Grand Reopening [Baccarrat Mansion]

[Legione Sumus]

Eliot Lagueux

Elliot laughed. "Would you trust the people who have tried to kill you not once but three times and failed. As I understand it he is working contracts for us. Taming beasts that deserved to be tamed, denying us the privilege of killing innocents. However, I do not think his so-called handlers let him maintain his judgements and kill for him after he's done the hard and dirty work of finding his marks. He trust us less than the general populace."

And as he listened he didn't have reassurances to offer, his reign was that of Moscow, and only Moscow. "Moscow is mine once again. Every resource is tied to this house, except a few minor safe houses run by other investors. But the main one, is mine and while my family may not agree, they do not care how it is run as long as it is run and our good name kept from the whispers. I'd need a face to present. One of good repute, to act as my spokes person."

Eliot stood up and walked around to a desk and pulled out several folders. "We have our finger in many things. And know many others. Lists upon lists of would-be gods. Traitorous Atharim who tries to seek refuge in the Ascendancy's mercy. Most of them are dead. But Durante and at least one other are still alive -- too seen to kill."

Eliot sat back down and laid the folders on the table. Not a gift, but not keeping her from reading while in his presence. "I wish that Moscow be free of the ill intent of the Atharim on kindred souls. In otherwords, in order for the Atharim to apprehend a godling child or not, a trial of guild would first need to be had. Not just by the Atharim to keep the Moscovian's happy and the petty politicians. Those found guilty sent to rehabilitation or shall we say the gladiator pits to ear favor and redemption." He grinned at her. "Some too dangerous, well until we have a way to queel them without making them vegetables death is the only option. Sedation is not a permanent solution. It's not logical or cost effective."

"Teaching them is an option. Though that does not seem to be my allies strong suits as of yet."

[Helena]

“I did not say it would be easy. But it will be necessary. What better poster boy? He is working for you because it is right, despite the bad blood of the past -- this thrice-times attempted murder, as you say. Taming what can be tamed and refraining from killing the innocent is exactly what you should be doing." She said it a little scathing, but with no true heat; it was just her truer face, unperturbed by considering what he made of her. Honest and blunt. “And if not him, his qualities are what you must seek. A saviour. A champion. That is our narrative, or where we shall begin at least.”

Helena took the files without preamble, the moment he laid them down. Her posture remained rigid, utterly confident in herself and her words. “These surviving traitors are your priority – they are your would-be allies, for they shall become your enemies instead, if left unchecked. We have something to offer them, and they us. We must win them to our cause. Then the potentials must also be analysed, and those of prospective use groomed towards sympathy for our way of thinking. But you must stop calling them gods. It is silly, and makes of them something they are not. That we are not.” Her eyes scanned quickly, absorbing the information. Though after a moment her eyes flickered up.

“Is my name among those on these lists?” It was not through fear she asked, but calculation. For what he had said about lineage, and what he had revealed about his secret. That, more than anything, was something a child of the di inferi understood.

“I find your vision agreeable – justice and order. Fair, but ruthless. Sedation is indeed a short term solution for those who prove intractable. Consider my club yours for the purpose. And I have contacts for the consideration of safe teaching. For women, at least. I trust you understand there are differences between the sexes.” She closed the file, though for now left it resting in her lap. Her stare was direct and unblinking as she considered him once more.

“You have resources, as do I. But the assurances I seek are… different. I may be able to offer more of my family’s resources under certain conditions. A family’s good name is, as you say, of importance for those like us. Once we have agreed fully on the way forward, the alliance between us should be more permanent.”

[Legione Sumus]

Eliot Lagueux

She perused the files as he expect and asked the natural question. "You are not. Though had you any children, you would not have survived that night." He didn't ass more to it. Their rules were their rules and he wasn't about to forgive or forget what they were. But it did need to change.

