I know some of you are aware of my LARP goodness. But something big happened in the Chicago Domain in general, and in turn something big happened to Ellen Peters, my former boston socialite turned prim and proper Mehket Carthian.
To be honest, Ellen Peters was somewhat of a laid back Carthian. She was more invested in the heroine trade she became a part of when she first found harbor in the South Shore. With that in mind, she invested most of her time into her business, building up her gang and expanding her territory. She gained some respect in the city, making strange allegiances and gaining the South Shore as her domain. She participated in Carthian affairs around Chicago, but usually stayed back. She was named Prefect by accident.
Throughout all of it, she looked up to one of the most prominent Carthian in the city, Marten Flagg. When Prince Grace Hartford was named, Marten was named first Harpy, then Seneschal. However, Ellen was most impressed by his vast influences in the mortal world, keeping himself informed about news that would affect vampires, and how vampires were influencing the world around. This helped keep these worlds separate. In many ways, even though Flagg did not rule Chicago, he owned Chicago. That was something he admitted to Ellen once as he tried to take her under his wing, teaching her about ways to invest in mortal projects.
He was the Carthian with the connections, and no one ever stopped to think how far behind the Carthians would be without him.
During the Midwest Prince meeting (the non-con Chikalb), Marten Flagg, along with Prince Hartford and Lady Cassey Twain, was murdered, receiving final death in a mysterious set of circumstances. Ellen did not receive the news until the next night, having been distracted in the South Shore with business (I was moving that weekend).
Almost instantly Ellen felt lost and adrift. She had never been close to anyone who had experienced final death. Politically not only had she lost a Prince that she knew to be egalitarian regardless of political beliefs, which is very important for a Carthian in an Invictus ruled city, she lost one of the strongest members of her convenant. Personally, she felt guilty that she had not been there to be observant during the Midwest Prince meeting. Maybe she could've seen something and prevented all of it. Particularly to save Marten, who she knew she wasn't particularly close with, but had always looked up to.
And then came the overwhelming guilt. She knew she had the power before to make the Carthian Movement stronger so that if something had happened, they wouldn't have lost the one vampire with the best resources. She should've seen that weakness, and as Prefect she had sat idly by while her heroine empire continued to grow. Never had Ellen thought she would've felt so mortal after turning, or so weak after leaving the Invictus in Boston.
On saturday was the memorial service. Ellen dressed appropriately but wasn't as particular about her look as she had previously been. She wore sunglasses to hide her eyes. She tried not to cry and through most of the service was able to hold back, especially when a kindred decided to set himself on fire in the middle of the service. She followed he instincts and ran to the Cradle where the ceremonies were. She thought about was Marten would've said about the whole dramatic event. She got teary.
She tried to keep a level head after a while, knowing that this was the perfect time for a Carthian meeting. She now had to rally the troops, build up what they lost. They had to make up for everything Marten had done for them. She went around to every Carthian she could find, which wasn't many during the meeting. Meanwhile keeping up banter, though she was more curt than usual.
Then Evengii called for her for the new Prince Donovan McQuin. She had not expected anything from the Prince. Maybe she's finally be officially recognized as Prefect. Maybe he would promise to let her keep the South Shore as her domain. Maybe he would take it away. Ellen thought she was prepared for anything.
Prince McQuin merely held out a ring with a single diamond on it and said "Marten Flagg."
Ellen gingerly took it, almost sobbed, and with more gratitude than her voice conveyed, spat out a shaken "Thank you," before rushing out of the Cradle to cry. It wasn't a long cry, it wasn't a loud cry. She never though she would cry again after she turned, and there she was, feeling grief and in mourning.
She couldn't replace Marten Flagg now. She let herself becoming a selfish black market dealer instead of a good Carthian.
After a moment, Ellen put the ring on her right hand and went back. After thinking about it, she felt more appropriate to put it on her left hand. She was still upset, but now was not the time to dwell. She had to get the covenant together, she wasn't sure of the speech she would make. But now was the time to sink in their connections, to move forward. Now was the time to regain anything and everything they had lost with Marten, and then some.
It was time to be a better Carthian.
