[Mousen]

Elias' face remained impassive as the two vampires outside spoke, though he rolled his eyes at the notion that the Brodnaxes would sleep with anything. He silently shifted his weight, trying to allow Erasmus as much space as he could in such cramped quarters.

"They've always been more..."

"Primitive?"

"I was going to say animalistic. Even the father wasn't exactly sophisticated."

"The son is a thousand times worse. And to think, we had high hopes."

"High hopes? Really? He tore out his father's heart and ate it like a dog. They're disgusting."

Elias had closed his eyes now. He was very still, more like a statue of a man than the real thing.

"That's been their way, you know. Their tradition."

"Their tradition!? Patricide is one thing, goodness knows it happens, but really."

"And yet, my lady, the Brodnaxes have friends in high places."

"You mean the Chapmans, Titus and Augustine? And the Alcmaeonidae?"

Elias could hear Friedrich pacing back and forth. He opened one of his eyes to look across at Erasmus, although his expression was hardly illuminating. They couldn't communicate like this. Elias could only hope that they wouldn't need to, and both vampires would get bored of their gossiping. It was lovely to hear that things were going to plan, and indeed, both vampires had underestimated him significantly, but it was rather starting to drag on.

He found himself slipping as the conversation continued and he straightened up. The wardrobe audibly creaked. Both vampires stopped talking immediately and Elias could imagine two sets of eyes snapping towards the wardrobe. He made his decision quickly.

"Sorry," he mouthed at Erasmus, as he pulled his cravat off and mussed up his hair, the ribbon half falling undone. He looped the cravat behind Erasmus' head and pulled him forward into a messy and seemingly passionate embrace.

The wardrobe doors swung open. Elias pretended for a moment to be too wrapped up to notice, then pulled away as if shocked, quickly trying to smooth down the front of his waistcoat. "My sincerest apologies. I didn't think anyone was up here." The grin starting to creep into his featured suggested that he was more amused than mortified at his own discretion.

[crow]

Annoyance was not a word that Erasmus generally associated with his feelings towards his masters--- a great many choice words sometimes came to mind, yes, but not this--- nor, in fact, with his own feelings at all. And yet, he found himself pricked with the beginnings of irritation to see Elias making room for him in turn. There was no point if the both of them did it; now there was only wasted space. He attempted to convey this through a slight motion of his head, but by then Elias's attention was firmly elsewhere.

Very well, he supposed. They would both be uncomfortable then. So be it.

Meanwhile, the gossip happening outside had taken a circuitous turn, and Erasmus was quickly losing interest. The idea of Elias tearing a still-beating heart from his father--- or perhaps his sire--- presented some food for thought, but even then... Perhaps it was his earlier irritation that had made him impatient. Erasmus had stood for countless parties before, serving as little more than a decoration, but on this occasion he found himself wishing that the conversation would draw to a close sooner rather than later.

He tried to remind himself that this was an opportunity to gather information, but the sentiment felt hollow this time around.

He would pay for that distraction.

He felt Elias slip, felt his own hands move to catch him--- too late. He allowed himself only an instant to curse his own carelessness before following Elias's lead once again, running a hand through his own hair and tearing out the first two buttons on his shirt with one quick, methodical movement. Pliantly, he fell forward, so that there was at least the appearance of his weight resting against Elias's body, though in reality most of it was still held up by his own limbs. It was not a comfortable facade to keep up, but that was of little consequence. A reminder to himself to stay focused, if anything.

When the doors opened, he greeted their audience with a sly, debauched smile.

"Can we help you," he said. "Or maybe you could help us? There really isn't anywhere to be alone in this house." He let his gaze rest upon them for a moment, as though considering them both, while internally he made some quick calculations against the scorn he'd heard in their voice moments before. Incrementally, his brows arched upward.

"Unless you'd like to watch...? I must admit, the idea of an audience does hold its own charms... My master permitting, of course."

[Mousen]

Elias couldn't help but smile at the speed at which Erasmus picked up the deception, even as Erasmus kissed him back, barely leaning into him but tangling his fingers into the fabric of Elias' shirt. He was further impressed by the way Erasmus held himself, still leaning into him as he spoke, as though he'd quite happily continue at a moments notice. Honestly, had Elias not known what Erasmus was truly like, he'd have believed it. Although, who could even tell who Erasmus was, under all those years of service?

Elias laughed, pretending to be charmed by his fiance as he spoke. If he'd known Erasmus could improvise to well, he'd have been far less stressed about this entire thing.

Lady Illescu was the first to come to reality, although whether her shock had been at finding Elias there, or at his activities was another matter altogether. She attempted to take the affront in good humour, covering her mouth with one of her pale, slender hands. "Really now, Elias! I know you're newly engaged, but can't you keep him under control?"

