<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span style="font-size: 12px">There are very few human pleasures in this world that the undead ruler values - most of them involving some level of intoxication or other mental stimulant. Relaxation is not what he would consider a "fun" time. Every moment not spent to further an end, <i>tie them up</i>; is a moment spent not doing his duties as the Monarch. To be put on edge all of the time comes with the job and maybe he has always been more like this than many think. <br/>
<br/>
But that is not entirely true, is it?<br/>
<br/>
Perhaps one of the oldest human pleasures - hot baths usually serve to focus his mind and give him a chance to run through most probable possibilities and dialogue that would be exchanged in the human courtroom.<br/>
<br/>
The large marble bathhouse in all of the typical Greco-Roman decor you would expect is <i>not</i> his. By principle, most vampires avoid owning businesses or property, favoring reclusive abodes amid mountains or forests or swamps - The Monarch being the only true exception to that rule. The Vampire race is already the only to hold such an extreme amount of sway over the two human races and living among them would be beneficial as nothing more than a grand display. With them being targeted in these terrorist-extremist attacks by the ever growing Crimson population, it would not be so wise to neighbor with one.<br/>
<br/>
No, no. The bathhouse is owned by a noble Scarlet family. A show of grace offered up to the Vampires' visit. Alone in a room of steam that rises from the waters, he had made only two requests. The water should be completely clean and crystal clear from any soaps and should be drawn at the hottest possible temperature, as it was "hottest possible temperature" had been borderline boiling. How was it even possible without going through the trouble of essentially drawing each cauldron of water by itself making sure it was ideal? Maybe that is what they did. Maybe not. This is one of those few instances he doesn't have some sort of answer for and it isn't important anyway.<br/>
<br/>
What's important now - it all firmly presses down on him as he rests his arms at the rim of the bath and lets his head rest on the ground behind it. Still as a statue.<br/>
<br/>
The Monarch knows about the band of Vampires found decapitated, he knows about the Crimson ropes. This is not the first time the human population has expressed their dissatisfaction with the Pact. Though admittedly, the Pact was the fault of the Monarch before him he did not disagree with his forebear - and the new Human of the Crown, <i>Vail de Warenne</i> - he is not entirely sure exactly what her intentions are with it at this point. He had met her in passing when in delegation with her father. Based purely on the intelligence he has gathered he has a sense that all of this will eventually lead to a rewrite of the parchment that had kept the three classes in balance for several centuries.<br/>
<br/>
He could not tip the balance in his scale surely, if too many Crimson died as a meal too quickly the Vampire race would starve, and while they would not die unless killed the hunger would drive them to become feral. Nobody desires that.<br/>
<br/>
Time passes with him contemplating this all. The civil unrest. The ungratefulness of it all. How insulting. And the Pact - a monster that will hopefully be felled at a later time. <br/>
<br/>
But nobody could spend this many years on Earth without developing an internal clock. Almost as if an alarm had went off, he steadily rises from the bath. It is time.<br/>
</span></span><br/><div style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span style="font-size: 18px"><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#808080">♔</span></span></span>​</div><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><br/>
His footsteps fall at a steady pace - the halls remain void with sound. To be (metaphorically) floating above every other race in the room he would soon face does a lot for getting a listening ear. <br/>
<br/>
He did not do much after leaving the bathhouse. Combing his hair back with steady fingers it would fall into place as it usually does - a simple but sleek <a class="link link--external" data-proxy-href="/proxy.php?link=https%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FBOxLuuC.jpg&amp;hash=00789bdd3abb3f64ecd529dc8007605a" href="https://i.imgur.com/BOxLuuC.jpg" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'">ensemble</span></a> of his usual earth tones. Nondescript. He has no need for designer clothes. His presence commands respect as it is, there is no deception with his appearance at all. <br/>
<br/>
He feels a body beside him.<br/>
</span></span><br/><div style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffffff"><span style="font-size: 12px">"My Lord, dressed to the<br/>
heavens, <i>as usual</i>..."<br/>
</span></span></span>​</div><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#bfbfbf"><span style="font-size: 12px">The voice is distinctly feminine, tinged with sickly sweet sarcasm he is familiar with in only one other. <i><a class="link link--external" data-proxy-href="/proxy.php?link=https%3A%2F%2Fi.pinimg.com%2Foriginals%2F1a%2F83%2F6c%2F1a836cefbd0ea2f2acb03aa31e8d6c7b.jpg&amp;hash=0f936ea4b07ff1edea0a6bc278893fce" href="https://i.pinimg.com/originals/1a/83/6c/1a836cefbd0ea2f2acb03aa31e8d6c7b.jpg" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" target="_blank">Cassiopeia</a></i>.<br/>
<br/>
Apparently respect for her ruler does not exist in her world.<br/>
<br/>
The Vampiress that now follows his pace at his side outshines him when it comes to flash but the details are unimportant.<br/>
<br/>
</span></span></span><br/><div style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#b30000"><span style="font-size: 12px">"<i>Cassie. </i>I see the concept of remaining demure<br/>
for the sake of politics still escapes you."<br/>
</span></span></span>​</div><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#bfbfbf"><span style="font-size: 12px">Cassie. A nickname that both can't stand but is brought up anyway in his replicated sardonic response. An advisor all her own, and a woman two hundred years his senior. To an outsider, their exchange may seem venomous but she has always been this way even with The Monarch before him.</span></span></span><br/><div style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffffff"><span style="font-size: 12px"><br/>
"Of course. You would have me put to</span></span><br/>
<span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(255, 255, 255)"><span style="font-size: 12px">Final Death just upon the suspicion<br/>
of me having changed in such ways."<br/>
</span></span></span>​</div><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><div style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#b30000"><span style="font-size: 12px">"You truly don't think me so brash,</span></span></span><br/>
<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#b30000">do you? This year marks the 110th anniversary<br/>
since I have become The Monarch</span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(179, 0, 0)">. If I weren't<br/>
able to cope with you I would have given<br/>
the Final Death you so obviously long<br/>
for years ago."<br/>
<br/>
<div style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffffff"><span style="font-size: 12px">"It's not your judgement I question</span></span></span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(255, 255, 255)">.<br/>
Your patience, moreso. One of these<br/>
days you will grow tired of this.<br/>
I know I do."</span>​</div></span>​</div><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#bfbfbf">The doorway to the courtrooms loom ahead. Surely the other Royal members have already amassed, and when he makes his quiet entrance and takes his place it is confirmed.</span><br/>
<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#bfbfbf"><br/>
The Monarch tilts his head towards Vail de Warenne in acknowledgement as he passes, Cassiopeia remaining outside the doorway. He will greet her more officially after this meeting is over, but for now he wants to talk alone with the other parties no matter their company. The Vampiress will remain outside as his contingency plan only.<br/>
<br/>
Now he waits for the talks to begin, and if he knows anything at all - it's that de Warenne will want to speak first. She still has something to prove as a young queen.</span></span></span>