Viola glares back, in the way that only a half-fae with creepy violet eyes can, and puts away the quill. "Bad...for angry faeries...and villagers angry, too."
Scott
When Viola puts the quill away, Portia's expression changes from a glare to disbelieving fury.
"First, you would attempt to order me to wait upon you in some mudhole like a common servant in order to cripple my own familiar, and now you purposely deny me even the courtesy of an intelligible explanation? You, a grubby little faerie, would presume to treat a Verditius mastercraftsman so? I've had it with you, I've had it with this covenant. I'll find one that isn't a ruin in the middle of nowhere, where magi are valued as they're worth!"
She rises, grabs the charter and pen from where they lie next to Gregorius, and crosses out her name with a savage stroke. The nib breaks, and ink splatters. Then she storms towards the door.
Gregorius made no move to intervene when Portia took the charter, the expression on his face largely shocked disbelief. As Portia turns towards the door, he looks to Tasia in bewilderment.
Tasia quickly says, "We were sent here on a mission. I'm sure we can get past our grievances for the sake of the mission. Viola, Portia is right. You ask a lot of her and have all of us scrambling around after you. You are not solely in charge of this mission. It would behoove you to give us a better explanation and to work with us as sodales and not grogs." If it looks like Portia will still be heading out the door, Tasia will follow her.
Viola will wait quietly until Portia has said whatever she has to say to Tasia.
Scott
Portia spares a look back at Viola, sees that she's not inclined to say anything, and sweeps out of the door. Tasia catches her up at her room, where through the open door she can see Portia standing over an open chest. Portia looks up as she sees the quaesitor, and makes a noticable attempt to calm herself.
"Portia, can we all try to discuss this? We need to change how Viola operates. I'm sure if we all work together in a meeting now we can resolve this and everything will be fine in the end."
Portia takes a couple of deep breaths. When she speaks, it's almost calm.
"On that, I agree with you. I'm not going to send her a letter over this, but if she carries on like that she'll trigger one from someone, sooner rather than later."
"But Viola is only part of the problem. A large part, it has to be said, but this..." she waves her hand round the room..."isn't what I want to spend the next twenty years of my life doing. I'm not one of your Tremere; this isn't a mission for me. I want somewhere I can live comfortably, with proper facilities, a good line of clients and no murderous horsemen. As it is, I've got Viola, and on showing so far, guests without much more in the way of manners than she has."
"So, I'm leaving. If you want me to, I'll cast the Aegis before I leave, and individuals can discuss the creation of personal labware. But I'm leaving."
"I am sorry to see you go, but I'm sure it will all be for the best. I should be able to change Viola's attitude. Perhaps you will return one day. Good bye."
Tasia will return to the meeting. "Well, Portia is leaving. Viola, have you considered what I said?"
As Tasia leaves, Portia responds:
"Goodbye. Let me know the Council's decision on the Aegis."
Viola merely quirks a blonde eyebrow at Tasia.
Scott
((Who's there besides Tasia and Viola? Is it just the two of us?))
Viola is still in the location of the council meeting--I guess Gregorius is there.
Scott
Gregorius is still in the Council room with Viola (and now Tasia). He didn't say a word to Viola whilst Tasia was gone, and looks far from happy.
"Well, I suppose three is enough to found the covenant. This beginning isn't as auspicious as I'd hoped, but I'm sure it will work out just fine. Now that we're done with the charter, we should discuss our most immediate needs."
Gregorius nods.
"We need to elect a new leader of the covenant. Tasia, will you stand?"
Viola glowers a bit at that suggestion, probably because she was the one picked to look after Portia.
Scott
Gregorius spares Viola a glance, then looks pointedly back at Tasia.
"Although I could stand for the position, it might sometimes lead to problems as I am the local Quaesitor. As such it might be better for me to defer to someone else. Let's see what our charter indicates." Tasia will glance through the charter to see how this might apply or to see about any specifically relevant requirements or procedures.
A glance at the charter, alas, reveals that it's of little help: Portia was to have been the leader for three years, after which an election was to follow. It's the kind of dilemma that drives a good Traditionalist Quaesitor bonkers.
Scott
"Well, it doesn't look like this was written with contingencies in mind. I suppose we could look at it as saying that there is supposed to be an election once Portia steps down, and she just did, so we should hold an election. It may not have been three years, but she was the leader and has now stepped down. There are only three of us, so the election should run quickly... Yes, if it is the will of the covenant, I will serve."