Lewis… Lewis…

His name kept going over and over in her mind. What was he like? Is he old? What did he do to be in Master Raith's servitude? Would he be harsh in his lessons? Would he be scarier than Lady Syn? "She may not venture into the shadows but in the light a child is seen as weak and in need of protection, she might hold some use so long as she can learn to hold her foolish tongue." Talia understood that he refused to keep her hidden from the world. He wanted her operation in an area most vampires could not reach.

Now, Talia had one more advantage than most vampires. Instead of being granted a limited time of sun exposure, Talia was gifted with immunity from the sun by Lady Sirona. But what could Lewis teach her that Jared already did not? While the gods intended to make use of her supposed innocence as a weapon, what would truly arm her for such an edge? Her footsteps clicked on the stone flooring, bouncing off the walls until she came to the door of Lewis's room.

For a moment, she stood, staring at the door. Talia had to do this for her brother. Unsure what to expect from Lewis, she opted for a flat yet short skirt over a pair of light leggings and a sleeveless top. She had arm length gloves on which did not cover her whole hand, yet connected around her middle finger to leave all of her phalanges and palm exposed. Hesitantly, she lifted one hand and knocked three times on his door.

If it opened, Talia bowed her violet head with a short bob of a curtsey. "Master Raith sent me to be trained by someone of the name Lewis…"

Lewis’s room was a mess. While he managed to keep the food particles and grime to a minimum, he had things scattered everywhere. On what was assumed to be his bed was a haphazardly set of poison related books and pamphlets, likely intended to be late night reading material. On his desk were a variety of vials, some with labels, and many others that did not. Hanging around his room were a variety of different types of daggers, with a few strewn about the room, scattered in a way that one would be within arms reach no matter where someone in the room was. Underneath his window, leaning against the wall was his prized bow, the two quivers that he had been gifted crossed beneath it, ready to be grabbed at a moment's notice.

There was one vital piece missing to the young man’s room: Lewis himself. As such, the knock when unheard.

From behind the young vampire, there was an obnoxious yawn, followed by an annoyed sigh. Lewis had come up the spiral staircase to his room to find a child in front of his door.

“For the hate of Raith, why the hell….” He looked around. His level of the Observatory held a few rooms, but most of them held nothing more than empty space. That was one of the few reasons he had chosen this section. Lack of people, and lack of distractions.

The young man had left most of his gear in the closet of his room, and thus appeared before the girl in his casual wear. A basic shirt and pants, and nothing more. To anyone looking on, he was just an ordinary silver haired teenager. He even held the bored, almost aloof look.

“Run along little girl,” Lewis said, shooing the girl away. “Go play elsewhere. Literally anywhere else.” He started to his door, brushing past her and effortlessly slipping into his room with the smallest of crack available before he slammed the door shut. The sound of the deadlock sealed the deal.

Not a moment later, there was a series of curses, and the door was opened again, Lewis popping out coughing. “Damned potion mixed wrong again,” he said to no one in particular. “Worthless guidebook is trying to kill me…” He looked genuinely surprised when the girl was still there.

“I thought I told you to leave…” Lewis sighed, crossing his arms. “Are you lost? Who’s your mother?” This had to be someone related to one of the Pilgrims. Lord Raith had little tolerance for children.

From behind, the direction she had come, came a voice. The fire mage turned around to see a silver-haired teen, something she had not been expecting. He was less than twice her age! Was this the Lewis she was sent to find? Assuming he was Lewis, he was quick to shoo her away rather nonchalantly as he slipped into the room. Taliana went from shock to anger as she glared at the door. No one just dismisses her except Master Raith and Lady Syn in such a manner!

Before she could retaliate in any way, the door opened up with the teen coughing and cursing about a bad potion. Still, she kept her anger displayed in her face, her fists balled as she struggled to keep from doing anything she might regret. "Don't know, don't care," she said flatly. Ciara could wind up dead and Talia would not even cry. The only love she showed Talia is carrying her in the womb and then dropping her off on Jared and their father.

She crossed her arms, mirroring his posture as she gave him her most defiant expression. "I don't rightfully care what you say, either. Unless you want to answer to Master Raith why you refused to answer his assignment, I ain't leaving until I get the training you are supposed to give me. You are Lewis, aren't you?"

Lewis raised an eyebrow at the snarky little child. He thought back to his last few interactions with his Master, thinking hard.

“If I recall, the last thing my master told me to do was to go out and deal with a few problems along the coast,” the assassin replied, glowering at the vampire. “Nothing about training a bratty child.” He let a dark smile slide across his face. “I’m fairly certain I could toss you out of this tower, and Lord Raith wouldn’t bat an eye.” The teen took a menacing step forward.

