Graveyard Stroll

Giacinto strolled through the graveyard, carrying a large bundle of freshly picked giacinto under one arm as she did every month. Though, she used different flowers depending on the season.

At each new grave she came across, she set one of the flowers down and bid the ghost hovering over the stone good evening.

Eventually she found herself at the largest grave in the yard.

She stared at the engraved words for a long while in silence.

Lucia Auditori Di Firenze

"Where could you be, Lucia?" she mused in a whisper. "Your grave is the only one in this yard that does not have a ghost... Why?"

She set the last of the flowers down on the grave then knelt before the grave in a bow.

"Again, I apologise to you for taking up residence in your home." She had made this apology every time she set flowers on the grave.

"Much has happened in the last month. My ex-mate has written to me. And sent one of his omega here." Her eyes slid shut. "Ignicio may be put to death if Aleksandr does come here..."

She sighed heavily and raised her head to stare up at the concrete angel. "You must be tired of me telling you all my problems, eh, Lucia?"

Altair had decided to shift into his human form, trying to get used to it again after so long as an Eagle, and left Sharifa to rest. his mistress had been very tired lately through sustaining Valora with blood during her hibernation.

flicking his long hair out of his eyes, he saw the mistress Giacanto walking along the graveyard, and saw her speaking to the grave of Lucia.

he smiled at her last sentence though, and stepped around Lucia's gravestone, hand resting against it

she enjoys wondering the grounds further from the graveyard mostly. but she hears your words every time you come to speak here. any spirit would if you spoke at their graves. she listens intently, and she's glad you speak to her.

Altair smiled a tiny bit, golden eyes sharp and laughing as he looked over Giacanto, fiddling with a feather and bead pendant around his neck after straightening his loose white, and unbuttoned, shirt a bit...he fussed over it as he wasn't used to wearing it....at Shar's request

Her eyes snapped up and she jumped to her feet, staring warily at the man. She hadn't sensed him at all...

Immediately she wondered how old he was to be able to cloak himself from her.

"I have yet to meet her in all my years here."

Her red eyes trailed over the man, taking in the muscular chest. Toned.

Her hand flexed a little.

"Who are you?" She didn't remember him at all. And from what she could tell he wasn't a vampire.

Altair chuckled, smiling now, and let his eyes slide shut as he shook his head.

when he opened his eyes again, he looked directly at Gia's

Altair....Spirit Guide and Guardian. you've met me before many times in my Eagle form, M'lady.

he bowed at the waist, low, before standing up right again

as for Lucia, she's shy as well. she doesn't like being seen all that often. he smiled and don't worry. i'm not going to attack you Fledgling.

Altair? That sounded familiar...

Eagle... Ah, Sharifa's bird. Now she knew why the name was familiar.

She returned his bow respectfully.

"After near one hundred and twenty visits I would have thought she would have tried to meet me at least once..." she muttered under her breath.

She let out a quiet snort. "Fledgling? I think not at my age..." She tilted her head a little. "But to you, I guess I would be, yes? You have many years on myself from what I understand."

he chuckled and continued to fiddle with the pendant as he raised an eyebrow

to give you a rough idea, i was around before monkeys evolved into humans under the Gods and Allah's will. and i was old by that point too.

he snickered, and sat on the grass by the gravestone.

oh. she's seen you many times. but you never saw her because she didn't want you to. like i said, shy. however, she's very greatful for the flowers you leave her and the others. she hasn't been given flowers before you came.

he rolled his shoulder, still feeling achy from the transformation. and he was also curious about how calmly she accepted his new form

"That old?" Yes, she was shocked but she didnt show it outwardly. But at his age, he could probably smell the light shock.

She sat down opposite him and curled her legs under her and looked at the grave.

"It doesn't seem like ten years since I began visiting these graves..." she muttered, sweeping her eyes over the yard and its inhabitants. "It doesn't seem like I've been back in Italy for a decade already..."

A decade she had been back and yet she still hadn't made the effort to go and see if her old coven was still thriving; even when she was already in Rome.

Her hands dropped to her thighs, brushing over the jeans in a light caress, tracing the numerous criss-crossed scars that lay underneath the rough material.

