"The greatest of struggles begins now.  We shall not insist you stay any longer than you must here in this room, but know that your new ruler shall be chosen a month hence.  Should you leave of your own will or die, you will, of course, be removed from consideration."  The king concluded, re settling himself and turning to his wife who rose to address the large group.<br/><br/>"At this time, I invite the feminine ivy to separate from the masculine oak and join me in passing of smoke.  Please accompany me into the next room."  She wafted through the crowd like a fine leaf on the gentlest of breezes.  She moved through the door and down the stone hall to a marbled frame with two white wood doors with gold pulls.<br/><br/>A human servant held the door for the vampiresses to pass through.  If the last room was overwhelmingly red, this one was strikingly blue.  Blue velvet apolstry and curtains, blue silk sofa throws, royal blue paint on the walls and a plush navy rug depicting monochromatic vines and chrysanthemums.  In the middle was a round table of dark wood at about waist level.  The blue velvet chairs sat fanned around it, facing a large hookah of blue glass and gold trim.  It had also been prepared with sweet smelling honied tobacco.<br/><br/>"Please sit, enjoy."  Thothcapel perched herself like a regal pheonix in the largest chair at the table and twingled the dangling gems around her golden main.  She was a lioness in her den, and it was clear that she was not one to be tred on.<br/><br/>_______________________________<br/><br/>"Oh I know you would never do anything to harm her, I was merely making jest.  I'll go and fetch my horse."  She handed the saddle to Sofia and smiled.  "I assume you know how to apply this to the back of the beast.  It is decorum to allow a human servent to do so,  but they're so awkward and they bumble so!"  She continued down the line until she came to the second to the last stall.<br/><br/>In the stall was a rather plump white mare with a flaxen mane.  Lilliana opened the stall and the horse trotted out into the open.  It stood, awaiting it's commands.  An almost unnatural calm and serene expression passed over the mare, as it knew it would be gluiding along the paths soon enough.<br/><br/>"May I introduce Damona, my riding horse for nearly seven years.  I have known her since she was a colt and supervised her maturity into marehood.  I almost exclusively ride her, and when I choose to ride another, she becomes jealous.  Even though I sometimes find her in poor health.  She has had many children."  She stroked the golden mane and the horse nuzzled her sweetly.<br/><br/>_____________<br/><br/>Eurich sighed contentedly and returned to the slate.  "Both subjects occasionally cross paths, and those are the instances in which I find contentment. knowledge is a bitter potion I cannot seem to fill myself with consistanly enough."  He realized it was a long sentiment, but one that drew from his depths.  Something that he didn't get to do frequently enough.  He looked apologetically to the lad as he passed him back the slate.