[Fini] Power Shifts [Finished]

[Vyn]

The balance of power was shifting, rushing through the courts like a dark wave. Clubs and Diamonds alike had new Queens and The Queen of Hearts had just been assassinated in his chambers, a job that even Wulfram could commend although he didn't approve. Serafino had been a good Queen, even by Wulfram's rigid standards. The way he was killed, as well, showed a sad lacking in grandeur...but the man who had killed him had proven to be a cowardly sort that got his own due.

The power of the Other Courts were suiting to him, but this Court... HIS Court needed a proper shift of power. It was time for Wulfram to get a proper footing in the politics of the Courts.

With the meeting with King Varestes set, Wulfram was shown into the palace to await the King's presence. Time to spare, but he busied himself with the sights and mechanics of the Court. This was his first official trip within its walls and he was curious of everything it had to offer. He would have to remember himself and his manners if he intended to go anywhere. There were fools still stronger than he and while that would be swiftly amended he would have to watch himself until then.

Soon, though, and closer by the minute.

[Nathalia]

Varestes moved down the hall with a clatter of vertebrae, a grin on his face.

Tulgey!

The enterprising Ten awaiting him was from the Tulgey! He had always wanted to meet one...wondering what they were like and what it was this one would aspire to...

Interest level high, the Hisstor bounded down the marble stairs, in quite the jolly mood. This would be fun!

When he finally made it to the main hall he was delighted to see a tall, incredibly pale form, admiring the structure. Exotic...nice.

Moving a a more sedate pace now, grin firmly in place, he moved over to the man.

"Wulfram, I presume? Good to meet you at last."

He held out a bone taloned hand.

"How do you do?"

[Vyn]

Wulfram had found a window to lean near which gave him a good view of a court yard below and, to his interest, the various servants or attendants that passed through. Boring. It was good, however, to begin amassing a list of all the people lingering here...

Abruptly his thoughts were pried away from the courtyard by the soft sound of bone on bone, alerting Wulfram to his visitor. He swiftly lifted his crimson gaze down to meet the source of it and found a slow smirk claiming his features. O... Very interesting. This would be the first Hisstor he had gotten the pleasure of meeting up close.

"I vould tek it zat you are King Varestes, zen?" He took the bone taloned hand without hesitance, shaking it firmly as he looked the King up and down. Whether he was sizing him up or checking him out was hard to tell, but he was most definitely admiring the Hisstor. He'd never seen such interesting born adornments...and the body wearing them wasn't half bad either, to be entirely honest. "It ist e pleasure to meet you, Your Highness."

Releasing the Kings hand, Wulfram takes a small step back to admire the male before him. This most definitely would be fun. Here he had thought the Court of Spades was lacking at the moment! Not so, apaprently... Varestes was far from lacking.

"Quite vell, und yourself?"

[Nathalia]

"Varestes I am, yes indeed. You must be Wulfram, I must say, you don't disappoint."

He smirked as he said this, watching the other man give him a once over...

He appreciated that, what a gorgeous Human form this Wulfram had...promising, very promising, especially with the constant discouragement he was receiving form his other "intended" as of late...

"Oh, I'm getting along as it were, getting better...if you'll just follow me please."

He said as he walked toward the far wall and walked directly through the cold stone. Once inside the wall, the man would fins a stone staircase winding upward, this would lead him to Varestes's chambers. Oak paneled and warm the room was grand yet slightly small, the King obviously preferred his privacy. A fire was roaring on the hearth and there were a few shelves around the room stacked with anything from books to odd sculptures and items.

"Come on in, we'll get started directly. If you could, tell me why it is you want to be in the Courts, for starters...?"

[Vyn]

"I em indeed." He inclined his head slightly, crimson eyes glinting with pleasure. "Nor do you, Your Highness."

Wulfram most definitely appreciated this male. Handsome and generous in the way he that subtly stroked Wulfram's ego. Or, perhaps, it was Wulfram stroking his own ego. Either way, it didn't really matter in the end.

The sight of the King passing through the stone wall momentarily brought a raise to Wulfram's brow but the crow didn't hesitate on following him through the wall and up the stone steps to the small chambers within. Very nice. Varestes was not alone in his appreciation for privacy and the pale human relaxed quite easily into his surroundings.

Questions now...and how to answer them? Too many answers to give and, his truest one, was a bit blunt even for him. A lowly 10 standing before a King should not announce that his whole hearted intention was to topple the current Queen and take their place. Not because it was too ambitious, but because it was stupid and Wulfram was anything but.

He preferred a more subtle method of maneuvering through life. One that assured him his footing was sound before he proceeded. It kept him alive.

"First und foremost, I heff come to auffer my skills to our Suit..." He admitted casually, a low grin upon his features. "...but for my own pursuits? I em looking for recognition, respect." Wulfram's accented words rolled roughly from his tongue, hard but not unpleasant.

[Nathalia]

This Tulgey was most agreeable. Really...Varestes couldn't help but be intrigued...and mildly attracted. It wasn't as though everything that came through the door looked like this, now was it?

The answers were good ones too, skills though...he would need the man to elaborate on that.

"Recognition and respect are good things to look for, but you offer skills? What skills do you mean to bring?"

He sat in an arm chair by the fire and offered the other to the Tulgey, reaching down by the fire and pulling two glasses up from near the hearth and pouring two cups of wine. He offered one to the other man.

"Let me also ask you this: say that our Queen were to retire, what would you do if you were next in line? What direction would you lead the Court in and why? If you wouldn't be willing to take the crown, please explain your answer."