Altair chuckles and clicked some of the bones in his back, smirking a little as he smelt the slight change in her scent with the shock she felt.

yes. i'm very old.

he noticed her movements and raised an eyebrow

time moves in very peculiar ways. i presume that since you've come here, this place has been rather eventful. many scents lace the halls of this place and it's rather amusing to see Sharifa constantly rubbing her nose or sneezing from just the sheer amount of scents and things she can pick up from them. but these events, i assume, have taken most of your attention as you watch it all unfold in one way or another. with everything happening, time slips by without being noticed as attention tends to be else where, which is why time seems to race by,

ALtair knew that the numbers haven't always be this large, but he was sure she had a stressful time trying to set everything up

she gave a light shake of her head, clasping her hands together on her lap to stop herself from tracing the scars. "Its nothing."

"It was calm for a good eight years. I only started even thinking about creating a safe haven two years ago." She lay back, staring up at the moonlit sky. "I only started allowing people in back in October."

She stretched her arms above her head, her shirt riding up. she had taken to not wearing a corset as often as she used to (every day) and just wearing loose or midriff shirts. Today was a loose white shirt, black skinny jeans and her usual black converse.

"Its nice having more than just Mihai, Lyssum, Dick and I in this mansion. The ghosts are great company but I like knowing there are living or as-living-as-created-vampires-can-be people in the house." She smiled softly.

he shrugged it off, and winced, noting how quickly he had become stiff, and rolled them, standing up again, and kept shifting so he wouldn't seize up

he then smiled

i see. and yes. life is beautiful, and anything with it, usually has the natural urge to be surrounded by it in one way or another. it's a shame life is so fragile, even among the immortal races.

Altair sighed quietly and shifted his weight again, moving every muscle he could

he fiddled with his pendant, running his fingers over the feathers and let his eyes fall closed as his mind wondered slightly, thinking back to a time when the world was still young and void of much life. it was a very lonely place.

he was just glad to have me the Ibn'La-Ahad's over time.

yes.....life is very fragile and beautiful

his tone was a bit distant and saturated with age and memories

She eyed his face carefully as he winced. "Not used to having a human body?" She remembered having aches like you wouldn't imagine after spending a few years as a Wild Dog out in Africa.

"It helps if you move around a lot. There are many ways that could be achieved." She grinned suggestively and stood, strolling over to him with a seductive sway to her hips the offering her hand.

"I suggest a pleasant walk around the graveyard." She smiled down at him innocently, hand still outstretched.

"Is there a race that is truly immortal? Immortality is not being able to live forever, yes? I've never met a race that can live forever. Even us vampires die of old age at some point in time. Immortality is a myth."

Altair smiled a little and bowed his head slightly, taking her hand

m'dear, if i touch you any more than this, Sharifa will kill me. she's protective of you, in case you haven't noticed.

he smirked now, some of the personality he's gained from Sharifa shining through because of their connection

however, a walk sounds pleasant. it should be interesting to explore the grounds on my feet rather than on the wing.

he was interested in this place as it had such strong spiritual energy

immortality isn't possible, you are correct. but many are called the immortal races as they live longer that several normal lifespans, and age at a rate much slower than many. it's also a term to use for other creatures that aren't human, as they are very mortal.

The Succubus gave a laugh and tugged on his hand lightly, pulling him along.

She glanced down at the bracelet around her wrist as she thought about Sharifa. The Arabic woman had no right to be protective in that sense. She wasn't in a monogamous relationship with the younger woman. Yes, she liked and trusted her more than the average coven-member, but she still had no right.

"I doubt she would have the heart to kill you."

She grinned up at him. "Yes, the mansion is definitely different when seen from the standpoint of a human. Though the aerial view is quite beautiful."

Her head tilted to the side and she tutted quietly. "I hate it when people name mortals immortal. It annoys me when incorrect terminology is used..."

Her eyes slid up to him. "What is a normal lifespan? Human lifespans? Lycan? Vampire? Troll? Each different race has its own idea of what a normal lifespan is."

Altair noted a change in Gia and smirked

i think in a more loyal sense. she knows that you have many lovers. granted, she's a tad jealous, but still. she is a complicated woman that even I can't understand very well. i think it's more to do she doesn't want you hurt. i hurt many that i touch in that way. and as for killing me, no....but hurt greatly, yes *chuckles*.

he glanced up at the mansion. it was very beautiful, he'd seen it from many angles now.

i understand your irritation, but it's something just has just stuck. as for the normal life span. average the life span of each species, then average those, and then divide by the amount of species, and you've got your normal life span. according the Allah and the others, it's roughly around 100. give or take. they don't really care for accuracy it appears.

