"I see. And I suppose you think it's an acceptable expenditure of everyone's time for us to wait upon a grog so that you can hear the report before we cover other business at hand. Just like your pater. I disagree, so we are moving on for the moment. You can speak with Marcus when he arrives."
Samuel chews on his lower lip. "I'm-- I don't know. I would prefer to know that I can stay close to home until I'm grown up. But-- even if it's only a temporary situation, that's still preferable to being shipped off somewhere I've never been before."
Liliana shrugs. "It is a covenant charter. The skin of at least a dozen sheep is dedicated merely to defining a Code of Conduct for all members. For example, it is technically a violation of the charter not to say "God bless you" when you hear someone sneeze, or to wear slippers instead of cobbled shoes. He's actually got a dress code in there as well... Magus Justinius felt that magi should declare their station by their dress, and thus all magi are required to wear robes publicly. There was no greater way to offend him than to wear trousers in his presence. The poor man never could adjust to living in a mixed covenant, and I believe that having such a frivolous charter helped him feel optimistic that we would all shape up to be prim and proper little Tremere soldiers for him." There is a strange sound then, much like the gurgling of a hot spring steaming through a snowy riverbank, and it takes a moment before you realize that sound is Liliana's laughter. "We have all been a terrible disappointment to him, I fear. Regardless, your concern is understandable. I signed this document more decades ago than I care to count, and the only time I have ever regretted it was once when he actually pressed charges against me for calling little Sophia here by her birth name. 'Discipulus' indeed. The good Quaesitor charged me five pawns of vis for the low crime of violating a covenant charter." She fills a cup with tea, and passes it to Sophronia along with a honeycake, and then pinches the maga's cheek like some batty old aunt. "It was well worth it, I think. He needed to learn that no amount of knowledge will ever allow anyone to control their environment entirely." She turns back to Cygna and her eyes glitter with mistrust. "Regardless, little swan, if you fear to sign, no one here will attempt to force you. I'm sure Duos Flumen would be happy to have you back, though I regret that your Hermetic pater would not be there to welcome you." Her unnaturally pointed teeth glisten as she smiles.
[i]((This is about the time that Attravere, Aequi and Sophronia all notice that Liliana has changed quite a bit from how you remember her. She always had an unnatural sort of beauty, typical among fae, but her teeth were certainly not sharp, her eyes were unnaturally blue but they didn't look like someone shoved a pair of sapphires into her head, and while she had been pale before, her skin didn't look like it was crafted out of porcelain.
Her personality is a bit different as well. She had always been kind and motherly but occasionally capricious (at least where Leona was not concerned), but now she seems more reserved and distant. Her unmasked loathing for Leona is completely unchanged, though.))[/i]