"A jest? I fail to see how it is funny. I can compel Ulrich to worship G-d with my family, to go to temple on Shabbat, but that does not make him love G-d." Ra'am takes a drink of his beverage, "We do not compel others to practice any faith here. This place is here to be a haven against the Reconquista who would seek to compel all to worship Christ. If you put someone who does not love G-d or Christ in a synagogue or church, they will only become a false worshipper."
"Finally, you said something about if he were your apprentice. I find that an odd choice, because the only reason he is here is because no one from Mons Electi would step up and assume his apprenticeship. Apollodorus did in an effort to keep him there, but then he was traded around to the entire covenant and his studies were poorly monitored."
Alexei sighs. Under other circumstances he would have already cast the gauntlet down, but that would not get him the help he needed. "Sodale...again, I meant no offense, it was a joke. You are getting very insulted and angry over what I truly meant as a simple jest. I don't know the purpose of this covenant, nor did I intend to insult its purpose or those who live in it. I did not mean to insult you or the methods you use to teach your apprentices. I did not mean to insult your religion or imply one religion was greater than another, nor its worshippers. Nor did I mean to say that Ulrich was anything less of a fine apprentice or that he was better off anywhere other than with you. I did not say any of these things explicitly, nor did I imply them with a simple jest that came to mind. I have apologized and do so again, please accept my apologies for speaking out of turn on a subject near and dear to you. I only wished to elicit a laugh, nothing more. It is my way." he sighs again.
"But if you are not satisfied, tell me what will offer satisfaction. I am prepared to pay it. My need for your council is great and I will do what you require to secure it."
"The more you insist it was funny, the less I see your statement being as it was intended. The jest is in extremely poor taste. Telling another magus how to handle his apprentices is incredibly insulting. Were it not some common goals we have I would have asked you to leave. You were here for something, so out with it."
Ra'am glances at Elizabeth who quickly goes into another room.
Alexei shrugs, even though he apologized he really could not understand why he was so angry. Maybe it was the siesta he had interrupted.
"Very well. A dear friend of mine, Mufarrij ibn Walid, has been kidnapped by a creature that has been hunting me since I was born. He was in a similar situation with it. It is an airy spirit, a jinn, or gene they are called. He has kidnapped Muffarj and I don't know how to find him, or exactly how I shall fight the creature when I do. It is trying to draw me out, to fight it on its terms I assume. Your daughter said that you and Prospero might be able to offer some advice on how to handle this. Please, forget my hasty and unwise words, and give me some advice so that I may try and save my friend." Alexei seems to deflate at that as he feels helplessness settle in.
"I see. Well, my expertise is not Auram, per se. More about the nature and limits of hermetic magic as they pertain to Creo and in specific application of the Art of Corpus. Propsero, my pater is a significant expert. I don't have an easy method to get in touch with him. Azura has not, as of yet, secured a portal for the Mercere House." He seems to be holding back a bit.
Alexei thinks about what he said a bit before speaking. "But...do you perhaps know anything about such creatures? How they can be fought and dealt with? Or found? Anything you can offer would be greatly appreciated by me, and those at my Covenant, for Mufarrj is well liked by my covenmates. And if not, perhaps I can help regarding getting in contact with your Mater then? Please Sodale, he has been kidnapped more than a week now."
"I do not. But Prospero does. Before founding Le Maison d'Levrier, Prospero spent much time in the Levant. I do not know The Leap of Homecoming. Nor do I have an arcane connection to anyplace outside the covenant. I do have a connection within the covenant, but Maris has strengthened the Aegis, and 10 magnitudes of penetration would be necessary. Can you manage that? If not, we'll have to go my way." Ra'am says quietly.
Alexei frowns and purses his lips. "I know the spell and can cast it with some penetration, but not that much. Plus were I to manage it, I'm sure I would be seen as a threat and would unlikely be able to plead my case. If you are willing, I will try your way. And thank you Sodale."
"Very well."
Ra'am calls out loudly, "Ulrich, Elizabeth come here!"