Friedrich's eyes flashed, and he looked from Elias to Erasmus and back again. "This is a meeting, not an orgy. If you could remember such trifling facts, Lord Brodnax, it would be appreciated."

Elias took a moment to untangle himself from Erasmus. "My apologies, we got rather carried away." he looked to the door, curling a strand of black hair behind his ear. "Are we starting soon?" when Friedrich nodded, he sighed. "Pity. If you could give us a moment? we'll follow you down."

The two vampires inclined their heads and left. Elias waited until he heard their footsteps on the stairs before turning back to Erasmus. He exhaled, relieved despite himself. "That was excellent, but I'm not your master, Erasmus."

[crow]

At the woman's comment, Erasmus's smile widened. "Oh, he has me under quite the tight leash, I assure you," he said. He feigned a sigh of disappointment as Elias extricated himself, straightening only slowly, busying himself with picking at the torn buttons on his shirt as the other vampires spoke.

His fingers stilled at Elias's words, when the rest were gone.

It had been a slip of the tongue. He'd had to fight himself not to freeze at the mistake. He wasn't used to doing anything like this, he hadn't meant--- but no, there was a good chance the others might take it merely as play. Elias had been in the process of collaring him, after all. It was obvious from the comments thrown their way that the others saw Erasmus more or less as Erasmus saw himself: obviously still a servant, whatever Elias's pretenses.

Which made Elias's own words that much more ludicrous.

Erasmus dusted himself off, straightening as he schooled his features back into impassiveness. "Of course you are," he said evenly. "Mine, and my sister's. For now."

It was not a wise thing to say to the man who currently held his leash, but he felt in that moment that he needed to remind them both. His blood was still up, the deception too much like a confrontation and yet also not enough. His fingers twitched, and he had to resist the urge to bite the inside of his own mouth until it bled.

[Mousen]

Elias righted himself, dragging a hand through his hair to try and neaten it out. The heavy dark curls had been the signature of both himself and Marguerite for years, until she'd finally cut it short. He tied it back, hoping it at least looked somewhat presentable.

He watched Erasmus' expression shift, like clouds passing briefly over the sun before his face returned to its usual evenness. "I am master of the house, certainly. I have certain rules and certain things I would expect you to assist me with, but, in time, I hope you and your sister can carve out a life, some kind of happiness." He'd always been too sympathetic. It was what his father said of him. He'd tried to harden him, pull away those he held dear. He made Marguerite's life a misery. And yet, when the dust had cleared who had won, that day in the grounds? "There's no need to make this harder on yourself, Erasmus. As my great grandmother is fond of saying: chin up, lad." The clipped tones of his accent shifted to something a little broader as he mimicked her.

Elias was clearly in a good mood about the whole thing, whatever Erasmus' feelings. He stopped in front of him a moment, and rather than retrieving his cravat, adjusted it so it lay even on Erasmus' neck. At least it covered the ripped buttons.  "Shall we?"

[crow]

Erasmus was silent as Elias spoke, his eyes fixed firmly elsewhere. A life of happiness, Elias said. It was true; he had come here seeking asylum on the slim hope that they might be able to find a better situation than the ones they'd endured these long centuries. And yet, why did Elias's words feel so much like mockery?

It had not occurred to him that he might not know how to live like a free man anymore.

Erasmus smiled at Elias, because it was what Elias seemed to want. He had learned, at least, the pretense of good spirits to match the moods of his more mercurial owners. The smile faltered slightly in confusion as Elias reached for him, realizing only belatedly what Elias had intended.

Erasmus held very still as Elias rearranged the cravat, as Elias's fingers grazed the skin of his throat--- grazed it, and only that. Erasmus kept his eyes averted. Only when Elias was done did Erasmus allow himself even the minutest of movements. He smiled again, this time without the hard pit of impotent anger burning in his gut. The feeling had deserted him, leaving something cold and heavy in its place.

"After you," he said, inclining his head.

The discussion that followed was, if anything, several orders of magnitude more boring than the idle gossip of petty vampire lords. Erasmus discovered this within the first ten minutes. Unfortunately, the meeting far outlasted this discovery, which only served to drive the point home with the delicacy and finesse of a sledgehammer.

The topic at hand was the succession of the court his former master had ruled, or perhaps how the still-presiding masters might fill the void left in his wake, but if they expected Erasmus to contribute, they were sadly disappointed. Erasmus had no interest in such games of power, beyond the necessary knowledge of how they might unavoidably alter his and Eleanor's circumstances, and presently there seemed to be little risk of that, at least.

Beyond that, he had no stake in it, nor much in the way of useful information. There was no groomed successor; Rafe had been much too paranoid for that. Nor could his murderer be relied upon, as was the tradition in many courts, for the vampire in question had disappeared in the ensuing chaos.

