching her arms above her head. "I don't care if I'm bold. I like things to be a bit different..." With that, she lunged at Vandryn, her hands tightening around his throat.

[Lion]

Vandryn did not anticipate answering her question nor her hands that tightened around his neck. He was knocked backwards, off the bench and fell on his back.  But his arm worked quickly and went around to slam down on her elbows, distracting her grip or making her slip long enough for him to slip away.  "The old fashioned way to kill," he grinned in a crouch.  "With your hands.  Good move. ...You seem to be so sure of a lot of things, but you'll let your view get overshadowed by assumption."

[Clair]

She chuckled and stood. "Well, at least what I was saying distracted you enough, hm?" Dorothea laughed. "I bet you didn't see that coming! But, I'm sure you'll not only teach me combat but perhaps how to speak to easily trick someone into letting their guard down?" The question was merely a joke.

[Lion]

"I think your running mouth is distracting you enough," Vandryn replied just as he threw a nearby stool at her.  When it splintered and broke, he lunged for her again.

[Clair]

Dorothea dove away, unfortunately into a corner in the room. Backed against where two walls met, Dorothea was stuck. All she could do was glare as Vandryn neared. She scowled at him, but grinned. "Come on, then," she sneered to him.