Being A Little Nicer

They sat in silence for a moment. Briar was stewing with anger after his declaration while he simply contemplated his next words. He was watching her closely as he did so, which she promptly ignored. Her eyes set on the newspaper clipping as she tried her best to not say more insulting things. The vampire didn't know why she cared now when she was alright with doing so since he broke her out of the cave. 

"Yaknow..." The nymph turned to look over her shoulder to hear what he had to say. Looking at him too closely just heightened her senses. "Everything ever written about you has been good. How selfless you were in trying to take down a group that was hundreds of years older than you." 

Walter stopped talking in a long enough pause so she could reply to the sentiment. Perhaps he was alluding to a silent question, though she didn't want to indulge that. 

"I can only keep to myself so much, Walter, but we should have gone over this. This topic will only bring you and I pain." She took a deep breath through the mouth to make sure she wasn't inhaling the smell of his blood. Breathing wasn't a necessity but was calming in a way, so it was a practice she continued to use. "Those that talk of me like I'm some sort of peacemaker are the same that decided it was better that I dwelled deep within the Earth's surface. Understandably so."

His brows furrowed in confusion, though she could tell he still had some understanding. Perhaps he had thought about this once or twice already and simply wanted the confirmation. That or he could have thought she didn't know any better and was trying to make her feel better or feel embarrassed with how she was acting now. Either way, the answers were the same. 

Briar curled into herself. Her knees tucked into her chest with her chin laying on top of it. Her messy hair curtained around her in a protective barrier while she continued to eye him with a mismatched gaze. 

"When you go to the funeral of someone you have never liked, you still speak of them in a good light so as to not disturb the dead." Briar grinned happily that her comparison was basically on the nose. Even for people of this generation. "It's similar to that. They put me in my own little box. Sealed me plenty more than six feet deep. Then wrote only of my purity in hopes that I would not be able to crawl my way out. Is it not funny how fate has its own plans?"

The only flaw with his coven's plan was that it wasn't only their story to tell. Her presence in society wasn't small or quiet. In her prime, many knew her by name and feared her for it. Scriptures were made all over the planet to beware of her appearance. If any of them did at least a little research, they would know better than this.

"What do you practice?" Walter slid his eyes over her way from where they were stuck on the floor in front of him. Briar was still watching him closely through her hair settled in front of her. "Obviously, I had seen you hex a human before but that's not what I'm looking for. Do you use a pendulum? Or Tarot Cards? I remember a witch that was able to use them without fail every time. What I'm asking is; do you practice speaking to the universe for your answers?"

He ran his thumb underneath his cheekbone. It seemed it was difficult to understand her fast words through his tired mind. "I work with the pendulum, yes? It's more we speak with our ancestors than the universe, but whatever floats your boat." He seemed only slightly offended that she didn't know how a pendulum worked. For an "all-knowing vampire hybrid," she really was missing out on a few of the major information. Though she didn't care too much on the in depth parts of the science behind witchcraft since it wasn't something she really needed to overthrow the council. "Would you like me to grab it?"

"And your pendulum board, if you will. Saves a piece of paper, saves a tree." He nodded and left to his alter in his room without questioning her madness. If he was going to be talking in a sweeter manner to her, she was happy to return the favor. 

Briar was starting to realize that she came into all of this in an all-too-aggressive manner. She was going to have to tone it back. It was his life she was forcing her way into. Not only that but his people needed to be slightly on her side through all this mess. Now that he had bound them through the spell, it shouldn't be that hard to keep him at her side.

He came back with his pendulum and the pendulum board and placed it on the coffee table. The television was turned off by the nymph that was currently staring him down. He placed his things, including a single white candle that resided at the corner of his television stand, down quickly before taking his seat again in one of the arm chairs. 

He swung the pendulum softly, so that the pointed crystal at the end traced the round, wooden pendulum board. The yeses were away and towards him on the board and the noes were left and right. Unknown was one of the two diagonals and the other was maybe.

"Was there something specific you needed to ask?" He said, trying to only focus on getting an answer to her questions. Most of witchcraft is the intent that was put into the work you do. His eyes turned her way when she said nothing, "It's much easier if you let me know what you want to ask, so I can also put my energy into the pendulum."

She didn't turn to acknowledge the man and instead watched down at the magic of the pendulum. He stared at her with his head cocked to the side, waiting for some sort of hint to what they were looking for. However, all he got was a large and victorious grin that stretched on her lips. 

