Werewolves and Icecream (closed)

[Elizabeth]

“You know that the library doesn't-WHAAAAAAAA?”! The sound of her thrall's startled voice had the woman glancing up from the frame and canvas that she was stretching over the large frame. “What about the library?” Elizabeth asked as she stapled some of the fabric to the back of the frame. “What the hell is that?” Diederik asked as he stood in the doorway of the penthouse, staring at the large body a few feet away from Elizabeth. She raised a brow, then glanced to the books that she asked him to acquire earlier this evening. “Think, Diederik. You are far too intelligent to be asking questions with obvious answers.” Elizabeth continued to staple, then sighed. “Can you put those down and come assist me, please?” Elizabeth asked as she pointed to the other side of the frame that had not been stapled with canvas.

“Those things are real?!” He asked, warily approaching, then crouching down to help the woman, doing exactly what Elizabeth asked him to do, when she asked it of him. “So it seems. A surprise to the both of us, yes?” Elizabeth asked with an amused smirk, before she stapled the last bit of the canvas, before she stood and moved to put the blank canvas on an easel. “I didn't know you painted.” She ignored him for a moment as Elizabeth tilted the canvas a little to the right.

“There are a great many of things you, and others do not know about me, Diederik. When one has lived as long as I have, you attain many of hobbies.” Elizabeth glanced down to the werewolf body, then to the books. “What did you find?” She inquired, pointing to the pile on the table near the door. “Well, there were no werewolf only books. There was a mix of stuff with werewolves in it. Seems they aren't as popular as...vampires or witches.” He chuckled and looked at her. “Five books, and I put a slip of paper where each section of werewolves starts in the books. He started to move away, but Elizabeth caused her thrall to pause when she started speaking again. “I did not learn to paint until after I was a vampire. The same with playing the piano.” Elizabeth shared as the woman moved to grab a glass mason jar and a large blade. “The piano came first, while painting came later. Much later. I must profess that I am just mediocre at best, in regards to painting.” Elizabeth crouched down and then grabbed a large paw of the creature and proceeded to cut into it. The paw was placed over the large mouth of the jar that she placed on the ground besides it.

“I'm going to go get some ice cream from the freezer in the kitchen.” He announced, not sure what antics Elizabeth was up to, but Diederik didn't really want to see it, or be part of it. Not unless she made him. “Do come back. Sooner, than later. We can kill two birds with one stone. While I paint, you can share what it is that is in the books.” Diederik cringed, then nodded as he disappeared down the hallway and into the kitchen. A few minutes later he came back, Elizabeth with the mason jar resting on a small table next to the easel as she started dabbing the canvas with the contents in the jar. Diederik coughed, then grabbed the books and took a seat that was positioned so he wouldn't have to stare at what Elizabeth was doing. “I forgot I used the last of the butterscotch last week. And there wasn't much chocolate sauce either...” He sighed, shook his head and then attempted to change the subject. “You know that most of this could be a complete crock of crap, right?” Elizabeth glanced at Diederik, nodded her head and then circled back to the ice cream. “So what did one do with the ice cream fiasco?” The woman asked, eyes flicking to the bowl he had in his hands.

“Hmm? Oh. I just settled for the vanilla ice cream. I'll have to pick some topping flavors later this week. Which reminds me...” He grabbed his phone and began typing up his shopping list, while Elizabeth set the mason jar down and narrowed her eyes in his direction. She had come to paint after the fiasco at Voodoo, but deep down there was an urge to 'fight.' And while Diederik had said something innocent enough, Elizabeth didn't hesitate to pick at it. Apparently killing half a dozen werewolves and painting was not going to do the trick tonight. “Yes, I know how people like you get so easily tired of the same thing and crave flavors. This week it is butterscotch, next week strawberry and the following will be chocolate and who knows what it will be in two months from now?” Elizabeth retorted bitterly, the tone in her voice hard to miss. “Uhhhh....what?” Diederik asked, putting the bowl down. “Never mind. I have changed my mind. Leave me.” Elizabeth closed her eyes and took a deep breath and held it. “Okay...it's just a preference is all. And ice cream.” He stood up and grabbed his bowl and started heading towards the kitchen. The wooden paintbrush snapped in the palm of Elizabeth's left hand, before she stood and was directly in front of her thrall. One of the broken ends of the paintbrush at the base of his neck.

