Alexis Petrovna

Thu 04:46PM EST
Taiga. At the edges of the Tundra in the farthest north, they lay a forest that is chistened in shimmering ice along thin, leaveless trees. Frost dances in the very air that is breathed, artic cold pulled deep into lungs and crystalizing there. There is no margin for error, there is no soft warmth and shadowed days. There is only Taiga.
Just as now, there is only Alexis.
There may be those who walk the same walk as she, there may be those who consider themselves her better, there may even be those who would look down on the slender girl. She? doesn't care.
Steady steps click bootheels over cement, steady stride eat the walk under her feet. A hand swings free at her side, the other tucked into the pocket leather jacket for warmth. Dark eyes under darker hair that is uplled back into a single braid to hang down midback. Strong jawline, high cheekbones.... one word describes her motion and being.
Royalty.
A paper is pulled from her pocket, and glanced at again, a quick look around assuring she moves in the correct direction. Some elite diner that allows its patrons a margin of privacy. Another meeting in a long line of meetings that will establish her presense here in New Jersey. Full lips curve into slight smile, gaze hints at haughty, as door is pulled open, and she steps within.
Upon being questioned by the hostess, and her name given as the Reservation name, she is led to a secluded table near the back. Heads turn as she moves by - and turn back upon meeting her gaze (never directly stare at royalty) She's here first. Which is how she likes it. Leather jacket is slipped off, revealing silk shirt beneath tucked neatly into dark slacks. She slides into her seat, laquered nails tapping the table. And waits.


Simon

Thu 04:49PM EST
*He walks along with Konrad. Tall and broad shouldered but slender of hip. Dressed in the olive today. Black boots polished. Olive pants with a rust colored stripe. A long jacket in a stern military cut, olive with rust colored accents. A rust colored cowl over his head leaving most ofhis face in shadow. Hands clad in fingerless gloves clasped behind his back as he goes* So I'm faking a limp now... * as he walks totally unhindered.*


Konrad Vrdoljiak

Thu 05:00PM EST
Konrad is never right on time, and he's never, ever early. It's always good to keep them waiting a little. Lets you see if they're alone, what they're like; gives you the option of simply turning around and walking away if it doesn't meet your expectations.

Through the glass separating the restaurant floor from the entryway, Konrad can see the woman seated at the table. It's obvious enough what and who she is. No other in the diner gave off that particular aura of nobility. No other kept the humans away so effectively with barely a glance. There's a moment of silent appraisal, and then he turns to the hostess, checking in. Obviously, Alexis has passed the initial scan.

"For the neighbors?" Konrad replies to Simon as the hostess leads them through the restaurant, and to the table where Alexis sits. In his black slacks, fitted grey pullover, tailored leather coat - European cut, designed to downplay what would otherwise be an intimidating physique; no studs and spikes, bells and whistles for him - he's a far cry from Simon's elite paramilitary look. Nevertheless, the three of them are three of a kind.

Konrad stops before the table and dismisses the hostess with a polite smile before pulling out one chair for himself, another for Simon. "Alexis Petrovna. I'm Konrad. This is Simon. Thank you for meeting us here."


Simon

Thu 05:02PM EST
Indeed. * he nods and looks down at the woman once they get there. As if measuring her.*


Alexis Petrovna

Thu 05:06PM EST
They appear (finally) And nails hesitate midtap, and dark gaze looks up. She does not rise to meet and greet them, she does not do anything for a moment as they are weighed and judged by some internal scale that they all know and understand. Full lips, painted a soft nuetral tone that enhances their shape all the same, curve into the slightest of smiles.
A nod. "Konrad, Simon.A pleasure."
Perhaps it is, perhaps it isn't, tone is carefully neutral on that fact, and she gestures to them to take a seat that they are already in the midst of taking. "join me." Even in the... inviting tone, her voice holds that nobility, the expectation that her wishes be fulfilled. Instantly. Though it is somewhat tempered by this meeting with those higher in station then herself.


Simon

Thu 05:07PM EST
*He bows his head. Letting Konrad choose his seat and then sitting himself. Hands coming from behind his back to gently flip the cowl back. Reveiling pale green eyes and black hair in a ceaser cut*


Konrad Vrdoljiak

Thu 05:21PM EST
He doesn't ask further about the limp, the neighbors, any of it. This is neither the place nor the time, and Alexis was not yet one of them. Konrad slides out of the coat and drops it across the back of the outside chair, then steps aside for Simon to take the inner. When the No-Moon has stepped past, he lowers himself controlledly, neither dropping into the chair nor cringing into it, and tugs the sleeves of the grey pullover up a half-inch on powerful forearms. Coatless now, his torso is thick and powerful, his arms corded under the shirt, an Ahroun's oppressive build to the Ragabash's dangerous litheness. For all that, there's a certain smoothness to his motion, a grace.

