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Renault's request for a meeting has been acknowledged, and finally fulfilled; he's told to meet the Sakima in a particular meeting room at the Bellevue Hotel Elysium. As a Kindred, he has free run of the Elysium, so no one escorts him to the room in question. The hotel's bustling on this Friday evening; there's at least two weddings in the hotel, and one had its rehearsal dinner earlier, leading to at least one crying bridesmaid in the lobby.
Renault is wearing his trademark black suit as he makes his way into the appointed room, quietly closing the door behind him. Thankfully it cuts out almost all the noise from downstairs. He turns and looks about the room, holding himself with a relaxedly confident air.
The meeting room is meant to feel cozy, the chairs large and comfortable, inoffensive watercolor paintings on the wall. But when there's a gaunt woman who appears almost corpselike at the head of the table, it perhaps doesn't feel like a perfect safe space. The Sakima has her hair back in a braid, and is wearing a suit that's...oddly colorless. Not white, but more an off-grey, like the color a suit woven from thin fiber-optic cables might be, though the fabric drapes more like silk. Her body is thin, in a desiccated, sickly way, and her expression as Renault walks in is thoughtful.
"Please come in, have a seat."
He bows to her and then takes his seat, offering a small smile. “Thank you for seeing me, Sakima. It’s a pleasure to speak with you.”
"Is it?" Her eyebrows both raise. Her elbows rest on the table and she leans forward slightly. "I'm curious what it is that brings you to me tonight."
“It is. It’s always enjoyable, in my experience, to speak with Kindred older than myself, especially those in positions of import in a City. Tonight, we’ll...I had hoped to speak with you sooner, to relay then events at Bala Cynwyd some nights past, but our schedules haven’t aligned; I’m sure you’ve heard at least some of the more important details by now. Still, it seems prudent to offer what information I can, and if we end up discussing other things as well...I am amenable to that.”
"The Nereids? Very well, tell me what you've learned." The tone of her voice isn't quite that of a general asking a soldier to report. It's more thoughtful and less brusque, and she looks at him with what seems to be general interest.
“As for the Nereids themselves, I only know a little. I meant specifically the incident with Rihat of Ninevah.”
She frowns. "Ah, the second incident."
“Yes. I was at the Elysium, speaking to a few others, when a car crashed into the building. When we arrived at the scene a young woman exited the car, and Rihat revealed he was possessing the woman. He wanted you to know he’d be in town as long as he liked, and asked us pointedly about the library of an Adelgrief, which I understand is a former member of the City?”
She nods to confirm his understanding. "Former Prince of the City. Frederick Adelgrief. He was a miserable tyrant of a man, and you should be glad he's gone."
“I’m perfectly happy to take your word for it,” he says with an earnest note to his voice. “I’m assuming he had quite the collection, if it’s attracting such notice from a being like Rihat.”
"He did. That said, Rihat is not going to be getting access to that library. I'd rather Rihat were gone from my city or destroyed; he does not have protection under my laws, as he has failed to follow them. Beyond crashing into the Elysium, he has not offered a tithe. And he's been feeding on the younger and more vulnerable among us. I want him to be dealt with."
“Oh, he’s behind that as well?” He sighs softly. “Well, I’m happy to lend my hand to bringing him down. I’m not a fighter, I’ll have to coordinate with others, but I’ll lend my skills.”
"Good." She nods, watching Renault for a moment. "I'm curious: why did you want to bring this to me directly, instead of going to the head of your family, or Banan?"
“Because he wanted word passed directly to you, and I’m hoping to hear some juicy details. But mostly because I wanted the excuse to talk to you, and make sure you got all the details.”
"I'm not sure what sort of juicy details you expect me to have." She smiles wryly. "And I'm not certain you needed an excuse. I try to be accessible to all members of my city if they want to talk. Though it's not exactly common for a member of the Sanctified to take the time."
Her response elicits a grin from him. “If I may be bold, I expect I’m rather different from Sanctified you’ve known. And take the time? Please, yours is far more valuable than mine.”
"I have plenty of it, though." She offers something closer to a sincere smile. "A member of the Lancea et Sanctum joined my family recently--Mallory Lewis. She also seems to be cut from a different cloth than most of you. Have you met her yet?"
“No, I haven’t, though I certainly will now, I’m sure she’s an interesting person.” He pauses, considering her for a moment. “What do you think of her? Besides seeing her as a member of your family, obviously.”
"She's very intelligent, but somewhat hard for me to get a read on. I find her thoughtful, especially when talking about something she cares about. I also can't help but wonder if she joined my family due to ulterior motives. Unfortunately, there is a long line of Sanctified who've left a bad taste in my mouth before I met either of you. I invite you to prove yourselves different." She spreads her arms slightly, shrugging.
“My covenant does tend to do that. Regrettable, and unfortunate,” he says with a small sigh. “It’s why I’m here, to quietly assist the Kindred of the city, to offer the Sanctum at its best to those who need it. It’s not even about faith, it’s about...mindset.”
"What do you mean by that, exactly?" Her gaze hasn't moved from him. She's not blushed, so it's a potent, unblinking stare.
He considers for a moment. “I really do see other Kindred as my siblings and peers. So I see looking after them as my duty as a brother, if you will. I also see them as shepherds of humanity, as the Lance do, but I don’t...think it’s my place to decide their faith. So I’m left in a place where I offer solidarity, understanding...guidance if they solicit it. I’m not here to proselytize or judge, I’m here to aid the Kindred of the city and...build working relationship between the Lance and the other Kindred of the city.”
"If that's more than just lip service, then I'm glad to have you in Philadelphia." She nods. "Is there anything else I can help you with, tonight?"
He leans ever so slightly forward in his chair, eyes growing even more intense. “Oh, I assure you it is no mere lip service.” He leans back, expression softening. “Nothing in particular. Thank you again, for taking the time,” he says with a small smile.
"Have a safe night, then." She nods, and it's clear that's a dismissal from the tone of her voice.
He smiles and stands, bowing again. “You as well. This was nice, I hope it’s not too long before we speak again.”
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