When they arrive he says, "Get a few humiliores and take the rug from my lab to the Cijara side. The room with the balcony. Go ahead and roll it out and provision it for three days. For four people. We are going to Le Maison d'Levrier. We will leave as soon as you think we are ready. Oh, and fetch Étienne, he might have some letters or other items to be delivered."
[color=green]"Yes, sir," Ulrich says. After a brief discussion with Elizabeth, he will fetch the rug and roll it out on the balcony while Elizabeth makes arrangements for the provisions, then he will fetch Étienne and bring him to the room as well, checking to see if he does indeed have anything to be delivered to Le Maison d'Levrier. When he is done, he will see if Elizabeth needs any help with anything before reporting ready to Ra'am.
As he prepares for the journey, Ulrich finds himself wishing, hoping and praying that, against all odds, Rose will be at Le Maison d'Levrier, and as the day wears on he finds himself smiling more and more.
Ulrich could probably ReHe the thing. I doubt he could lift a rug of this, size by himself, which is why Ra'am suggested the humiliores to help.
The rug is large, 15x20.
Ra'am leads Alexei back to the Cijara side, and makes a quick stop by the Raoudha's office. He indicates that Amos is effectively in charge while he's away, unless, of course, Jamie is interested in assuming any covenant duties. He adds before he leaves, "I don't know how long I'll be away, an ally of ours needs our help. Leave a note for Tria indicating where we are. I don't expect her to come, but if she comes by to check for messages, I want to let her know where she can find us."
Alexei and Ra'am make their way to the room where he instructed them to setup a rug. On the rug are a few days of supplies, blankets, water and food set in about a foot from the edge. "This will not be the most comfortable journey, but we will endure. Alexei, if you would extend Parma over Ulrich, I would appreciate it. I can cover both, but doing so would make it very ineffective. Our enemies would look for an opportunity to attack as soon as we leave the Aegis. I am only hoping that they are not prepared for our method of departure." Ra'am extends his Parma of Elizabeth, and (assuming Alexei does so) after Alexei has extended his Parma over Ulrich indicates they should sit. Ra'am asks one of the humiliores to open the doors to the balcony and then says a few words in a language that Alexei doesn't understand, but Ulrich can recognize as Hebrew, and the carpet folds up about a foot on each edge and rises into the air "Hold on." he says as he grabs a rope and indicates everyone should do the same, and then the carpet is off out of the manor house and circling the manor higher and higher. After a few moments the tell-tale tingle of the Aegis fades from Alexei and they keep climbing. Eventually they turn towards what appears to be due north.
En route, Ulrich is going to practice his Concentration. He will create a single rose, with D: Concentration, and try to maintain it as long as he can while still doing whatever.
Alexei extends his Parma over Ulrich gladly, happy to change the subject of his poorly received joke. He would have to be more careful in the future. At the mention of an attack, Alexei looks surprised. "Truly?" he says and attaches the spear point to his staff. "If there is danger, would you care to have some additional protection for you or your daughter and apprentice? I can cast spells to enhance the durability of their clothes or even give them a suit of armour." he looks at the carpet. "Would it handle the extra weight? If there's any trouble I will be happy to assist, but I leave that to your discretion, I don't want to make a delicate situation worse by laying into it too heavily or in the wrong direction."
"I don't think armor is at all necessary. None of us are trained to function in armor. You have sufficient combat capability to be able to interdict action while we deploy our magical prowess. I had weighed the need to take grogs, but decided it was unnecessary. Should Valerian have decided to attack us, it likely would have as we crossed the Aegis. Of course, the bottom of the carpet is dyed to look the color of the sky, so it helps evade mundane detection."
Alexei is nodding as he assesses Ra'am's desires on this but freezes at the mention of Valerian's name. "A moment...did you say Valerian? The Hoplite? That bastard is laying siege to your Covenant?! I mean...is he here now?"
"He or one of his lieutenants. Someone's always about on pretense of business with the Mercere House. The Guernicus conspiracy is vast, Alexei. We expect them to lie low, since they eliminated Apollodorus. They will likely come at us obliquely or from an unexpected direction. If this were anyone else, someone that we didn't know, asking me for a favor, I wouldn't have been so willing to help."
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