"The boy, is just that a boy. He's not quite famous. He's obviously Atharim born and breed even if it's an American lineage. Still born of the life. But he's American and they are cowboys to keep the phrase. He works for you, does he seem a face to the cause that you would want to back? He has done some near impossible things, things that few other loyal Atharim can do. Such as having the ear of our dearest Ascendancy himself. And if the reports are true cleared the underground city of a nasty genetically engineered creature that could have ravaged the city had they escaped. But he's fighting in your club. No offense, and he's a burlesque dancer and bouncer, and not the face the rich will follow. What do you think of him if we make this aliance?" Eliot pulled out two other files he'd been examining "Dorian Vega, Domovoi detective, Atharim informant and hunter. And Li Tan, actor and martial artist, though his hunting record is less than par. Dorian is not one of us, but his son is, but that is not common knowledge among us."

Eliot caught the meaning of the final phrase. And he smiled. "A permanent alliance, one of legality and consequence. I would be ammenable to that provided that was an offer to thine self and not an unnamed brother." He smirked, he was pretty sure it was what it was but still, the sickly man who barely moves without the wheel chair most days is not exactly prime catch.

[Helena]

Helena didn’t blink at the first words out of his mouth. In fact she barely thought of the child that had existed inside her back then, or how she had callously had it removed after Cillian’s death. His family had never forgiven her for that transgression – a child who might have been born a god. A term she detested, but it was what they called it. Before now it had never occurred to her that there had been any self-survival in the act. But Eliot’s implication was that this shadowy organisation, this Atharim, eradicated bloodlines and not just the channeler. Fate had intervened. It appeared she should have died alongside her first husband.

“You believe it is hereditary,” she said. There was no inflection to the statement. The Di Inferi believed the same, or hoped for it. Her own father’s efforts had borne little fruit, beyond the success of her, and that was something Helena kept private. Her brother was ungifted, as were the halfbreeds kept hidden at Rivington Folly. But this knowledge factored into her proposal to the Baccarat heir. Between them they might create exactly what the Di Inferi were looking for, and while Helena had no motherly inclination, she understood that the Asquiths would be more useful onside now that she had embarked on this endeavour. A beneficial reparation. She thought nothing of using a child in such a way, or of seeking forgiveness now it suited her.

This marriage would be one of mutual convenience.

“I am not interested in second best. Only the power behind this reform, and that is you. We are talking about dynasty, a legacy. One that will outlive us. You are capable of the act, and of siring, I assume?” She did not look up from the specific files he had handed to her. She was talking about something non-negotiable, and her words were utterly and unapologetically blunt, but the force of her attention was on the quandary before them. For Asquiths marriage was the most expeditious way to forge a connection, as he put it, of legality and consequence. It would make betrayal less likely. Nor could he easily set her aside, for their survival would become codependent. But in their alliance Helena would be ironclad, for as long as their goals aligned. She proved it now with her open deliberation and focus.

“You do not like Durante. Yet you tell me he has accomplished impossible feats, and has a connection with the Ascendancy that might strengthen our legitimacy with the Custody. He may be uncouth to those of our own ilk, but you cannot rule him out. If not the face, he may prove integral to rallying the lower sort. There is a charm in a man of the people. And while your Atharim might not follow him, it is not only your people we must consider, but those other channelers out there. To them, he will be a hero.

“Dorian Vega, too, offers a useful credential as part of the police force. But he is not a channeler, despite his fathering one. That is not good enough for what we need. But we will certainly need him on our side. And he shall be easy enough to convince if he wishes to protect his son.

“Li Tan … if he has no marked prowess as a hunter, will he be seen as weak? This traitor needs to be one that is respected. Yet perhaps he can earn it, with our help and guidance. He will certainly be more pliable than Durante, I would imagine.

“We must consider them all, I think, and continue to search for more options. If your ways are so ingrained then we must accept that the old guard will not be swayed no matter who you chose for your puppet. Yet if they will not bend to us, we must seek to drown them out. Perhaps we must cultivate all those of interest, and see who rises to the top.”