"Pleasure's mine." Konrad's wide, high cheekbones bespeak his eastern european heritage, his pure breeding; nonetheless, his accent is, if anything at all, faintly british. Family tutors, you see, fit for kings. Nothing less would do for the scion of the Vrdoljiaks. "My family spoke well of you. What's your business in this city?"

It's a meeting between strangers, domineering personalities on all sides. Though this occurs in human form, the tension, the possibility of mutually devastating disagreements, lurks just as strong as it had nights ago, when Konrad met Simon. This tension isn't drained in the slightest by the waitress who comes around to take their order. The Ahroun looks down at the menu, flipping idly through it for no more than a moment before deciding on a rib-eye steak preceded by french onion soup, accompanied by red wine.


Alexis Petrovna

Thu 05:30PM EST
She watches, she studies, she learns. Every movement, every action has an equal and oppisite reaction, and all are vitally important in the discection of the human form.
The slight, bare smile remains over lips, her eyes watching the clear leader of the two - aside from the occasional glance that includes him into the conversation.
About his family, she nods. "And mine of you." Her voice is a soft silken burr of heavy accent. Though English is achieved with perfection, grammar and inflection correct at all times, the Russian homeland is pure in her veins, and her accent reflects that.
Shepauses while orders are made - for herself, a filet mignon with spinach salad and mustard dressing, red wine as well. And then she continues to wait as Simon orders, and the waitress walks away.
"My Cousin in Georgia requested that I come, and assure my families presense here in New Jersey. It has been said that the area lacks leadership and drive. In short, they lack our leadership. I have been sent to aid in achieving such." Simple enough.


Konrad Vrdoljiak

Thu 05:34PM EST
In short, they lack our leadership. Konrad laughs at that, and laughs so easily that it would be the simplest thing underestimate the importance of the question immediately following - delivered gentle, musing, amused, "To aid?"


Simon

Thu 05:36PM EST
*He watches the woman. Sniffs the air gently. Nos motions all econimic and seemingly to happen when your not looking. More than a little disconcerning. He orders a Porterhouse, rare, patato and water.

After that he sits and listens. An orator he typically wasn't.*


Alexis Petrovna

Thu 05:40PM EST
Brow arches, slowly, and sly smile rakes across her lips before sliding back into more natural halfsmile/smirk. A glance to Simon, then to Konrad. "You have begun a Pack. You need members who are as used to leading as they are to following orders to the letter. You need me." Lean shoulders roll in slight shrug as she leans back in her chair. While Konrad has burly bulldoggish strength, and Simon litheness, her's is a quiet understated power that resonates from within. Her frame lean, slender, it is her presence that speaks of strength of will - something so few have any longer.
"I have been assured you have plans for this area that will coincide with the Petrovich family's plans. So much that I am now here."


Simon Kovach

Thu 05:43PM EST
*He smiles at her surredness. Pale green eyes a touch amused by it. He looks to Konrad and back to her. Not voicing "That's yet to be seen" but watching her. So far.. she wasn't doing badly*


Konrad Vrdoljiak

Thu 05:45PM EST
Burly bulldoggish?
Jesu, he'd be insulted by that.

Leaning back in his chair, Konrad folds his arms across his chest and regards Alexis with that smile on his face, bemused. He doesn't need to look at Simon to know the look on his face, and in his eyes. Aloud, "We need you." Gentle, laughing, merciless. "My, you've a high estimate of yourself, daughter of Piotr."


Alexis Petrovna

Thu 05:50PM EST
"And you do not of yourself?" Smirked, slightly, as brow cocks just a touch over dark eye. "There are many others that have petitioned my Family for my aid. They felt you would benifit most. Do you deny their wisdom in such matters?"


Simon Kovach

Thu 05:54PM EST
Denigh the wizdom of others asking for your help or that we would benifit most? ** Accent thickly croatian*


Konrad Vrdoljiak

Thu 05:55PM EST
Konrad keeps his silence as his packmate speaks, waiting for her answer to that before speaking again.


Alexis Petrovna

Thu 05:57PM EST
The chuckle rolls soft from her throat as she fixes her gaze on Simon fully. Studying him for a long moment. "Surely you cannot deny that you would benefit from others with strengths such as mine more so then others have petitioned. They have sent their best to become one with you. They have sent me. Should you deny this gift, there are others who wait in line."


