Shades of Shadows [Fauna] Sam 27 - LTT

[Fauna Winthrope]

Fauna Winthrope leaned herself at the wall beside the door to Professor Baldeserrato's chamber. She was deep inside the University Campus now, inside one of the oldest towers of the Institution -- The Tower of Occult Symbolism Faculty.

She had been to two meetings this past few marks, the University Council Meeting and the one with Master Threespan, a very amiable gentleman. But they were all fools, the Dark Sorceress surmised, breathing deeply as she leaned her blonde head against the cold, gray wall.

This meeting would be nothing compared to the audiences she had a few marks ago. If before, she was able to fool the Council and the Archivist with her sunny and empty-headed exterior, they were nothing compared to Professor Baldeserrato. He was odious, odorous and Fauna had a high esteem of him. She needed to have him on her side.

Those fools! The Amunite Sorceress thought, her eyebrows frowning. If they think they can track down the deamon that easily, they're dead wrong. Fauna did not believe in an easy task and she knew that the Deamon would not fall to the same trick that was before. Even if she respected Professor Moore's ability to Scry the Deamon without it noticing him, she knew there would be more to it than just that.

Fauna sighed nervously, straightening and composing herself. This meeting would not be an easy task. It was time to unite the Shadows under one banner, united, they would be a force to be reckoned with and Professor Baldeserrato would be the key.

"No use in wasting my time." Fauna murmured to herself and then turned to face Professor Baldeserrato's door and gently rapped on it twice.

"Professor... I have returned." Was all she said quietly, waiting for him to open the door for her.

ooc: Edited appropriately, when I re-read the post, there was a wrong pattern of thought.

[Tristam]

The door opened of its own accord setting off a chorus of silver bells as it did so.

The professor was behind his large desk in the big black leather chair. Spread out before him was a slim leather-bound book with black pages with words of bone white written upon it.


On a table, with a very deep dark purple table coth, lay an crystal orb, and various charts that weren't shopping lists, but didn't look like anything else familiar either.

Professor Baldeserrato looked more together than usual. His face was clean shaven and his gray robe was fresh. Even the usual smell of must and decay seemed better masked by musk and incense. His ice blue eyes locked onto Fauna as she entered. "Enter swiftly." He instructed. "We have much to discuss and not much time."

[Fauna Winthrope]

It was no surprise for Fauna Winthrope to find that there were no alarming changes that had happened with Professor Baldeserrato. His room was still the same, as if time had stood still within that chamber, uncaring and indifferent of what was happening outside. Even those curious crystals, lists, and strange artifacts that adorned the Professor's room were still there, unchanged and the musty pungent smell of incense interlaced with death and decay were present.

Quickly, gracefully and familiarly, the Dark Sorceress stepped inside, swiftly and silently closing the door behind her and with grave confidence, the Amunic girl moved forward and stood before the desk of the professor.

"Indeed, Professor." Fauna replied, her own blue eyes looking at his. "There is much to discuss and so little time. I hope you received the letter I sent you."

"The Council has agreed to terminate the charges that had been brought down upon me, Professor." The Dark Sorceress began. "The Council also seeks my aid..." She stopped and smiled her small smile. "Our aid, Professor, against the impending Deamon infestation upon the Citadel."

"But I believe you already know that, Professor." Fauna regarded the wizard before her with high esteem. "I am here for your counsel and advice on how we may move prudently with this..." She paused, looking for the appropriate word.

"...seeming truce with the University Council."

[Tristam]

"Before we even consider that, little fool, you will have to stop underestimating them. You do realize for example that you are being watched by means both magical and mundane." Baldeserrato mocked her. "Yet your first action was to lead them right here to my doorstep. You might wish to openly link your name to the shadows but I have no desire to remove my mask." He scowled and gestured towards the crystal ball. "Fortunately for you, I can control the tower wards from here. Your watchers will only know that you have visited someone in the tower of Occult Symbolism. It may be to our advantage for you to become friendly with other professors here to throw off suspicion from me."

"Now, you have more to report. I was able to listen in somewhat on the closed session but I could penetrate Moore's wards. He is the expert for a reason after all." The professor ground his teeth. "What went on there?"

[Fauna Winthrope]

"Please, Professor," Fauna Winthrope replied mildly, "let us be civil. I do not underestimate them, the Council is powerful, albeit, fools. But they can be easily tricked."