[Legione Sumus]

Eliot Lagueux

Eliot nodded. "We believe that is the only way the origins of our organization was able to full eradicate the gods of their time. They were worship as such and that is what we are here to prevent another time of man where the powerful become gods. But I agree we are not gods. I am no god. I can barely hold a flicker of a flame, but there are other arts I'm good at." He didn't embelish on his abilitites, there was a reason he liked working in the infirmary. Subtle and easy to hide his gift, though running the Moscow chapter was more fulfilling in its own right.

"I am fully functional and verile, there have been no complaints in the performance department when the chance has presented itself." He wondered why children were part of the deal, not that he couldn't get behind it, or do the deed, just a passing curiosity, surely she didn't want to make a child of power. Though that did seem to be the catch here. Not that he was opposed to any of it. His family might not like knowing he was a godling himself, much less that his children would follow in his footsteps.

"I agree we must consider them all and others that might not be on our list at present. I do not like Durante for the mere reason is he is just a boy. But that face we can find given time. Do we have a courtship to plan? or a sudden marriage of convience? What would look better for the cause." he grinned. There was no love in this alliance -- at least not yet, that could come later, but it didn't matter if it did not.

[Helena]

She was still preoccupied looking through the information he had provided, but his explanation of the Atharim’s purpose was interesting. Although Helena had approached him as though she knew precisely what Baccarat was hiding, it had only been a calculated risk. The context provided was enlightening. The Di Inferi only held whispers, fairy tales really, of such a shadow group, and most would dismiss them as nonsense. Yet it seemed they searched for the same immortality and power the Atharim were instead sworn to prevent. Helena did not believe the same as her brethren, of course. From the time she had been unable to save her beloved borzoi Diablo as a child, she had understood that death was an integral part of life. It was for that reason she had not called upon her gift to save Cillian while he lay bleeding out in their home. But she noted that the balance here would need to be careful.

He answered her query factually and without embarrassment, which she appreciated. Sex was not something Helena gave great mind to, and the prospect of a child was leverage not desire. It made no great difference to her whether he had had complaints of his ability or not, so long as the mechanics of it were functional. If she was going to contractualise this alliance in a marriage, she preferred the path remained open to her. Which was why she included it in the negotiation

“Matters of emotion are really not my area of expertise,” she said honestly, when he asked about the way they would reveal themselves. He was grinning like the arrangement pleased him. Maybe it did. “I will defer to your judgement on what is appropriate.”

[Legione Sumus]

Eliot Lagueux

Eliot took note of the fact and nodded. "I think tonight has been a good start to whatever the gossipers might start, us alone in my grand house. Behind closed doors. But a few strategically planned dates in the new year to keep the tongues wagging before a simple annoucement followed by a short engagement and a private wedding?" Eliot wasn't sure what her family might want. "My family will be annoyed at the boldness of the union so quickly, and the private wedding they aren't allowed to publicize and use for their cause. But perhaps we can use it to ours. Your family will want something I'm sure. We want to appease both so they don't see through the alliance and cause undue issue. A strategic courtship. Are there any important events for you where you'll need an escort? We could attend one of the holiday performances at the Opera House, be seen in public enjoying the other's company in a less business oriented guise."

[Helena]

Truthfully Helena did not see why it must be believable. But she understood that it was in their best interests not to incite any rumours that were easily avoidable. In these matters, she would allow Eliot to chart their course, for as she said, she had no expertise. Her marriage to Cillian had been arranged – he was from a bloodline of gods, after all. There had been no courtship, just a contract negotiated between their families.

“My family will pose no problem. You are of a good pedigree, and have the status and wealth they would expect,” she said. Her eyes still scanned the lists, and she made note of a few more names.

“The opera sounds appropriate. My social calendar is limited – people do not care for a black widow. I am perfectly aware of the gossip.” And unphased. It allowed her to purchase Almaz and conduct her work largely unmolested. “The timescale you suggest is amenable to me. You should also know my family calls me Lena – it would be prudent for you to begin to do the same. It will suggest familiarity. I will provide a dossier of other such important information.” It went without saying she expected the same from him.