Simon Kovach

Thu 06:03PM EST
I do not denigh that we would benifit from your strengths. But I know not if your weakness' out weigh them. * he smiles softly* hince my question. I do not often let others words stand fully on a matter of such importance. I like to see for my self.


Konrad Vrdoljiak

Thu 06:04PM EST
"We do not deny the wisdom of our elders," Konrad interjects now, his voice a smooth, low thing, surprisingly pleasing to the ear. "But we assume nothing, either. We do not scramble to accept a packmate merely because she tells us she is the best there is. That is not our way, and... I seriously doubt it was ever yours." Laughing, "You are testing us, aren't you, Alexis Petrovna?

"Very well. A test for a test. We have all proven our worth to join the Tribe. Prove now your worth to us, Alexis, to join the pack. Half-moon, aren't you?"


Alexis Petrovna

Thu 06:09PM EST
She continues to watch Simon, and chin dips in slight nod before laughter is born as Konrad speaks. Again she leans back, slender legs crossing, fingers assuring the crease remains perfectly aligned over strong thigh with sweep of fingers. "Da." Simple word, simple russian, and it answers both questions. Her study now rests completley on Konrad, and she nods.


Simon Kovach

Thu 06:16PM EST
*The pale green eyes hold her look till she looks away*


Konrad Vrdoljiak

Thu 06:17PM EST
"Da," repeats Konrad, a quiet, solemn sort of agreement before the smile traces over his lips again. "Rest assured, if this pack is worthy in the eyes of Thunder, we will soon have someone for you to judge."

Business concluded, all before their appetizers are brought on the table. As their food is laid out steaming before them, Konrad flicks his napkin open and spreads it over his lap. A grin is flashed at his tribemates. "Now. Let's eat."


Simon Kovach

Thu 06:19PM EST
to Konrad Vrdoljiak, Alexis Petrovna: *he nods and sips his water. Waiting for Konrad to start* Target aquisition has been made...


Konrad Vrdoljiak

Thu 06:20PM EST
to Alexis Petrovna, Simon Kovach: Konrad stirs his french onion soup, pushing the cheeseladen bread down into the broth. "Whom?" - without bothering to explain to Alexis. She's a smart girl. She'll understand soon enough. They each had a role to play, and the key was meshing.


Simon Kovach

Thu 06:22PM EST
to Konrad Vrdoljiak, Alexis Petrovna: A Strider whom I also belive is Bastet. Many insults have been levied by them and him in peculair


Alexis Petrovna

Thu 06:22PM EST
to Konrad Vrdoljiak, Simon Kovach: A nod, and she waits a moment, allowing Konrad the first bite, before she digs into her own, listening carefuly around careful, enat bites, and sips of her wine.


Konrad Vrdoljiak

Thu 06:26PM EST
to Alexis Petrovna, Simon Kovach: Slicing a chunk of steak off the slab, he raises an eyebrow at Simon. "Insults?"


Simon Kovach

Thu 06:28PM EST
to Konrad Vrdoljiak, Alexis Petrovna: Many and varied. From saying the Margrave is with out honor, to calling us a pack of liers and plage on the nation.


Konrad Vrdoljiak

Thu 06:32PM EST
to Alexis Petrovna, Simon Kovach: The other eyebrow joins the first. Seems he's more amused than anything. Maybe he's easygoing like that. Maybe he likes the idea of bloodsport.

"Friendly fellow, isn't he? We'll get ahold of this one. Then it's your show, Half Moon." Steak is washed down with wine as he ignores the side dishes utterly in favor of red meat. His mother used to nag him about that. Then he Changed, and all the nagging stopped. Teasingly perhaps (or perhaps not--) "Can you handle it?"


Alexis Petrovna

Thu 06:33PM EST
to Konrad Vrdoljiak, Simon Kovach: She listens, and she - unlike the bulldoggish mannered one - cleans all her plate, washing it down with the wine. Again - a single word answer. "Da." Confident, strong - very sure of herself.


Simon Kovach

Thu 06:34PM EST
to Konrad Vrdoljiak, Alexis Petrovna: *He nods* That was setteled. *he smiles. Thinking this should be fun*


Konrad Vrdoljiak

Thu 06:35PM EST
And for that, a laugh, not unappreciative. He likes a woman (a packmate) that's sure of herself. He'd like it even better if her confidence wasn't unwarranted.

"We'll see." Then, mirroring Simon's thoughts, "This should be interesting."