"Currently I only have two lovers and whatever human I bring to my bed to feed from." She gave a shrug then looked up at him with an arched brow. "Jealous?" She never really understood jealousy over relationships. She had had a polygamous outlook on relationships all her life.

A small smirk played on her lips. "Men don't have a chance in Hell of understanding women. Women as a whole are rather unpredictable and odd creatures."

Her smirk widened. "Hurt. Like it rough, huh~?"

The succubus' head shook in irritation. "I'll never get it. If it dies, its mortal. If its mortal its not immortal. Fairly easy to understand," she ranted.

"One hundred? Man, I've done that forty five times over. Way to make a girl feel old, Altair." She ruffled her hair with her free hand and grinned up at him.

he grinned

the day i understand females is the day i become enlightened and higher than Allah himself as he doesn't understand the Female gender either. *grins* yes, you females confuse the gods themselves. and as for liking it rough....well...you could say that, but being what i am, i start tearing energies about without thinking, and i often tear all the energy out from person i'm with. more often than not, i kill them. that and my own energies overbear the other and often burn them. so if i don't kill them by ripping their energies away, i kill them by burning them with my own. not a pretty sight if i'm honest......

he looked to the side for a moment before looking back

and my apologies for making you feel old.....but i must say, it does make me feel very old as well

he chuckled lightly.

idly, he looked down at Gia's wrist and saw the trinket there, and his eyes widened just a tiny bit. why did Gia have that? if Sharifa gave that to her.....then it must mean something bad was going to happen.

he lifted Gia's wrist up to his eyes, looking at the trinket before dropping it and looking to the side, sighing heavily...he hated Sharifa's gut instincts sometimes as they're often right. and with the addition of what happened in that meeting.....

word of warning.....be very careful from this point on. things aren't going to be very smooth.

She laughed heartily. "Even the gods? My, us females are an odd breed."

The woman gave a soft wince. "Ooh, sounds unpleasant. So much time without sex..." Yes, tearing peoples energies out sounded painful and overall unpleasant but Giacinto was a succubus - a vampire most known for its dealings with blood and sex. She was ruled by sex. The thought of a life without sex was physically painful for her.

She chuckled quietly. "Yes, I guess it would. Its nice to know I can call you an old man and know that you actually are older than me. It doesnt happen too often. I'm supposedly one of the oldest vampires alive at the moment. Whether I actually am or the other Elders are just hiding, I dont know..." She shrugged lightly.

She cocked her head to the side curiously as he looked over the bracelet Sharifa had given her. "...You seem shocked that I have this. Why?" She felt a little wary.

At his warning she snorted darkly. "I know. Fighting for Ignicio's life while trying to keep god knows how many werewolves from attacking my vampires..." She sighed and shook her head. "Its going to be a handful. Even for me."

yes, i'm shocked you have this.....that Bracelet was her Mother's. its a tradition. you give the bracelet to either the next in line, or your coven leader should you fear for them. in other words, i think Sharifa is anticipating a full on war. not just a simple brawl with a fair few Lycans......we're talking species on species war. i'm hoping it won't come to this....or things are going to get very very messy and complicated...*looks at Gia* keep that bracelet close. it will keep you alive. it's how past coven leaders of the Ibn'La-Ahads have survived. you and her live through this, she will probably ask for it back, so she is able to pass it on in her own coven when she can return home

Altair's face and tone were grim...he hadn't anticipated war. so many Fledglings and Hatchings. this was going to be very brutal as he suspected, that if Sharifa's instincts were as accurate as usual, this war will be spurned on by rage and revenge.

Her lips twisted upwards bitterly. "War. For fuck sake... If I knew leaving him would have spurned a war, I would have just continued," she sighed under her breath, free hand coming up to touch her throat softly.

The hand on her throat curled into a fist and pressed against her collarbones as she stared ahead, shoulders slumped. "I dont want to see another war..." Her eyes showed the suffering and torment that only forty five hundred years of war could give you.

She hated the mindless bloodshed and death. Yes, she killed but rarely without a reason. A good reason.

And a whole war just because she had left her mate because she had nearly killed him then found another mate six hundred years down the line? That wasn't a good enough reason to start a war.