“It is not just ice cream.” The woman corrected him, her blue eyes locked on the spot on his neck that could be so easily penetrated by the brush. “It is the premise, Diederik.” His one free hand came up to the paintbrush and attempted to push it down and away from his neck. “Okay...You're right.” He assured Elizabeth, though he had no idea what she was 'right' about. But, as Elizabeth knew and he knew, he was no idiot to push a button that didn't need much pushing. “Good. Now, go sit down, open a book and read.” She reclaimed the broken paintbrush, stuffed it in the open pocket of her white paint shirt and then moved back to the canvas Elizabeth had started working on. “Okaaaay then.” Diederik said slowly, moving around the werewolf and going back to his seat. “Try and find something that tells how they came to be.”

Diederik scoffed and sat forward on the chair as Elizabeth grabbed a new brush and reclaimed the mason jar. “I know that. Every-well anyone who has seen any werewolf movies. Mostly bitten, but some theories are that some are even born from wolf parents. That last one isn't as popular of a theory as the bitten one, but I've seen a few movies and shows based around that concept.” He stated, Elizabeth raising a skeptical brow in his direction. “I prefer something a little more than theories based off movies or television shows. If one believed everything from those, then I would be a bat more times than not, yes?” She asked with a small laugh, the circles on the canvas being morphed into a type of one dimensional flower. “Why the interest in them? You can obviously kill them.” He asked, flipping through the first book he picked up, while leaving the ice cream to sit in its bowl. He wasn't planning on even touching it since she seemed to feel so strongly about ice cream tonight. “Because I have never met one until two nights ago and because...” She paused, then set the jar with the paintbrush down.

“There are theories that generate around vampires, zombies and fadebeasts...I do not expect you to know about the latter, but given you know about werewolves, I suspect you know about zombies. The claim is they exist due to a...reason, which I cannot divulge at this time. And that they did not exist before some of us, those my age, returned a few years ago. And over the years, more and more things have appeared and I cannot help but wonder if that is due to the supposed reason that we reappeared. If that is true...is that why these new creatures have appeared in this new city?” She tilted her head in curiosity, not expecting an answer as it was all too far above his head. “Never mind the other things that exist in Chalktown...” Elizabeth mused aloud, before her blue hues looked at him pointedly. “If the answer is yes, then perhaps the thing that supposedly only existed here, exists everywhere. If the answer is no...well, then should someone die in either of those cities, it will be as those who died in other parts of the world.” Elizabeth grabbed the brush and created another circle, then extended it out into more carnations, before she looked at Diederik again. “So, the question remains....how does one feel about killing a vampire?”

[Elizabeth]

Diederik looked at Elizabeth, exasperated. “I can't kill a vampire!” He blurted out, shaking his head. He would do just about anything for her, but was aware of his limitations. “You can. If the circumstances were right. In your favour.” She concluded with a roll of her shoulders, returning to her painting. “I doubt it. Who do you want us to kill?” He asked, not aware of any problems with any vampires with Elizabeth. Not that she told him everything. Or anything. She admitted it herself not even ten minutes ago.

“Not us. You.” Elizabeth said pointedly as she dipped the brush inside the mason jar and continued to work on the carnation she had just put to canvas. “Yeah. Again. Human...vampire....vampire, human.” He made an imaginary scale and tipped it in favor of the vampire coming out on top. “Who am I killing?” He looked at the woman sitting on the round stool, baffled by this new turn of events. Blue orbs moved from the painting and over to him, looking at him blankly. It took a few minutes for it to register, both of them sitting in silence as Elizabeth allowed Diederik to think it through. Suddenly he let out a gust of air and then choked. “Y-YOU?” He shook his head and then tossed the library book down. “No. No way. Can't make me. I won't do it.” Diederik stood up as Elizabeth rolled her eyes.

