Partial Immersion [Alaric]

[Leonie von der Marck]

The Lioness could not help but feel apprehensive about the very idea of taking the Patriarch out and about off the grounds, not so soon after his rising. She had easily taken note of how he reacted to anything with electricity or capable of WiFi or Bluetooth. It wasn’t hard to see how aware he was of every sound, every cluttering noise that she, a mere mortal, could not so much as detect. For him, though, it had to be a horrible din.

She pursed her lips slightly, looking him briefly up and down. It took all of a minute to think it over, before she finally spoke again. ”Wenn Sie die Gründe und wagen in die Stadt verlassen wollen, in erster Linie, werden Sie die Kleidung zu wechseln müssen.” That would be first and foremost, she thought. Whatever he wore around the grounds was adequate because clothing was the least of at least her own worries, but Leonie for one was more concerned with drawing as little attention as possible. Track pants plus button down shirt would only draw the negative sort and for the Lioness, blending was tantamount to their safety.

“Ich habe eine Idee, aber es wird laut sein. Sehr laut. Wenn es zu viel ist, werden wir zurückdrehen , zu jeder Zeit.” She stood then, only remembering to take the bag of blood packs with her as an afterthought, to be deposited in the fridge. ”Sie sollten ein Paar Hosen wie diese haben.” She gestured down to her own jeans. "Keine Sorge, das Ihre für Männer gemacht. Das Shirt ist in Ordnung. Sie sollten Schuhe im Schrank haben. Braunes Leder. Auf diese Weise wird mischen Sie, und niemand wird uns stören,” Leonie added with a soft grin. Never in a million years did she think she would be doling out fashion advice to a centuries-old vampire, but there they were.

Her thoughts drifted to where she had in mind, a place within short enough walking distance, or a shorter car ride if he was alright with that. It certainly wasn’t a huge draw, but for him and their purpose, she hoped it was something he could experience and even enjoy without having to absorb the chaos and sheer level of noise in the City itself. ”Es gibt sehr kleinen Teil am Rande der Stadt, aber immer noch ein Teil davon, wo die Menschen meist deutsche noch sprechen. Das Know Englisch oder Französisch, als auch, aber sie halten, um ihre alte Sprache, auch. Wenn das angenehm klingt, können Sie mich durch die Küchentür zu ändern und treffen Sie, wenn Sie bereit sind.”

Translation:

If you want to leave the grounds and venture into the city, first and foremost, you will have to change clothes.
I have an idea, but it will be noisy. Very loud. If it is too much, we will turn back, at any time you want.
Do not worry, yours are made for men. The shirt is fine. You should have shoes in the closet. Brown leather. This way, you will blend and no one will bother us.
There is very small part on the outskirts of the City, but still part of it, where people mostly speak German still. The know English, or French, as well, but they keep to their old language, too. If that sounds agreeable, you can change and meet me by the kitchen door when you are ready.

[Alaric von der Marck]

Alaric, too, stood. A glance was spared for his own body and the attire that adorned it. Apparently it wasn’t good enough – but he hadn’t really put much thought into it. The clothing was too confusing and, according to Alaric, there was far too little of it. Especially if they were going out to be social – he had searched the cupboards and hadn’t found the vests and jackets he was so accustomed to wearing, nor the socks or the shoes, or the top hats. There were jackets, yes, but they were short.

They were not his clothing, he knew. And he could only assume everything in his closet once belonged to someone else. It had not been long enough – surely they had not had time to have someone make everything for him. And how had they measured him? They had not, so how could the clothing be new?

“Eines nachts, wirst du mich finden, einen Schneider. Ich möchte nicht die Kleider von jemand anderes Rücken zu nehmen. Ich werde einige für mich gemacht haben,” he said, certain that he had assumed correctly. He could not know, of course, how the world of clothing had progressed. He certainly did not know about malls, nor the fact one could walk into one and buy clothing off a rack.

And truly, when he did make it back to his room and the closet that held the clothes that had been kept for him, he found them all to be very plain. It took longer than Leonie probably expected of him to get changed; he could not decide what was right and what wasn’t. There were no patterns, the colours were all plain. She had gestured to her own pants as if he should wear the same, but the notion seemed… off. Men and women wearing the same things? It was enough to get used to women in pants…

It was then that Alaric opened a black bag tucked into the back of the closet. Inside, all neatly arranged, was a suit. The vest was embroidered, and though it looked like moths had got to the edges of the bow tie, it was still serviceable. He did not know where the suit had come from, but as he changed into it he realised it was fate. It was meant to be. Whoever had left it behind was the same fit as Alaric, or close enough. It went entirely against Leonie’s instructions, but this was the most right Alaric had felt since his return. This felt normal.

