Maître à la Reine (Pepper/Pride/Open)

Stepping across the threshold he spared a smile as he inhaled the scent of Pride. Lions living, breathing, inhabiting the same space while carrying on a life of their own. It was a powerful scent that had little to do with the actual olfactory and more with the spiritual. AS lions waged their own personal war like most lycanthropes their scents and strengths mingled forming a coalesced essence that said here there be predators. Wolves had a portion of it, tigers had more but it was rare for a Streak to compare as most tigers were born as they were and it diluted that coming together. It was as if having lived all their lives as they did together weakened the power of joining in a life together. It was as if their auras and they themselves took for granted what together could mean. Leopards had a differing version that spoke little of power but more on socialization. They even in their human forms were mostly solitary hunters occasionally pairing off. It flavored their togetherness more as a republic not a unified whole. Ears somehow managed to turn the feel into a truly spiritual thing even if they themselves individually were atheist. He took a second feeling the power of those gathered where their auras’s bumped against and made room for each other.



Being inside invited he was able to appreciate Chidera’s wish to cross pollinate her small cadre of orphan lions with Pepper and Aminta’s Pride it would make both stronger for it. “Thank you for your hospitality Pepper and Gates will do.,” he said closing the door behind him. The mosquitoes were of no concern to him and he of no concern to them. He’d though not of a need had perfected several homeopathic routes to dissuade them. Years ago it was common knowledge that dandelion oil was the way to go. In the modern era it was dryer sheets placed hidden about ones person.



" Saunter perhaps. My height does not lend itself to strolling easily in most company. As for my coming, why it is for you of course. To lay eye upon your progress n unifying the lions of the Crescent city as well as offer more aid should you need."
 

“Which of the boys have decided to sow their oats. I am sure Chidera can easily rein them in with but a phone call lest they have begun challenging for position?” Gates asked seated as he was now one leg resting over the other his suit coat opened and his arm across the back of the settee. He if one was of a mind to notice seemed to absently stroke the back of the piece feeling its well used texture. He didn’t bother to meet Peppers eyes even as in truth if he were to beguile her it would not be by any such banal path as her eyes.



There was an air of unfinished business between them but he would not go so far as that he hahd not done so in so many decades as to even now have to remember if he had ever done so.



"Of course if she and I step in in any visible capacity it might weaken your position. I am sure we can arrange other avenues of attack. As for your boon has it to do with the termination of several mid to high ranking members of our esteemed Exauda Militis. As one of the larger more connected cartage companies it is of note and the Rodere have an interest in assuming a more direct control of many of our waterfront byways."
 

His brow mirrored Peppers as she spoke on Chantalle. He knew of her she was a dancer by trade and escort by hobby. She was one of the few success stories of the comfort houses. She seemed fairly well adjusted to her life and as far as he knew she while not cowardly avoided most problems with other clans. She was formerly years gone connected with one of the Nest though he forgot the woman’s name she was involved with. " That is a shame. You are not thinking anything too prohibitive in regards to educating her are you?"

He knew how quickly things could get out of hand within the rules of the Pride. Lions were not only notoriously stubborn but they would die over a bad idea simply because maintaining their ground came as first nature to them. Quick decisive victories had to be gained because when it came to attrition most lions were built to last. Far stronger and more enduring than was in their best interests.

" Your spirits seem strong even now they are rustling. I can’t hear them but the feel of them is as strong as its ever been. I have use of several witches but the lot of them are not lycanthrope. Of course, the Sleuth usually play Vargamor for the wolves I don’t see them as being averse to doing much the same for the Pride if you are not averse to them perhaps having to pay a higher price to assuage your spirits."

Busy with Baton he’d neglected the coming of Midsummer. It was a time of increased drives for lions and new lions usually went a little mad without a strong hand to guide them. He assumed Pepper and Aminta was strong willed enough. However as the things being done here were not done before in his estimation he might have to reconsider. The trick was lending aid in the most subtle of ways without drawing attention. He opened the everpresent connection between him and his dark beauty.

He shared this moment with her a swell as an inkling of an idea. Already connected due her tie with the lions of her cadre and her affinity to lions she might be able to siphon a portion of herself to help with the urges of Midsummer without being to overt. She need and anchor to her vampiric nature when doing so as to not be swept along the wave of lycanthropic energy and maelstrom herself. He was sure that could be arranged.

" I don’t see bloodletting as a problem. I understand he returned whence he came before his adventures started. The master there is… capable to say the least. Of course as it pertains to the Pride I take it the Pride must bleed him?"

Gates nodded smoothing the leg of his pants. " Certainement ma chère. Avez-vous un problème avec une campagne de faux Drapeau," Gates said falling back to the language that while not native he’d spoken for the last two hundred years. Normally a false flag was used to break a regime Gates would use that same tactics to build one. He was already thinking of a way to engineer a meeting between Pepper and Dirty. At this moment he was touring in the Midwest smaller venues doing groundswell tours keeping his bands name in public memory.

Focusing a portion of his intellect back into the present he averted his gaze just in time even as the living portion of his mind thought better of it. Looking towards the table lined with images of the Pride the family photos that left by members…Spotting the female who was obviously Chantalle he was shocked to see her at the most recent Freret Street Festival. She was with none other than Estelle. She had not been in the comfort houses in years.

" Is chantalle hiding anything?"

Gates nodded where was polite showing he was in fact listening and considering. “Of course however I wonder. Such a close association." Leaving the matter lie Gates moved on to the secondary issue. The Rodere had a national king with a slew of regional rulers. They were embedded within the structure of the docks at his behest. Gate’s rethought that initial meeting and yet he knew things should work out.



Even as he thought of Dirty he considered whether Chantalle might be using her place as a chance to wrest control. In his heart, the answer was yes. She would kill Aminta due some fortuitous accident she planned and grow closer to Pepper then wrest control. It’s what Estelle would have done. She was a master survivor and dangerous in how far her imagination stretched. It made him wary of Chantalle he would of course have Chidera surreptitiously keep an eye. He knew Aminta was a survivor as well but from what he was able to gather on her previous visits she might not be lioness enough in a straight up and down fight. While she was co-regina in name the true power of the reginadom sat across from him. Pepper was the fire that drove the engine of the Pride here.



“Le savoir ne croit pas toujours, mon épice préférée, if should need anything the merest request will suffice. Are there any other issues that the Pride should need. There are a few new faces who’ve prowled around the edges of the realm…leonine faces.”




 

"Militis?" Gates asked mulling that over in his head. He'd seen the carnage he could wreak. If applied on a macro scale with a steady hand supervising there could be some real talent there. Lions were naturally pragmatic when it came to challenges they sought to win the initial battle as well as every other by proxy. It was he knew why thos eof the Dragon's line carried a natural affinity to them.

He would speak at length with Chidera in that regards. Her mind was well suited to testing limits. She would be able to help hone the lion to something more than his street brawling fighter self into a warrior of cause and true second for the Reginas. Sadly it would have to be stealthy and surreptitious but worth the effort.

"That is an interesting approach for that one. But enough of the others what is it I might do for you mon épice préférée..."