He had often asked this question, watching Tens squirm as they tried to come up with an answer to please him, or make them look thoughtful and intelligent.

He wondered at what this man might present to him...and whether a trip to Finistris would be worthwhile...the man had already proven himself to have a commanding air, now to see if he could be thought of as capable as well.

[Vyn]

When a seat was offered, Wulfram took it and settled into it quite easily. For all that he displayed a good dose of respect in his sharp crimson orbs, not a lick of tension conflicted his lean frame. He was confident, very much so, but level-headed enough to keep it from inflating his ego at the wrong time.

"My main vork, before my errival here...vas es en essessin." He would not boost and say he was the best in his field; he was a solo worker and could not be sure of that, but he could confidently say he was becoming increasingly well known among the nobles. "I heff also vorked es e spy."

Stealth, murder... They were his specialty and he delighted exceptionally in both. This would, he hoped, not be too much for the attractive King to take in. Some could be so...touchy...but he hoped that Varestes would not be one of them.

Taking the glass of wine, Wulfram thoughtfully studied the deep red liquid within as he contemplated his answer. He swirled the liquid in the glass, lifted it to the firelight, and then finally brought it to his lips for a slow sip. What direction would he take the Court in? He swished the wine around in his mouth, savoring the drink.

"I vould teke ze Crown, auf course." He said, his grin growing. Something harder would have been nice...but he wasn't about to complain; he hadn't been expecting any alcohol. "Es for ze direction..." Now that was a more delicate question, but one which he would answer without hesitation. "I vill edmit ze Court has been somevhat lackink vhen compared to ze ozer Courts. Qviet... Sullen might be more appropriate." He took another sip. "I intend to teke it in e ...more grandiose direction. Ze haughty red suits get ebove zemselfes sometimes, und forget ve are chust es strong es zey."

[Nathalia]

An assassin and spy? Huh...odd jobs to admit to, those were...either he seemed very trustworthy, or that wasn't the man's real room and board. He would have to do some digging later and see.

He watched the albino take the wine and sip at it, good. At least he wasn't shy in any way. He listened to the responses, weighing them and approving of the straightforward answers.

"A spy and an assassin? Good jobs to keep you on your toes, just like being emplyed in the Court of Hearts, sounds like. Did you know they lost another Queen? I know it's not really out yet but...I have a friend there..."

He smirked and sat back, sipping at his own cup and staring at the dancing flames, the light making odd shapes and patterns that danced oddly along the skull he wore...lighting the socket so that it almost looked alive...

"Good answers, both. Taking the crown shows good initiative and the direction sounds as though you've put some thought to it, perhaps someday my Lady Lysaras will step down?"

He said, almost jokingly, taking anohter sip.

"Grandiose? Huh, that's interesting, none of our Queens have tried that route in over 70 years, might be interesting. As for the Red suits, I could take or leave them, they're not all arrogant tits, though the ones who get the high jobs do tend to be..."

He smirked and raised his glass appreciatively.

"Another question, then. Say that you were to take a position as King to my Lady Lysaras, how would you take your role?"

He could see this man would not be content to stay where he was, perhaps Kingship interested him? This would help to tell, and to see if he would be at all suitable for the Court culture...

[Vyn]

Wulfram had no hesitance in admitting his strengths, however 'frowned upon' the occupation could be. After all, it was better to say it up front than to have someone find it by chance. Everyone was iffier about that.

"Ahh, yes..." He sighed out the words, his expression growing momentarily thoughtful. "His death vas e pity, even I must agree." The crow sipped his own drink, peering at the Hisstor over the glass. The way he said 'friend' made Wulfram wonder but he did not press for now. He would have plenty of time to find out more about Varestes later and, for the time being, there were more important things to discuss.

"70 years, hm? It really hes been too long zen. Zis Court ist grand, ja, und deserves more recognition es such." He chuckled lowly and raised the glass. He did not elaborate on his plans for Queenship. One day he would take a position and then, eventually, the position. Nothing short of death would hold him back from his goals and he was determined to avoid an untimely death at all costs.

Not to mention he didn't appear to need to mention his ambitions at all. With the direction the Hisstor's questions went, Wulfram could see his ambitious nature had not been missed. "I vould do vatever ist necessary to prove myself es worthy auf ze position." He smiled and bowed his head a little.

[Nathalia]

Varestes nodded, swirling his wine thoughtfully.

"Yes, pity barely even begins to be able to cover it. I had heard of some of his powers...they were extraordinary, he deserved at least to be challenged. But, such as it is..."

He raised his eyebrow slightly at the certainty with which the other man said those words, such fervor...it was almost unsettling...

"Yes, perhaps our time is finally drawing nearer...'

He whispered, the vertebra tail clacking softly as he shifted.

"Good answers, I like your spirit, and see no need to test you further. I can tell simply by speaking with you, that you will be... Not only beneficial to this Court, but an outstanding addition."

He smirked a little and pushed back some of his hair, reaching back behind himself and grasping about on a shelf for a few moments, turning back with a thick black key in hand. Set into the ornate top shaped like a twisted Gothic Spade, was a small opal...deep and nearly blue in the firelight. Varestes handed this to the other Human with a small smile. When the other's hand came forward, he would grip it very suddenly, sending a shot of tingling warmth through his arm that would spread to his chest, changing the mark to a "J".

"I appreciate your coming here, I can tell that you will be invaluable. Your room is on the fifth floor, eighth on the left. If you need anything, the servants make their rounds at seven, or you can ring for someone. Is there anything that you feel you need to know? I'm perfectly willing to chat for a bit/"

He smiled, leaning back, satisfied.