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Post Thanksgiving, early December and it's a balmy 70-80 degrees outside. Izzy has already separated from Richard and Maya and taken the heart's blood elsewhere while Richard has decided he needs to visit home. Maya wakes early, while it's stil warm, and gets a shower. Yes, it is still warm but luckily in winter the humidity doesn't cling the way it does during the rest of the year. When Maya returns, Richard is awake also, having opened a window, he stands half-naked looking out at the coastal Georgia night sky. Maya slips her arms around his waist, skin gliding sensually over his. "Mmmm. Evening, love!" Richard takes his first breath of the night as Maya puts her arms around him and he lets it out in a sigh. "So much has changed. You say, "Like...?" Richard says, "Like I've heard there is a Prince here... there was once I never would have known what a vampire was and now my entire life is just another part of a Vampire domain." Maya nods and caresses you, gently. "It hurts, huh?" Richard says, "It's just... it almost rapes the memory." Maya listens, stroking your belly and chest. Richard sighs again. "So I thought we'd go over to the Elysium tonight. All of this stuff with mom and...Josh... I need some distance. You say, "Fine with me, love." Richard says, "Do you like boats?" You say, "I like 'em fine..why?" Richard says, "Because from what I found out before we drove down from Jacksonville, the Elysium is on a boat" You say, "You're kidding." Richard nods. "Nope...and... I'm afraid you're going to have to dress up." You say, "In what? I'm kinda low on dresses right now." Richard looks over his shoulder and smiles. "Look in the closet." Maya lets go of you and backs up a step, turning toward the closet door. "You didn't." Richard says, "Well, let's just say that while you and Izzie were saying you goodbyes.... well, I had to do something to entertain myself." Maya blushes slightly. "You could have asked to join in.." Maya heads toward the closet and peeks inside. Richard says, "No, I couldn't. She told me if I did she would beat my head in with my staff." You say, "That's Izzie. Well, I for one would have welcomed you..." Richard says, "She wanted some time just for you and yours and her and hers." In the closet are several stylish dresses picked out to accentuate all of the myriad good qualities she has. Maya gasps softly and picks out a flapper-cut one. "You want to see my legs, don't you?" Richard says, "I think it would be a shame if the whole world missed your legs. I'm sure you won't mind considering that little stunt you pulled in Europe." Maya sorts through the dresses and picks out a sexy number that she'd never be caught undead in normally, and grins at you. "How's this?" Richard smiles softly. "Yummy. I'll have to keep everyone else's fangs off of you the entire night." You say, "Did you get makeup for the Eye, just in case?" She touches the new eyespot on her forehead. "It's small, but..." Richard says, "I'm sure I have some mascera or something in my case." You say, "No, silly, I mean to hide it." Richard smiles. "Ok...but I'm sure I have something that you could cover it with." Maya nods. "Well, I want to enjoy having a bare forehead just a bit longer.." Richard says, "Well, lets get dressed then. If we don't get there soon, they'll pull out of dock without us." Maya nods, slipping into the dress and turning for you to zip her up. Richard does so. "You get dressed faster than any woman I've ever known. Much faster than me at least." You say, "Easy to when you start naked." She ducks into the bathroom to apply makeup, returning shortly. "Ready when you are." Richard looks down at his still mostly naked form and sighs. "Give me a towel and see what's on TV while I go through MY ritual." He rolls his eyes, gives Maya and pinch on the ass and ducks into the bathroom. Maya does so, turning it to a music channel. In a much longer time than Maya, Richard is fully dressed and ready to go. He spins around in front of Maya. "Well? I know it'm my old standby but what do you think?' You say, "You look lovely, hon. Absolutely lovely." Maya straightens the collar slightly. Richard sighs. "Been a long time..." Richard says, "Feels almost like I was getting ready for a night at the Delirium." You say, "Well, let's enjoy it, then." Richard smiles and hugs you. "Ok. Let's go then." He picks up the usual wallet, keys to the rental-car and anything else that might be useful and heads out with Maya. Maya traipses after you, sighig at the beauty of the scenery at night. They drive a mile or so down coastal-highway 17 and then Richard turns the car onto the Causeway, it's high bridges giving a great view of the marshes at night - the more beautiful view of them during the day a mere memory. Maya leans into your arm, watching the moon rise. As the car comes down onto the St. Simons part end of the Causeway, Richard pulls into an area filled with boats and restaurants just on the marsh side of the waterway separating it from the island. He parks and from the car one can see two large paddleboat's reminiscent of the Mississippi and Mark Twain stories. Maya slips her hand into yours. "Don't let me trip in these heels on the boards, OK?" Richard smiles. "Don't worry, if you fall, I'll catch you. Though I may not be able