“You may not have a choice.” She bantered back at her thrall, before he interjected. “No way. You said yourself that it might not work. And then what? Another...two hundred years or more in...wherever you came from?” He leaned against the wall closest to the seat he was on and folded his arms. “Well, how else would one know the results? Besides, it may work.” She countered with a twinkle in her eyes. “No. I can't. I won't.” He stated flatly, before adding in, “If you don't come back for two hundred or more years, what will happen to your businesses? Your homes and apartments?” Elizabeth stood up and shrugged her shoulders. “You will continue to run them until you are of the age of retirement. I will continue to collect money in an account, and when you retire, you will put a person in your place. It is not that difficult of a concept. And as for my properties...my family lost their original property before....it did not stop me from acquiring new places. What needs to be done, will be done.” Elizabeth said nonchalantly, before moving to grab the mason jar and dumping the rest of what remained down the sink in the bathroom besides the sitting room. “All things that may not need to be worried about.” She said above the running water.

“If you want to do it, then find someone else, because I won't do it.” He had never actually thought about Elizabeth dead before, but had most assuredly never imagined him being the one to kill her. Never in a single day or night, even with a broken paintbrush at the base of his neck. “Ask someone in your family. The blond haired woman, or the one always at the crafting bench. He could do it. He's strong enough.” Elizabeth heard his disdain about the idea, and so, she would not push it. He was not wrong, she could ask someone else. But the plan was flawed. She knew Cosimo would never do it and the only blonde haired woman she knew was Alexandrea. It was unlikely the woman would do it either. She would have to ask someone else, which meant that Diederik wouldn't know if or when she died. “Humans.” Elizabeth muttered, before turning off the water, then moving out of the small bathroom. “The majority of you, like us, would not hesitate to resort to violence on most matters, but when an opportunity presents itself...” Elizabeth trailed off before shrugging her shoulders. “Very well.” The conversation with him may be done, but it was far from done in Elizabeth's mind. “Take your ice cream and go. I know how to read. Good evening, Diederik.” The blonde haired telepath's tone stated her displeased manner, but she would not push the thrall. He was a brilliant businessman, which was exactly what she needed and would continue to need.

[Elizabeth]

Though she had been annoyed with Diederik's refusal at first, after a few evenings of thought, Elizabeth had conceded that perhaps, Diederik was right. Perhaps she should turn to a vampire in this matter. He could be right. What if she were wrong and she was trapped in the realms again? There were only two outcomes and one was in her favour, the other was not. She could not ignore the one that wasn't in her favour, so now she needed a plan B.

At first, Elizabeth had sent Diederik to Aeryn, but he was back sooner than she anticipated. Apparently the woman would not even speak with him, let alone give him a brochure. Had he said something? Done something to offend her? Elizabeth grilled the male for every tiny detail, but deep down she knew he wouldn't have done either of those things. It was as if the woman was not interested in doing business with a mere human, or someone who had no mind of their own. Interesting, but that presented a challenge to Elizabeth. Not one she was so easily going to give up on.

After her conversation with Alexandrea, Elizabeth had asked in passing if the woman was familiar with the raise wraith ritual. Perhaps she did not need to be trapped in the realms after all. Life as a wraith was not ideal, but it was better than being stuck within the realms for another two hundred years. That had been the first thought. To ask Alexandrea to raise her 'spirit' out of the realm should Elizabeth find that she was unable to get out of the darkness. Alexandrea had asked Elizabeth if she needed to study her notes on the matter, and the telepath had replied with a vague 'perhaps,' and promised to let her know in a few nights time.

It was by sheer accident that Elizabeth came across a tome she had forgotten about and outside of what it could do...knew nothing about. A tome given to her one evening by Alexandrea perhaps. It made the most sense, given she was the only other ritualist that Elizabeth knew about and had in the family. 'Flesh Gift,' it was called and promised to return the flesh of the one it was being performed on. Elizabeth read over the tome and what was needed to complete it and came to learn that it would take many, many successful attempts of the ritual, which could be problematic. To expect Alexandrea to repeat a ritual over and over and over was asking a bit much, and was fairly tedious. So...now what?

Could she seek outside assistance if it was needed? Could Elizabeth trust those outside sources to keep up their end of the deal and make her into what she once was? While Elizabeth was willing to risk her life and risk even becoming a wraith...the truth was, deep down, the woman did not desire to be dead for two hundred years, or a wraith for that long either. Still...what if she could die outside of Harper Rock and return? How many people could she return? Her first thought was of the french woman and her other half. The pair that had been killed centuries ago during the fiasco with the fadebeasts. The telepath closed her eyes and reached out to Alexandrea again, inquiring if she knew about the ritual, which would bring Elizabeth on her next path and set of plans. But first, she needed an answer to the most vital of questions.