When he returned to Leonie twenty minutes later, the suit was secured perfectly. There was a grin on Alaric’s face, like the cat who’d ate all the cream. He was not useless in this modern world. There were things he could still achieve – and if there was one thing that Alaric von der Marck liked to achieve, it was dressing well.

“Wir gehen an der Stelle, die Sie vorschlagen. Ich bin neugierig,” he said. Clearly, he was now ready to go, and was already heading for the door.

TRANSLATION: * One night, you will find me a tailor. I do not wish to take the clothes off someone else’s back. I will have some made for me.

** We will go to the place that you suggest. I am curious.

[Leonie von der Marck]

Aha. Right.

Leonie needed to keep in mind that it was just as much a learning curve for them as it was for Alaric. It hadn’t even occurred to her he would wonder where his clothes had come from, and yet, there they were. She cleared her throat slightly before nodding, though not without explanation, still grateful her father and grandfather had taught her the German their family spoke. It wasn’t quite archaic, but nor was it completely modern, and Leonie suspected, often these days, that were it not for the unique blend, they would not understand one another at all.

“Wir können sicher einen persönlichen Schneider finden, Alaric. Aber in diesen Tagen gibt es keine Notwendigkeit von einem mehr, es sei denn, Sie brauchen etwas nach Maß oder besser ausgestattet. Es gibt Geschäfte, die jetzt kaufen, Kleidung inklusive, die vorgefertigt sind. Sie nehmen nichts von niemandem. Alles in Ihrem Schrank und Schubladen ist ganz neu.”

As they parted ways, Leonie went to put the blood packs away and then to send out a couple of texts so the others would know where they were going and what she had in mind. And, once done and as she idled, she twirled the set of keys around on her fingers until the Patriarch had eventually made his way back down the stairs.

Her brows shot up but she didn’t say anything; the well-made clothing suited him but it was far too formal for a night wandering the town. But he looked so pleased with himself, she couldn’t tell him that. And so, with a slow grin, the von der Marck heiress simply shook her head and decided to deliver a classic Leonie statement:

“Nun, ich fühle mich jetzt nicht unterlegt. Soll ich mich auch ändern?”

-- “We can certainly find you a personal tailor, Alaric. But these days, there is no need of one anymore unless you need something custom made or fitted better. There are stores to buy things now, clothes included, that are pre-made. You aren't taking anything from anyone. Everything in your closet and drawers is brand new.”

--- “Well don’t I feel underdressed now. Should I change, as well?”

[Alaric von der Marck]

Alaric was comfortable in his new suit. Whether or not it was new or not, in reality, it was new to him. This world was alien to him, and finding that one thing that made him feel grounded was tantamount to his sanity. When Leonie asked her question he was forced to blink, to take in her attire; from head to toe and back again, he was for a moment dumbfounded. As comfortable as he may feel in his suit, he knew that he was not qualified to answer Leonie’s question.

“Verzeih mir, aber du bist wie ein Mann gekleidet,” he said. He shook his head, whatever confident grounding he had found beginning to slip. “Meine erste Antwort auf Ihre Frage lautet: Ja,” he said. To Alaric, what Leonie wore was not appropriate for social settings, for stepping out in public. But she had just come from the outside world, had she not? She looked comfortable in her clothes, like they were a second skin. Again, he was forced to shake his head.

“Aber gibt es vieles, was an dieser Welt anders ist, und ich kann Ihnen nicht sagen, ob Sie oder nicht ändern sollte. Dies,” he said, gesturing to his own outfit. “Ist normal für mich. Ist es zuviel?” he asked. Given Leonie’s response, he already had his answer. She felt underdressed, which could only mean that he was overdressed.

He might have suggested that they go to these shops that Leonie had spoken of, but given how many clothes that Alaric had already – the ones she had informed him were new, and which were not taken off someone else’s back – it was probably overkill. Still, with a glance over his shoulder and back to Leonie, he offered a slow shrug of his shoulders.

“Wenn ich meine eigene Kleidung wählen kann, spüre ich noch komfortabler,” he said. He needed it. He needed to make his own choices, to find his own feet.

TRANSLATION: * Forgive me, but you are dressed like a man.
** My first answer to your question is yes.

*** But there is much that is different about this world, and I cannot tell you whether you should change or not. This … is normal for me. Is it too much?