to help where my hands find palces to hold onto." He winks in a conspiratorial way and gets out of the car to go around and open your door. Maya swings out in her best Hollywood-actress style. Richard looks down at Maya's legs. "That's what I've been waiting for." He takes maya's hand and leads her up the boardwalk towards one of the boats marked as the Hesse. Maya walks neatly and with no sign of being about to trip. Her legs flash white in the moonlight. Richard takes Maya up onto the boat as he looks around, clearly impressed. He leans over and whispers to her. "I never got to come to the place before, well, you know." He chuckles. "It all makes a weird kind of sense now." Maya nods, eyes darting around the area. She makes the now-ritual scan of entry and exit points. Francesca drifts amoung the people having absolutly no trouble in her heals. She wanders around, echanging small talk, as she sips her drink. Richard pulls Maya into the crowd of people. The boat is layed out with a main foyer and dining area. To the head of the ship is a not-so-high catwalk that leads up to the captain's area and to the back of the boat there is a dance floor which separates the dining area from the currently unoccupied gambling area. The lights are also dimmed over the casino area to discourage people from wandering over. waitresses move in and out of the crowd giving out drinks and taking back empty glasses, tips, and the occassicaly lewd suggestion. Maya casts a glance at her escort. "Do you want to dance, love?" Richard casts a glance back. "As long as you keep your clothes on." Maya mock pouts. "You're no fun." She snags a glass from a passing server and "sips." Francesca sees quite a few people she recognizes, most of the Toreador clique is here, and even that Ventrue fellow from the other island deemed us worthy to present himself. Somewhere around here her current 'domitor' lurks, schmoozing no doubt. As usual, the Prince does not make an appearance which means that everyone is much more at ease. Richard says, "I'm lots of fun. I just don't want them to throw us overboard." Richard leads maya over to the dance floor regardless. Maya casts a smile over the crowd, her looks now drawing attention. The boat begins to gear up to pull away from land. Obviously Maya and Richard JUSt made it in time. There is a cheer from the crowd as the night's festivities are underway and the ship sets it's course for international waters. Francesca finds a group to talk to - well away from her current 'domitor', but in a circle with a few Ventrue and their senior servitors. Her domitor, Lacey, is courting another Toreador with lots of money. From where she is, Francesca can see a few of the Toreador begin to gather to one side of the room. Occassionally one or two of them will turn and look over towards Richard and Maya. As the ship gets further and further away from shore, the group gets bigger. Where it was one or two is is now 4 or 5, all surrounding someone obscured in the center. Maya whispers in Richard's ear "We've been noticed by the harpies." Richard says, "We should be used to it by now." As her group begins to break up, Fran decides to wander over to see what is up. Maya applauds at the end of each song, but keeps herself where she's easily seen...by everyone. At the center of the clique of Toreador there is a man of medium build, handsome for sure. Amoung his accessories are a pair of jet black gloves, a black leather doo-rag type of headpiece and a young looking, pretty native american woman at his shoulder. Francesca drifts around the outside, listening, watching. The man says, "They look very well for two who were rumored to be dead. Though, I never thought I'd see a Prince who would abandon their domain so easily...." Maya turns to regard the speaker. Francesca quirks her eyebrow, turning to look at Maya and Richard. Devlin Sinclair raises a glass of 'red wine' of course to his lips and half-smiles over the rim of his glass at Maya and Richard. Richard looks over his shoulder as Maya turns, regarding the harpies for the first time. He mumbles to himself. "My gods, I had forgotten he was from the same area I was..." Maya tilts her head and smiles slightly. "Devlin Sinclair. What a surprise." She puts an edge to her voice that lends credence to her "lineage." "I hadn't seen you since you abandoned your place." Francesca does what all successful ghouls learn early on. She fades into the crowd - staying close enough to listen. This is, afterall, rather intrigueing, but she draws no attention to herself. She watches faces and files away names for later. Devlin pulls Nicky along with him as he walks over towards Maya and Richard. A few of the Toreador follow along, completing the entourage. "Well, your FORMER domain was a little bit stuffy for my tastes but it is GOOD to see my old friends still alive and well and not dead as is to be believed." Richard mmhmms. Yeah. Right. Sure. Ok. Uhhuh. "And here we thought you had found something useful to do with your unlife Devlin." The groups is quickly found uninteresting by the rest of the carousers as the Casino lights brighten and the casino tables are filled. Apparently, international waters have been crossed. Maya says softly "Indeed. It's hard to beleive your eyes on occasion."
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