This was his cue to look down at the board, sitting shocked when he found that the pendulum was already swinging to indicate a clear "yes". 

"You can say I have a lot of energy to work with, Wallie." She gave a genuine smile while she rubbed at her tired eyes. "Magic always gives me a happy tingle down my spine." Well, it usually did. Things like the brand on her wrist was a little painful along with being trapped in the cave, but usually it was a pleasant experience.

"By that grin, should I be worried about what you asked?" The pendulum continued to swing in his hands so he pulled the thin chain back up into the palm of his hands. His expression was set into a grim line as he looked down at the magic utensil in his hands. 

She chuckled, shaking her head at the witchling. "No need to worry about anything I'm doing, Wallie. I assure you, I will be on my best behavior." She lifted her right hand with a grin that showed off her fangs. He seemed to only frown further at the show. Her head cocked to the side, letting the facade drop just as quickly as it came. "If anything I do will connect to you, Walter, I will let you know." 

He leaned back with his arms crossed over his chest. His expression was skeptical at most, though she didn't let that get to her. She watched him with the same curled up position and a neutral grin. "What's with the sudden change of heart?" 

Her eyes narrowed for a moment, "Would you rather I continue to threaten you at every chance I get? Because it would be rather easy to get that done if that's what you'd prefer." He sat there watching as if she was a snake rearing back to take a bite. She hummed at his rude stare, "I am a lady above all else, Walter. I realize I have intruded on your life - with your insistence - and I am not one to take generosity for granted." 

"That's… New." He seemed more worried now that she had decided to be polite enough. 

"However, you have broken my trust on multiple occasions," she said with a flash of the brand on her hand, "So I will be polite with you if you decide to be polite with me. I will no longer go out of my way to snap at you." She moved so her forehead was resting against her knees as if she was cutting the conversation short. 

"My coven has sent out an official meeting request." There was the sound of Walter setting paper onto the coffee table. She didn't look, let her mind settle for a moment as she thought over the answer she had gotten from the pendulum. Life was easier when one could tell the future. That was one of the reasons she avoided that type of magic. An eternal life wasn't any fun without being surprised around every corner. 

She already made her choice on meeting with his coven. It was something she was going to have to endure at some point. The only thing that sucked was the fact that she had to endure being pressured into working with them so early on. This was her second day as one with the living again and they were ruining it with their persistence.

He sighed as she didn't respond and it sounded like he shifted in his seat. "I'll go out to get you some proper clothing, it would be nice if you let me know what size you are. If you don't want to tell me, I'll just get stuff on the bigger side and it will be a little baggy on you." They sat in silence again for a moment, her eyelids growing heavier with every moment that passed. "I'll have to get you your own shampoo and conditioner as well. Do you have any preferences on the scent? I know you vampires have sensitive noses."

Her head rose for a second, surprised that he would care enough to ask. Perhaps since she was turning a new leaf he decided to do so as well? "I love citrus," she basically whispered to the witch across from her. He nodded in acknowledgement. Briar sat up a little taller with his easy agreement, "When I have proper clothing, may I go shopping with you? I would like to experience any changes from my time that I can." 

"Yeah," he said with a shrug, "That's no problem. That's what I offered to help you with when I brought you to my home anyway." 

Briar celebrated in her mind quietly, only showing a small grin on her lips. "Lovely! And tell your coven I will visit when I please. There is no need to rush as I have no plans to form any sort of alliance with them." She rested her head back down so her voice was muffled by her own skin, "The more someone attempts to convince me of one way or the other the more I do not want to follow said orders." 

"I completely understand, but you know why I had to let you know," the witch offered in explanation. She did know, very well. Before being locked up down in the cave, she had many friends that were of witch blood. Each one of them were wonderful in their own way except for when it came to orders from the coven. They lost family and friends due to their matriarch's words striking them down. Some were even forced to come after Briar and she was forced to retaliate in unimaginable ways. At some point she just tried to avoid friending the like. 

"Yes, I am aware," the hybrid grumbled. "I pity you and your connection to your coven. While it is nice to know there are people that will guard your soul, you will never feel the full extent of the freedom of independence." 

"Is that why you never joined a… What do you call a group of vampires?" 

Briar took in a deep breath as she thought about the question. There were only bad memories deep down that rabbit hole. Did she care to talk about any of that at the moment? No. She just wanted to take a nap. However, she found it hard for her to let him think in all her time alive that she didn't at least attempt to join a vampire's coven. So, she let out the long breath, knowing she had to comment. 

"I have joined one."