As the Lady settled with her liquid sustenance, she couldn't help but smile. It seemed someone appreciated her cooking- she could tell, by how fast it disappeared. That's what it was for, so she minded not. When Jervis asked about her, Vendetta looked up. Could he... pick up on thoughts? Read her mind? Maybe. Silence was rude, however, so she composed a reply.
"To the first, I had to learn- traditional gender roles, women were domestic slaves, and all that. I got decent at those sorts of things, even though I have let the skill fade with recent years. As time kept moving, I moved with it."
The moment they both finished, she'd taken the dishes, swiftly cleaning. The word 'slave' made something click in Jervis' mind. Vendetta's speech, movements... aversion of her gaze, stiffness, the formalities- it reminded him again of those horribly abused and broken beyond repair... Even worse than his Alices. Disturbingly so.
Jervis had a great many secrets up his sleeve- beyond his impracticality, he made great strides to adjustments, much like what he had done with his beloved Cheshire. Vendetta had explained easily, the sexism long-ingrained. "-I'm sorry to have put you in a similar predicament..." he uttered, clapping the cover back on a pewter timepiece drawn out, before tucking it away "-I don't expect that from you, especially not while you are my honoured guest."
"Predicaments come from lack of desire. I simply consider this caring for you." Upon her return, she smiled softly- but chose to pace gently instead. "Regarding the tale of my vampyrism, well... that story is unbelievable." Pausing, Vendetta hesitated. Her story- her real story- was truly spectacular, wild and unbelievable. But Jervis, even if he did not understand, would much appreciate a good tale.
"Youll see through any deceit I could offer, so... As you come from Wonderland, I too hail from a very different place. A very dark, faraway land called the Shadowfell. I'm a hybrid of strange and fantastic races- but it's much easier to say I'm a vampyre. Lived in a nice enough city with my family- my sisters, my 'brother' and our father. Where they are and why I left, well, that's for later. Suffice it to say, that tale lends itself a great deal to being who I am."
Here, Vendetta's voice dropped, softened. Jervis could feel a chill in the air... "In the aftermath of that, I travelled to a city called Gloomwrought, for trade and to find work. In the Shadowfell, the land is ever-shifting... Even natives like myself can get lost- which I did. Trying to find my way proved impossible... I settled in a clearing, made camp until daybreak- in the clutches of lycanthropes..." Vendetta couldn't help but pause in thought at that- but she did quickly move on.
When her voice suddenly changed in tone, the story taking on perhaps a darker turn... he eased further forward into his chair, intrigued further. '...I settled in a clearing, made camp until daybreak- but found myself in the clutches of lycanthropes.' Jervis' eyes widened, offering a comment or two offhandedly between "-Goodness, Werewolves!? That must have been quite frightful" His brow furrowed, as Vendetta laughed, amused- werewolves were the least of her worries.
"I'd have been writ, were I not rescued by a woman somewhat like myself. The landscape of my life changed again, finding a group on their way out... With their guidance, I returned home. Remained for centuries more, granted the blessings of the Raven Queen- I believe you call Her the Angel Of Death here. Went on many an adventure- as adventurers are want to do. Learned many skills, and secrets."
While she continued, touching on her life before she had been turned, Jervis quietly listened to every word, syllable and sentence with interest. He himself had never really met a being like the Lady, individual... similar to her kin.
Listening further, it wouldn't have been long before the story ended for the moment "-That is quite the story... I have to say my life is nothing quite so exciting..." He declared with a small smile. Dimensional travel and lycanthropes, who knew such things were real? Vendetta left more questions than answers- Shadowfell? Adventure? Who were her siblings, and where were they? What happened between the time she left and recently? All questions needing answers, however... His thoughts were interrupted by the sudden arrival of a limousine. Vendetta moved to the door. "That would be for me- or us. This is your chance to learn more- we can run your errands, before heading out of the city."
It was true he had a sea of questions, but assumed those would be better explained another time, especially when her next remark came. I'm surprised, given the heavy snow outside...
Despite his unruly, rather eccentric and sometimes unpredictable nature, Jervis was actually very neat and attentive to detail. His personal mantra, 'Everything has a place, and everything in it's place' or something like that... he couldn't quite recall how it went, and before long he had gathered all he needed.
"-Coming!" he echoed, hurrying after her towards the door "-This won't take long, I promise..." Cheshire, lurking by the door, finally turned and padded towards a comfy niche in the far corner of the room, dropping down. Shutting the door after her, and locking it, he followed the Lady out... allowing her into the Limo first, even getting the door [if the driver wasn't already there- oddly, he wasn't] then following after inside.
Vendetta slipped in, settling in nicely. Like its exterior, the interior reflected a dark elegance, leather and metal. Once they had gotten on their way, Vendetta smiled gently. Jervis could somewhat read her thoughts. Interesting. Her mind sloshed over the missing years... She recalled, in disturbing clarity, the night she left, the events preceding. Vendetta let images of the missing centuries flicker in her mind, and presently her gaze fixed upon her companion.
"I need to continue, I suppose- even if it is an unbelievable tale?"
"-Oh, please do." Her smile told him she acknowledged him. Then her gaze fell once more, as she pulled out a drink, and passed him a bottle of water. "I've never been more riveted, or heard of such things or locations in my life."
"Fair enough. One day, I will tell the rest of the story; but for now..." Vendetta took a long drought of her drink- more blood, judging by the metallic smell in the air. Somehow,
on an adventure that should have killed us, I ended up here. Ended up
taken in by a couple. Made a life in this world, and thrived... From my
first here, I've lived in the home I'll be travelling to. Over my centuries, I've seen many things. Had many experiences. Things nobody would or could believe- so I don't share... This is the most I've spoken of anything in decades."
"-Once again, quite the story. I'm sorry for your family, and having
been a slave... That must have been terrible for you, I wouldn't know...
I'm an only child, and the only slave-like position I've ever been in
was in was when I was institutionalized." He
proclaimed with indifference, while watching her take a sip from her
salty beverage, making him thirstier, making him take another sip.
While they tended to errands he received them, distant memories that seemed familiar- though not his own. While they were fuzzy, not terribly discernible, he could understand- as if he had been there. When she offered him the bottle of water, he'd take it and instantly screwed the top off, taking a much needed sip as if she had been the one to read his mind, his eyes and attention now on her. All the while as they travelled, taking care of his errands, he was listening to her story lay out- quite the grave tale indeed, sheepishly making his own life seem less tumultuous.
"-I for one am pleased that you decided to break your social celibacy with me." A slight play of humour touched his tone of voice. Lowering his gaze slightly towards the black carpeted flooring beneath his feet, he finally spoke up.
"-It's been some time since I've had company, I'm beginning to wonder what compelled me to imagine that loneliness was a better way?"
Such a strange and wonderful thought really… companionship…