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Jeremiah Hamilton:
An invitation was extended to Klaire to visit the sanctum of the Soulwardens, which she would find to be an old brick building in Old Kensington that blended in well with the other structures nearby, a bright green door set into the entryway. Jeremiah was awaiting her arrival outside, dressed casually in jeans and a t-shirt with chunky black glasses rounding out the ensemble.
Klaire Henriette:
Psyche of course accepted, but the reply took a bit. Supposedly a nap? But it was the middle of the day and she worked?
When she arrived, she was wearing a lighter coat that went all the way up her neck, and could cover her hands well. As well as looser jeans. Unfortunately missing was Rook, who was staying at home. Also curiously, she drove here, and parked a bit away from the place. She seemed alright enough, maybe a little slow in her movements, but she gave her usual half smile.
"Hello Jay, thank you again for inviting me."
Jeremiah Hamilton:
The unusual outfit and her slower pace caught his attention, naturally, a note of concern slipping in around the smile he gave her in return. "Hey, and you're welcome. Come on in. Want some tea or coffee?"
Once inside, the main entry area came first with wood flooring and what looked like a very well decked out kitchen and a hallway heading further into the building off to one side, a stairwell going up to the second floor on another and doors going to other rooms near the back and one by the stairs.
Klaire Henriette:
Klaire does pause before entering. "Isnt there the whole 'duties of the Lex Magica' thing I need before entering? I would appreciate some tea though."
Jeremiah Hamilton:
"If you're wanting to be that formal." He nodded with a smile. "You, Psyche, are welcome into the sanctum of the Soulwardens, as long as you bring no harm to those within and follow the tenants of the Lex Magica held by this cadre and consilium."
Klaire Henriette:
She nods and enters. "Thank you. With everything running around...sometimes the formal things make us feel better." What was running around was left unsaid.
She takes the moment to appreciate the space. "I don't believe I've met your other cadre-mates, at least not that I am aware of. They know I am here, yes?
A thing to notice as she enters is she stops playing off all the pain. There's a clear limp to her right leg.
Jeremiah Hamilton:
"True enough." He nodded, closing the door behind her as she entered. "They do, yes. They would be Diamond, Hearth, Harmony and Rashida, if you've run into any of them yet."
Seeing that limp manifest properly he frowned, giving her a quiet concerned look. "What happened?"
Klaire Henriette:
She thinks for a second. "No, the names aren't familiar. So at least not within the Awakened side of things."
She sighs. "I will tell you only if you don't worry over me and understand I am ok. Bones was mumbling for a solid 5 minutes before leaving Maddy's yesterday."
Jeremiah Hamilton:
"I'll still be concerned, but alright." He led her towards the kitchen so she could get off her leg, rummaging in the cabinets for tea and getting the kettle going. "Did they now..."
Klaire Henriette:
She gladly sits down in the kitchen, a slight wince.
"Ethos hired me for an investigation. I brought along Phyx, another Sleepwalker who is like Soteria. He had some technical knowledge that I figured would be helpful for the particular investigation." Words were chosen carefully, and just from the tone there was a silent 'don't pry further'.
"We came across a Mark II, destroyed it, and turns out they explode." She finishes the sentence like it was the most normal, least concerning thing in the world. Like saying 'Maddy's serves waffles'.
Jeremiah Hamilton:
Jeremiah leaned against the counter as Klaire spoke, watching her quietly. "Good to know. Have you been looked at by anyone yet?"
Klaire Henriette:
She almost shakes her head, but stops. "No, I haven't. I'm fine Jay."
Jeremiah Hamilton:
"Can I ask why?"
Klaire Henriette:
Klaire frowns, but relents. "You can."
Jeremiah Hamilton:
"Is there a reason you're burdening yourself with pain when you have an option to do otherwise?"
Klaire Henriette:
She sighs, and admits. "Because I feel guilty. I had the option to just...throw the Mark II a mile or so upwards into the sky, and got greedy. I was hoping I could send it farther, to a place we could recover it, and I burned out from trying to work too fast so it didn't even move."
She takes a deep breath. "I am the reason Rook, Phyx, and myself are hurt. I am reminding myself to never do that again."
Jeremiah Hamilton:
He nodded quietly, moving from his spot on the counter to take a seat across from her, meeting her gaze head on. "You did what you thought was right in that moment, and you didn't know the impact it would have. Owning up to what happened is admirable, and I applaud you for that, but you can use that moment as a reminder without flagellating yourself unnecessarily."
Klaire Henriette:
Klaire sighs. "I knew it was a bad decision, but I thought I was better than I was. It was going to self destruct, I knew that was bad...I just got cocky."
She frowns. "I spent 10 years doing this on my own. I've made my fair share of mistakes, but this one... my actions don't just affect me now, they can cause trouble for the entire Pentacle, the Freehold, everyone else. I need to be more careful."