**** If I may choose my own clothes, perhaps I will feel more comfortable.

[Leonie von der Marck]

Leonie could not stifle the laugh that bubbled forth, tinkling like a bell in the otherwise silent kitchen. It was a purely joyful sound, but she worried, with a shake of her head, he would think she was laughing at him and so she sought to explain. “Ich nehme an, Sie haben Recht, zumindest aus Ihrer Perspektive. Aber wie Sie wissen und gesagt haben, haben sich viele Dinge verändert. Dies gilt als lässig,” she said, gesturing to her own attire. “Das ist alles, was ich meinte, und im Vergleich dazu bin ich unterlegt. Du siehst ziemlich schüchtern aus, sehr schön, in diesem Anzug. Es ist nichts falsch mit ihm,” she said with a shake of her head. “Ich oft verkleiden sich für Veranstaltungen und soziale Aktivitäten, aber ich fürchte, viel von meiner Garderobe beleidigen kann Ihre Sinne gerade noch. Die Kleidung der Frauen hat sich sehr verändert. Aber. Die Leute denken einfach, dass Sie gerade aus der Oper oder dem Theater kommen.” She smiled, not a trace of anything more than sincerity to be found in her tone. “Wenn du mir zehn Minuten gibst, werde ich mich ändern,” she added with a soft grin, certain she must have something and suddenly quite looking forward to a reason to trot out something fancy.

-------------------

Leonie had yet another reason to be thankful for Melba; the woman somehow always knew just what she might need and had sent more than a few things over, above and beyond the short, vague list she had provided of things to be sent to the Estate. With less than two minutes to spare, the Lioness was pleased with the end result, hair loose and swept to one side with a jeweled comb and glittery, strappy sandals slipped on. The gown would have to do; she couldn’t find more than a thin lacy shawl to cover her shoulders.

With a last look, she grabbed her handbag and headed down the stairs with a smile.

“Dort. Jetzt passen wir zusammen. Dies ist die beste, und am wenigsten aufschlussreich, Kleid habe ich hier. Bereit? Wir werden sehen, wo die Nacht dauert, aber wenn Sie für Ihre eigenen Dinge einkaufen wollen, können wir ein paar Orte finden, ich bin mehr als sicher. Und wenn nichts passt oder appelliert an Sie, kann ein Schneider machen, was Sie wollen.”

Translation:

I suppose you are right, at least from your perspective. But as you know and said, many things have changed. This is considered casual.
That is all I meant, and by comparison, I am underdressed. You look quite dapper, very handsome, in that suit. There is nothing wrong with it
I often dress up for events and social activities, but I fear much of my wardrobe may offend your senses just yet. Women’s attire has changed quite a lot. But. People will simply think you have just come from the Opera or Theater.
If you give me ten minutes, I will change.
There. Now we match. This is the best, and least revealing, gown I’ve got here. Ready? We will see where the night takes us, but if you wish to shop for your own things, we can find a few places, I am more than certain. And if nothing suits or appeals to you, a tailor can make whatever you like.

[Alaric von der Marck]

Leonie left Alaric waiting by the door to ponder what she had said. There was, of course, such a thing as casual and formal from where he was from, but the standards were far higher, or so it would seem. Alaric’s casual would apparently be far too dressed up for modernity’s standards. As complimentary as Leonie had been, glancing down Alaric wondered if she should have gone back to his room and got changed again, rather than expecting Leonie to do it.

This wasn’t about trying to make the world conform to his traditionalist sensibilities – he, instead, had to conform to the world as it was now.

He’d talked himself into changing, only waiting for Leonie to return so that he could tell her that he’d changed his mind, and that she should instead come with him and help him figure out which clothes were casual enough. Except, when Leonie came back in the gown that she had chosen, he could only straighten his shoulders and appreciate the change. The gown itself was modern, but it was modest. More modest than many of the clothes that Leonie normally chose to wear. Any thought of changing again fled from Alaric’s mind. Instead, he grinned and offered and arm as he approached Leonie, as he opened the door with the intention of allowing her to go first. Ladies first, always.

”Ich glaube nicht, würden Sie hören, wenn ich eine Jacke vorgeschlagen,” he said. He was imagining something with fur. Black fur. Wolf’s fur. He thought that it would suit the woman often referred to as the lioness. It wasn’t a huge deal, otherwise he’d have refused to leave the house.

”Vielleicht, wenn Sie kalt, können Sie meine tragen,” he said, suddenly jovial. Who would have thought that clothing could put the elder in such a good mood?