When it became clear that he was not going to play along, Erasmus was forgotten entirely, except when a glance in his direction might serve to better punctuate some sly insult aimed at Elias. Erasmus found himself, once again, in the position of an ornament, and not even a very good one at that.

On a different night, he might not have protested this, but on this occasion it left too much room for his thoughts to wander. Despite his best efforts, they drifted back to his conversation with Elias in the guest room.

'Even I get tired of putting on a face.' Those were Elias's words. If they were true, Erasmus thought, then Elias was certainly exhausting himself tonight. Erasmus watched him sidelong, his gaze drifting over Elias's features, the shape of his mouth as he spoke.

'I still don't think you quite realise how valuable you and your sister are as Brodnaxes,' he'd said... 'In time, I hope you and your sister can carve out a life, some kind of happiness.'

Erasmus tried for a moment to imagine the kind of life Elias was trying to offer them--- his sister well and laughing with friends; his sister, at peace and surrounded by family. His sister, smiling perhaps, pretending to be charmed by Elias's latest bit of theatricality. And himself...

No, here was the place where it came undone. He could not imagine himself.

What did he want?

Unaccountably, a memory from the closet filled his mind: Elias's hands on him, the press of their bodies against one another, the slide of mouths and teeth and tongues--- how he could feel Elias's smile against his lips. The debauched, besotted expression that had lingered on his face for the split second before he had feigned his surprise at being discovered.

No.

Erasmus closed his eyes, tipping his head back so that it rested against the back of the chair. It had been a long night. Would that he could make it pass any faster.

[Mousen]

Talk like this was enough to make Elias long for the "dead" part of undead. Still, he smiled, left his glass entirely untouched, and managed the conversation as well as he could.

"Surely, Lord Elias, you're not proposing to take on all of Rafe's responsibilities?" Friedrich leaned across the table, faux concern in his voice. It had been going on like this for the best part of two hours. Elias would make an offer of responsibility, the old guard would counter on some trifling concern, Elias would spin it into a joke, and either the conversation would move on, or someone would choose to dig their claws in.

He closed his eyes, just for a moment, willing that Brigantia would take mercy on him and allow this ridiculousness to come to an end. "I am, yes. Is that a problem?"

"Only, Lord Elias, if you'll forgive me," Here it comes, he thought blithely.

"I rather think Elias would be suited to such a role, after all, the Brodnaxes are by far the oldest family of Jawan, one of the oldest in Evelon if the legends are true." Titus spoke from the head of the table. Elias looked up to meet his gaze, thankful and surprised all at once.

"we don't put stock in legends, Mr. Chapman, not in this day and age." Friedrich said, smiling.

Titus' expression remained even. "Some families, Lord Koskinen, are blessed with such history so all that remains of their earliest endeavours is legend. You're in trade, correct?"

The vampire's smile could have soured milk. He inclined his head politely. "Indeed. Perhaps, then, Lord Elias, you would host our next meeting where we can clarify your position on the council?"

Instinctively Elias' hand tighened around the arm of Erasmus' chair. His face didn't show his panic, but beneath the table, his white knuckles did. "This time of year? we're preparing for our autumnal sacrifice for the goddess. It would hardly be proper."

"Excuse me?"

"Our history grants us certain... eccentricities, Lord Koskinen. we benefit from a close relationship with the old gods."

"I'll host," Lady Black piped up. Everyone turned their heads to look at her. She was running a hand along the rim of her glass, her nails making the glass ring. Almost every vampire in the room met eyes with another one, all politics thrown to the side and temporarily engaged in a silent game of can't you tell her no I brought it up last time, but-- It was too late. "Its been so long since we've had a ball. Venetian, perhaps? Oh, I could hire magicians..."

The meeting did not last much longer after that. Elias said his goodbyes quickly, no longer having the energy to even deal with Titus' well wishes.

The roads were entirely quiet at this time of night, and Elias had no reason to properly obey things like the speed limit. He wasn't an incautious driver, but they reached the estate rather quickly. Elias didn't speak on the drive back, presumably he was as happy as Erasmus was to have a moment of peace.

Brennus opened the door to the estate for them, and lead them into the drawing room. "Sir, let me fetch you a glass of something."

"Brennus, please. Don't fuss."

"Sir, when--?"

"Human, then." Elias sighed and waved a hand, and the butler vanished from the room.

He looked towards Erasmus, his playful grin weary behind the eyes. "That wasn't bad at all." Everything had just about gone to plan, even if he'd antagonised Koskinen a deal more than usual. "Thank you," he meant it, too. "I know you had to do more method acting than I'd counted on, so I appreciate you following my lead." His mind flashed briefly to Erasmus half falling onto him, a hand tangled through his hair, lips pressed to his-- No matter.

"It's not long until sunrise. Is there anything you wanted to discuss with me before we retire?"