Jeremiah Hamilton:
"That is a lesson we all learn eventually. Yours happened to be in a literally explosive way, but we all face that first 'oh shit I fucked up' moment. What you do with that knowledge after the fact is the important part, and you're taking it to heart and using it to guide you going forward. You don't need the physical reminder to do that."
Klaire Henriette:
She takes a deep breath and sighs. She can see his point. "Okay...fine. You make a good point. Your kettle is boiling."
Jeremiah Hamilton:
"I try." He replied with a small smile, hopping up and moving the kettle off the burner before motioning to the tea selection on the counter. "Green, red or black?"
Klaire Henriette:
She closes her eyes for a second to process, then when he asks the question, replies evenly.
"Green. Do you mind if I take off my coat?"
Jeremiah Hamilton:
"Go ahead." He went about loading two tea strainers, one green and one black, and pouring the hot water into the cups to let them steep. Once that was done he turned back her way, if only to see the extend of the damage.
Klaire Henriette:
She takes off the coat, and is wearing a t-shirt under the coat. Most of the damage is hidden, but what is still there is shocking.
It begins near the base of her neck, spirals out towards her left hand, all the way out to her fingers. Under the shirt it covers a large part of her back and most of her left leg. The right leg has another spot, isolated from the rest, covering most of her outer thigh.
"I am sorry I was being difficult. I am still learning to let others help me with these things."
Jeremiah Hamilton:
He let out a low whistle as he looked over the wounds, giving her a sympathetic look. "Last time I was that banged up I was in a hospital bed for a few weeks. I'm impressed you're up and about."
"Apology accepted. It's a rough thing to learn, especially when you've been running solo for a while." He nodded to her wounds before looking her over. "May I?"
Klaire Henriette:
She doesn't meet the look. "Ive been in bad spots before. I've trained myself to ignore most of the pain. Moving is still painful."
She looks back at him, unsure. "May you what?"
Jeremiah Hamilton:
"I bet. That's a lot to carry on your own shoulders, especially when there are other people who can help you bear the load."
"Heal you, or at least lessen the pain. Up to you, though."
Klaire Henriette:
She frowns. "This is mine and Rook's injuries. He wasn't sleeping so I took his too. Does your healing split it like mine does?"
Jeremiah Hamilton:
"Nope, should be able to handle all of it."
Klaire Henriette:
She takes another deep breath. "Okay... you may heal me."
Jeremiah Hamilton:
"Thank you." He moved back to the table and gently took her hand in his, using the other to fish out the brass snake pendant hanging from the thin black leather cord around his neck. He spoke quietly in High Speech as he ran his thumb along the back of the pendant, invisible tendrils of light and potentia emerging from his forearm and weaving around Klaire as the spell locked into place. She would feel the wounds knit themselves closed in short order, leaving her whole once more.
"There we go." He said with a small smile, looking her over. "How're you feeling?"
Klaire Henriette:
She sighs in relief at the lack of pain, but tries to hide it after the fact. "Better, thank you J- Sirius."
She runs her right arm around her left, falling no pain. "It still feels like I'm cheating myself."
Jeremiah Hamilton:
The Shadow Name was more fitting at this point, the air about the Warlock one of understanding and guidance rather than his usual jocularity. "You're welcome. Why would you say that?"
Klaire Henriette:
She shakes her head. "I'm not sure. It feels like the easy way out."
Jeremiah Hamilton:
"One could see it as such. As I see it magic is a tool, a gift that humanity has been given but has been taken away from so many of us by the actions of the Exarchs and others who seek to keep us from the heights we can reach. The pain and suffering of the Fallen World are not what should be but are inflicted upon us, and granting respite from them is a noble cause."
Klaire Henriette:
Klaire nods, feeling much better. She sips her tea.
"I'm not familiar with the Exarchs. Or most of the history of the Awakened. That's part of why I wanted to meet...I want to know more of what I've gotten into."
Jeremiah Hamilton:
"The history is hard to build the farther back you go, what with how the fall of Atlantis rippled through space and time. At it's core, though, was a society of Awakened who guided humanity to greatness that was ultimately usurped by those who climbed their way into the heavens and broke the world below to control it. They are the Exarchs, and their servants in the Seers of the Throne and others who continue to strengthen the Lie are one of our greatest enemies."
Klaire Henriette:
She nods. "And the Seers are the ones who are controlling the Mark II's, who are trying to keep people away from magic."
Jeremiah Hamilton:
"Correct. They also have been meddling with things through time, trying to change something in the now that will allow them to be victorious in the future. It's...complicated, and I'll admit I haven't been in the thick of it so there are others here who would be better to talk to on that front."
Klaire Henriette:
She nods.
"Fair enough, maybe Bones will know." She pauses. "What can you tell me about the Orders? I know the Free Council is the newest of the Pentacle, and its very...almost like a democracy. Everyone working together to solve the problems we have."