Tears filled her eyes and she hugged herself tightly as if to protect herself from the memories of war. They scared her.

And in this moment, fighting the urge to cry in fear and hugging herself like a lost child, she had never looked so young.

Altair was shocked at the display from Gia.

this was a suprise.

he sighed silently, bones cracking again as a pair of wings then protruded from his back as he moved and hugged Gia close, wrapping his wings around them. he was warmer than normal, from his energies running through him, and hoped he could offer some comfort.

war is never pleasent. i've watched over every one of them. however....with every war, there is peace, or at least a calm at the end. *he looked down at Gia* however.....i define war as a fight with a true cause. this, this would be just a petty brawl with more than two people. it's going to be bloody horrible, but also remember you have you coven standing at your sides and ready and willing to fight for you. you took them in when they needed a place to be, to stay and live. not many do that, and it inspires a great loyalty to you. you're the coven leader, so they will follow you unflinchingly. *chuckles* and hopefully, by then, Sharifa will have become a fully fledged Healer and Guardian, so she will probably be running around and healing every one, giving them a better chance of fighting...her trained is nearly complete.....lets just hope it's soon.

Her shoulders shook lightly with the suppressed tears.

She rubbed at her eyes as if that would stop the tears from welling. "I wont be doing this often. Not even Nicio has seen me cry before." She leaned against his warm chest, pressing her cheek against it. "I hate crying..."

"But at what cost will the calm come at? The death of my coven members? The death of my mate? The death of Lycan that I was friends with once upon a time? Much too high a cost."

"I dont want to fight with Aleksandr. But I dont want to give up Nicio, either..."

She hugged him tightly as the tears began to roll down her cheeks. "I dont know what to do!"

he sighed again, chirruping soothingly

m'dear.....if you receiving that bracelet is anything, it means this is inevitable...not going to be avoided....and we can only plan for the moment as war is unpredictable. *smiles a bit* however, am i, or am i not, a very ancient Spirit Guide and Guardian? i many not be able to stop war....but i can definitely aid...and help find more peaceful solutions in some of the conflict....i think we will be able to minimize fatalities. but there are still going to be casualties.

he, however, had decided to hold back a few things that the coven leader didn't need to know just then

"I hate war..." It wasn't said angrily. It was a soft defeated sigh. Was was inevitable...

"I know Aleksandr. He won't stop until Ignicio is dead and I'm his mate or he is dead." She flinched a the thought of either of the men she loved dying, hugging Altair tighter.

"Coilean - even at nearly two thousand - is still fairly young compared to some Lycan that Aleksandr has. If he sends those into battle, the casualties and fatalities will be on our side."

Her hands tightened into fists. "I should just give myself up to him and send Ignicio into hiding. That would stop the war..." She was grasping desperately onto straws now.

at those words, Sharifa's personality shone through Altiar....much to his irritation

bollocks to that m'dear. giving up is worse than loosing. can't imagine that it'd look good on just giving up. you underestimate your coven as well. they Lycan's are powerful, and work as a pack, but we have a few tricks up our sleeves. we're not weak, and i'm pretty sure that a lot of the coven members here are hardened by their pasts. you have skilled warriors here, two of them who's entire life revolves around bloodshed and fighting. others have also seen much in their pasts and fought their fair share as well. the coven members are young, but they're not inexperienced.....probably more experienced than many vampires alive today as many live comfortable lives in mansions and hiring people like those in your coven to fight for them.

Altair, like Sharifa and probably others, aren't fond of the idea of giving up, and the coven members would rage and fight any way because of their coven leader being taken as they would see it, by the Lycans.....it would only worse then situation

"I dont underestimate them! I know exactly how well those Lycan fight. If even two of those Lycan were pitted against me at the same time, I'd be dead within the hour." Those Lycan were scary fighters. And they were skilled. Nearly as skilled as her.

"And I dont think anyone in this coven can fight as well as me bar perhaps you, Altair. I'm trying to find a way for us all to survive. And this is the only way I can think of."

She looked down with a heavy sigh. "I dont want to leave, and I dont want to be split from you all. But I dont want a war even more than that."

She pulled back away from the bird-turned-human and turned to look up at the mansion. "When I go, I'd like you and Sharifa to lead the coven. Become the Elders in our stead."