”Wenn wir in einen Laden gehen, werden wir eine Jacke zu finden, die mit Ihrem Kleid gehen,” he said, continuing on the same tangent – but he was still smiling, broad and gleaming. He had once been told that his mouth was too big, that his teeth were terrifying. He was the wolf that swallowed red riding hood. The quip had only made him laugh louder.

Of course he assumed that they would be walking; although he had seen the overlarge machines coming and going through the front windows, it didn’t occur to him that they might use one of them. And so as the door closed behind them, he turned for the path that would lead them to the gate out of the estate.

TRANSLATION: * I do not think you would listen if I suggested a jacket.

** Perhaps if you get cold, you can wear mine.

*** If we go to a shop, we will find a jacket that will go with your dress.

[Leonie von der Marck]

The Lioness smiled back, beyond amused at how pleased the Patriarch seemed at the change in her outfit. The suit made him happy, and that was all she’d needed to know. And as she accepted the offered arm, all she could do was shake her head with a fresh grin when he suggested the jacket. She pulled the flimsy lace shawl from under her arm and shook it out with a rise to her brow.

“Das sollte jetzt gut genug sein,” she said as she released him just long enough to drape it around her shoulders. “Aber ja. Wir gehen in die Stadt, und wenn wir eine Jacke sehen, die Sie mögen, werde ich sie anziehen.” And, she quickly realized, she would do just that, no matter that she saw no need in genereal. It had to be hard, she’d reminded herself often in the days of aftermath, to suddenly be transported over two hundred years and launched into an entirely new normal. If she hadn’t had the family lore and the storytelling, she doubted very much she’d had have even an ounce of empathy for him as she did. That, of course, and the fact that she’d been there, helping to bring such a thing about, though she still couldn’t quite gather how or what she’d actually done.

But it was little matter; there he was, and there they were, about to venture out into the City. So far, he’d proven trustworthy enough that she could be relatively calm about a public venue. Not for anyone else’s safety, but for his own. She assumed they would walk, even though it was a bit of hike, because they had yet to do more than speak of vehicles in even the most abstract of ways. “Wir können gehen, obwohl es weit ist. Wir haben schon über Automobile gesprochen. Obwohl wir nicht in einem sein werden, werden sie laut und hell und schnell und überall sein. Es gibt Bürgersteige auf fast jeder Straße, aber, und wir werden sicher genug sein. Die Stadt wird auch sehr laut sein. Wirst du in Ordnung sein? Wenn Sie überwältigt, nur sagen Sie mir und wir werden nach Hause zurückkehren. In Ordnung?”

Translation: “This should be good enough for now.”

“But yes. We will go into town, and if we see a jacket you like, I will put it on.”

“We can walk, though it is far. We've spoken about automobiles before. Even though we won't be in one, they're going to be loud and bright and fast, and everywhere. There are sidewalks along just about every street, though, and we'll be safe enough. The City is going to be very loud, too. Will you be alright? If you get overwhelmed, just tell me and we will return home. Alright?”

[Alaric von der Marck]

The elder was grateful for Leonie’s concern, but too much of it and he was starting to feel like an invalid. It didn’t matter that it was true. For all intents and purposes he was a man out of his time, and there would be a lot that he did not understand. There would be a lot that would startle him, but he knew that he was a man out of his time; he had come to grips with the fact that he had missed out on two centuries of technological and political progress, and he knew that it would take even more time for his brain to process it all properly.

But he did not believe that he could do so while being coddled.

Alaric understood that Leonie was only looking out for his well-being, and his reaction was a reflection of said understanding. He did not get angry, or upset. There was no annoyance, his appreciation outweighing his sense of discomfort. He was a grown man who had lived for centuries before he had died, and he had done so without the help of others. Help would have eased his way, this he knew, but it was an unfamiliar sensation.

“Warum werden wir nicht in einem?” he asked, glancing back toward the house, which was large and expensive and, surely, was hiding a few of mentioned automobiles somewhere within it, or behind it. Alaric was ready to explore the world, though he settled himself with peering sideways at Leonie. She must have her reasons.

”Ich werde in Ordnung sein. Vielen Dank für Ihr Interesse,” he said with a nod and a smile. Little did Alaric know what the near future held, nor was he aware of how weak his mind had become, and how little chaos he could withstand. For now, however, he was comfortable and proud in his confidence, his pace brisk and determined. The world, as they say, was his oyster. And he wanted nothing more than to claim it back again.

TRANSLATION: * Why will we not be in one?

** I will be okay. Thank you for your concern.