Jeremiah Hamilton:
"That's the broad strokes for them, certainly. Much as we of the Ladder cleave to the idea that humanity deserves magic the Council believes that humanity is magical, that they echo the Supernal in their daily actions and new methods can be found therein."
Klaire Henriette:
Klaire frowns. "Aren't they...we? I mean, I can read minds. Doesn't that make me magical?"
Jeremiah Hamilton:
"Definitely, you're a more blatant example of it. One of the Council can explain it better than I, of course, but from what I know it's in the vein of looking at human innovation and seeking the Supernal within, potentially finding new connections that either didn't exist or were otherwise unknown beforehand. Some argue that they end up reinventing the wheel more often than not, but I don't fault them for finding inspiration where it comes."
Klaire Henriette:
She nods, writing mental notes. "So its...watching what humans create to try to understand magic."
She looks back to Jay. "You see it a different way obviously. Could you explain your thoughts?"
Jeremiah Hamilton:
"Effectively." Sirius moved to the counter to pull the strainers and bring the mugs of tea back to the table, grabbing a honey bottle to go with the sugar already on the table for Klaire to use as she desired.
"Due to the Lie and the weight of Quiescence humanity as a whole is not yet able to grasp the Supernal at its fullest. Our purpose is to help guide them to that point, finding the spark of enlightenment and fanning it into the fire needed to shunt away the Lie." He took a moment to add a notable squirt of honey to his cup, stirring it into the tea as he continued. "One aspect of that involves a trio of archetypes we call the Stag, the Lion and the Sage. The Stag embodies peace for peace's sake, those who agree with others to avoid conflict and are content to look good with as little actual action as possible lest they find themselves set upon by others. The Lion is the opposite, the overly proud and selfish braggards who claim power only to empower themselves and knock down anyone in their path. The Sage is the goal we all strive to reach, one who uses the power they have to raise others up; a Prometheus of sorts, one could say."
Klaire Henriette:
She added a tad bit of sugar, but no honey.
"Not too brash, but not inactive. You... want to help those around you become better, and hopefully, Awaken. Is that a fair assessment?"
Jeremiah Hamilton:
"Exactly, and continue to guide our fellow Awakened to reach their own true heights." He took a sip of his tea. "Some see us as overbearing because of that, but it comes from a place of knowing what we can achieve if we work together."
Klaire Henriette:
"Some people just need to be taught in different ways."
She looks at Sirius, into his eyes. "Why did you join the Silver Ladder?"
Jeremiah Hamilton:
Sirius met her gaze easily, a small smile on his face. "Because before my Awakening I was a Lion, obsessed with my own fame and fortune and pushed aside anyone who got in my way. My own poor decisions killed the woman I loved and would have killed me if I hadn't been called to the Watchtower, stripped down to the metaphorical bone and made to look at the pain and suffering I had caused so many others. I knew I needed to make up for that, keep others from following the path that I had stumbled down and prove myself worthy of the gift that I had been given."
Klaire Henriette:
She nods slowly, a sympathetic look as she remembers the talk about the car crash. She offers a hand if he wants it.
"You've had time to know me, what would you say I am of the three? And why?"
Jeremiah Hamilton:
He took the offered hand and gave it a light squeeze. "That's an interesting question. You don't have the selfishness of the Lion, but you do have the stubbornness and insistence that you can handle things by yourself when you have others to help you. On the other hand, you're not passive like the Stag but are willing to sacrifice yourself to the grinder to put meals on other's tables. So, a bit of both, I'd say."
Klaire Henriette:
She considers his words, thinking it over. She gently squeezes his hand back.
"So, as a Silver Ladder, what would you have me do to fix those problems?"
Jeremiah Hamilton:
"Continue to put what you've been given to the betterment of others, but remember to take care of yourself as well. You cannot pour from an empty cup, and leaving yourself weakened as some form of penance is a play towards piety that only makes it harder to respond to future threats."
Klaire Henriette:
She takes a deep breath, and nods, slowly letting go of his hand and grabbing her tea. After a sip she responds.
"Well then, I am glad you are a Ladder. Fine...I won't leave myself weakened again. I appreciate the insight."
Jeremiah Hamilton:
"You're welcome." Sirius nodded, relaxing visibly as the role of the guiding star slid away and the jovial musician returned to the forefront. "Glad I was able to help." Jay added with a bright smile, taking a sip of his tea.
Klaire Henriette:
Klaire takes a breath, then slowly lets it out.
"I am glad as well. You're a good friend Jay. I'm glad to have been able to meet you." Theres a look to the stove, and the time. "I should head out soon, thank you for the tea as well. I may need to grab some of these the next time I am at the store."
Jeremiah Hamilton:
"Right back atcha." He said with a smile, nodding. "Sounds good. If you ever want to come over just to come over let me know, or we can work on the Path once you're feeling up for it. No rush there, though; Lord knows you need a break at the moment."
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