"They will be gone when we leave, have no doubt."
As you're about to come inside, the runner you'd sent for Apollodorus comes into view, and behind him are Reynault and Apollodorus himself. As Apollodorus you notice a brief flicker of annoyance on his face, but it is quickly masked. Reynault goes inside without comment and gives Iapetus a very dark look.
"Up to your old tricks, are you Iaeptus? I suppose your gifts are running behind, again, too? Your sense of humor is very tiresome you know that? And those buildings over there are simply ghastly. I would've been content to handle our affairs quietly, but your breech of etiquette requires a suitable response. I request my sigil. As my parens has long since passed, and his parens before him, as well, that leaves it to you or Poena." (Note: this is outside of established canon that the sigil belongs to the magus when the parens passes, I never understood that reasoning, and never saw a reason for it, within the Tremere structure, I wouldn't normally play a Tremere getting his sigil as his parens places, but since there aren't any Tremere in this saga, we'll do it differntly.)
Iaeptus looks about at his staff of magi and grogs a bit nervously. Alexei can see it plainly, but his staff probably can't, a bead of sweat is forming on his brow. "Dear Apollodorus, no offfense was intended, your sodalis here said he was going to remove the turb from the barracks, and I didn't want to put him or you out." Alexei actually can detect a whisper of fear in the man's voice.
"You attempt to play me for a fool in my own home? Very well, " Apollodorus sounds almost ritualistic as he says it next, "I request my sigil by right of Certamen. For many years I have not had need of it, and have been content to let you exercise my political power, much to Andru's chagrin. Choose the Form, you know the Technique. And if you veto my choice, I'll veto your choice, and won't treat you so gently."
"Very well, Apollodorus, I choose Corpus." The magi of his staff are in close quarters discussing amongst each other, but not so loud that they can be overheard.
"Now, as a further lesson to you, I'm going to invite all my sodales, the turb and any and all the covenfolk to watch, we'll go over to the fairgrounds so they can gather around. Be there in an hour." Apollodorus goes indoors, while Iaeptus already looks defeated, he calls over a woman from the go off close to one fo the conjured buildings and begin a deep discussion. This is an immediately familiar type of conversation to Alexei, that of a commander leaving orders to his second.
An hour later, Apollodorus has gathered as many of the magi of the covenant who might be interested in viewing the event, as well as any others who might be interested. All of the Tremere magi and turb are present as well. Apollodorus and Iaeptus take the field opposite each other. But instead of a vivid display of magics, nothing happens for a few moments, and Iaeptus appears to faint. "Poor boy. At least he chose the right Form." Apollodorus directs some water be splashed on Iaeptus, which brings him back to consciousness, and then says to him, "I'm sure you've told Maris what to do in the event you were overcome." Iaeptus nods his head, he's quite addled. "Very well. I do hope that the orders you gave to Maris are for the rest of the journey. Since I know how these journeys seem to put you in poor humor, I'm going to help you. You'll have at most an hour left of your journey." Apollodorus pulls something out of his robe and starts incanting, and after a few moments Iaeptus is gone, but his clothes are still there.
"Oh, goodness. I forgot the requisite." Althogh the manner he says that suggests that he did not forget at all. He points at the leftover clothes " Maris, would you be a dear, and collect these for me? And then you and the rest of the Magi are welcome to join my sodales and others for a banquet in the banquet hall. And will you send a runner to tell your wagon teams to stop hiding, already! I'm ready to exchange gifts. Oh, one other thing" Apollodorus extends his hand to Maris, an attractive maga whose appearance is fit, and neat, with short cropped hair. She deposits what one imagines must be Apollodorus voting sigil, which appears to be a chisel. "Thank you, my dear."
OOC: if anyone has interest in having dinner conversation (or more) with several Tremere magi, please start a 1220.1a Dinner with the Tremere. No one's likely to know it, but the kitchen has been going all out for this, and Apollodorus has even gone so far as to bring a special chef from Valnastium for the occasion. Note all the Tremere seem to brighten considerably now that Iaeptus has vanished. Alexei now realizes that the chuckles he heard earlier were forced chuckles of someone who's forced to laugh so as not to cause his superior embarrassment or to placate a fragile ego.
). If not I can wait til I get home this evening.