“Well, maybe he would. He’d be annoyed that I left a stain in his domain…so I better not.” He turned and walked back to his door. “Lord Raith would never assign me a task so beneath me…go play in the maze or something. I don’t have time for you.” Once again, he slammed the door shut in spite of the vampire girl.

The would-be trainer thought upon her words and dismissed them. Leave it to adults to not pass important information to every party involved. Taliana rolled her eyes. "You could try," she stood firm as she retorted in retaliation to the thought of being tossed out a window. While she did not relish imagining being flattened by the ground, she was positive she was not going to be tossed out so easily. Jared saw to that.

Once more, the door slammed in her face as he dismissed her as a task beneath him. Her face burned with anger and frustration as her fists balled. So many dark thoughts passed through her head. Start a fire right under his door, control it so it didn't burn much as it released more smoke than his room could contain. Send Soot in after him, scorch his notes, bitch his potions. No, send Bob, Frank and Joe in there. Let their slobber ruin everything as they chase Lewis…

But Lady Syn's face flashed across her mind, instantly simmering her anger as a flash of fear almost stopped her heart. Taliana's lips curled into a mischievous smile as an idea began to form. "Very well, consider me brushed off as a demeaning task!" she called to the brusque boy through the door. "I am sure Lady Syn, Lady Alairia and Master Raith would be overjoyed to hear how unreliable you are, giving the Master doubt of your value to his realm and Court." The child began acting like she was cleaning dirt from beneath her fingernails, although there was no grime to be found. "After all, I was merely told to learn from Lady Syn and be trained by you so I may be of proper use to him. At least I put forth the effort to be obedient to my Master's will."

The idle threats of the child were getting on Lewis’ nerves. The idea that anyone would dare threaten the assassin, Lord Raith included, was outstandingly ludacris. It was slowly starting to dawn on Lewis on why his master hated children. The petulant child was now threatening his ‘reliability’, as if he needed to impress anyone or anything. And, of course, she had no idea of how Lord Raith worked. Anything he deemed unnecessary he would thoughtlessly cast aside. He had no room for weakness. If Lewis had become weak, by no means would he send a child to tell him. No, he would be given a clear warning, and then cast aside.

At least, that was how Lewis viewed it. Perhaps given the many tasks that Lewis had performed flawlessly, he would be given a second chance. But to train a child? No.

Through the door, there was a loud sigh. “Lady Syn means nothing to me. Lady Alaria even less. The only respect they garner from me comes from Lord Raith. He is the only one whom I am concerned with…” The door remained sealed.

“This is my last warning, as my patience is growing thin,” Lewis stated with a dangerous edge in his voice. “Go away.”

Mulberry eyes flicked to the door with irritation. Did he know how difficult it was not to just burn that damned barrier to the ground? Why was it so difficult to get what she needed around here? Was it going to be this way for everyone under Master Raith's command? She had to come up with a way to get him to accept the fact that Raith truly did send her for training from this reluctant trainer.

What does he have that she so desperately needs anyway? Playing with potions? No, that was too far from the light to be properly used. Regardless of the effects of her name drops, Taliana was here for a mission, and she was going to complete it. One way… Or another. "I wasn't here for warnings, Lewis. Master Raith said, clear as day, that I was to train with you if I am to be of proper use to him." He said that she would be seen as someone needing protection, someone who would not be capable of anything beyond a childish prank.

However, while she did prefer not to lie unless necessary, she had lied and cheated to survive most of her life. Maybe if she got Lewis to understand what Raith had said, he would be more accepting! "Think about it! You dismiss me as a child because I look weak and full of innocence. I would be the last one to be suspect of any shenanigans. That is exactly why he wanted me trained. And who better than the one he thought best suited? Why else would he have sent me to find you?" If he dismissed her again… She made mental notes to visit Syn for lessons to coerce people to her will the way the vampiress seemed to have perfected.

There was silence for quite some time. There were sounds of things being shuffled around. There was a sigh of frustration, followed by an “aha!” The door flew open, and Lewis strolled out with a book in hand, but paused when he noticed that his path was once more blocked.

“You’re still here?” Lewis asked dully. “Get it through your thick skull. I’m not training you. Go away, I have other things to do. That do not involve babysitting.” He strolled past her and down the stairs, and to the main floor that he jokingly called “his.” He would likely need to ask for a key to be installed for the whole floor, as not to come home to…uninvited guests.

He made his way down the stairs…his goal the feasting halls. It was time for dinner.