"Let them watch me, Professor. That way, their attention is rapt upon me and you can do whatever plan you may deem appropriate without their attention." She laughed prettily, her silver peals of laughter echoing around the room as the Dark Sorceress considered the words of the odorous wizard. "I shall be, as you call, the decoy, I shall give them things they may want to watch, and perhaps, guide them to some of your enemies."

"But Professor?" Fauna asked, stepping forward, her eyes glimmering. "Do you not agree that this is the time for us to move out of the shadows and openly declare ourselves? Why do we cower when we are at equal with the other wizards here at the University? When we can tap more power than they can? They should not fear us, they should respect us."

"I will show you what happened there, Professor Baldeserrato." Gracefully, the Dark Sorceress pulled out her brass mirror and placed them upon the table before Baldeserrato. "Look into the mirror, Professor and you shall see and hear what had transpired."

Slowly, Fauna drew her Will, clenching it tight as her left hand flickered over the small mirror, pulling her own will, the memories of what had happened and tapping the colors of the shadows and the Aether, the Dark Sorceress weaved an illusion of the Council Meeting.

For some few silent flickers, Fauna Winthrope waited for the Professor Baldeserrato, letting him mull over what had happened. "What do you advise me, Professor? What do you think?"

[Tristam]

OOC: I am going to assume that you also show him the meeting with Barrett and Professor Moore as well since that was the meeting he actually asked to see.

"We are not their equal." Baldeserrato said bluntly. "Strong we may be but a thousand ants will bring down the lion if it roars over their hill. Reveal my secret and your soul will enter the Nether before mine." He did not threaten. It was merely a statement of fact. "Now to your report." The professor watched the replay of both meetings in the glass and mused thoughtfully throughout.

"I think I see how we can turn this to our advantage though it is a risky gambit. For you." He clarified. "Peckerton has promised items from the Vault to those that agree to go after the demon. Ask him for the staff known as Myra's Mirror. Its well known use is to redirect Aetheric energies away from the wielder. What is not so well known is that a skilled user can direct those energies into the staff and store it. More to the point, a mage trained as you are can direct Netheric energies with it. I think a storehouse of such energy could prove most useful, don't you think?"

[Fauna Winthrope]

ooc: Feel free to assume, Tris. You are the mod. :p

Fauna was mightily disappointed by Baldeserrato, but then she could not blame him, there was the fear of retribution against those mages that walks in the path of shadows and she respected his cautiousness. But she was not cautious, yes, she was far from it. If she would be the very Vessel of Power, she would have to take risks, risks that even those powerful creatures than her would dare not do.

She understood perfectly as the Dark Sorceress nodded her blond head but there still was the defiance glimmering upon her blue eyes, defiance and hunger that could be easily seen by the odoriferous professor.

"Vile torture will not drag it away from me, Professor, you have my word." Fauna assured him sincerely, although she was very good with empty promises. "But you must realize that my plan shows merit. I could muster a group far greater than the Council only if I have your discreet guidance. Perhaps, a group that could even oppose them. I could draw those students and mages out from the shadows and we could be pawn while you and your secret society could perhaps, guide us. The Council's eyes shall be upon us and not yours. We could select those worthy mages and sacrifice the unworthy ones for the Council."

"Professor," She laughed her small icy laughter. "You should know by now that I do not balk away from danger. Have I not proven myself?" But she was awed by such artifact. Such magickal item would prove useful for her, she would be a power to be reckoned with. A Dark Sorceress to be feared from all time. "Consider it done, Professor. The Council is upon a precipice, there is a Deamon on the loose and the Nether unleashed under their very nose and I know that they are afraid, very afraid, for this is something beyond their capability, that is why they even grasp for this chance to work with the Shadows."

"But Professor, then what?" The Dark Sorceress curiously asked Baldeserrato, gracefully stepping forward, her eyes intent. "What will you have me do? Would you want me to warn the Nether about this coming attack? Would you want the Council to be victorious against the Nether? We must choose, Professor, a side that we know should make us come out at the top in the end..."

She leaned her flawless head closer, a small, cunning smile upon her lips. "Would you want someone killed on that debacle? Perhaps... Ventella? Or Peckerton?"

Gracefully, the Dark Sorceress straightened and smoothed the wrinkles of her purple gown. "Tomorrow night, before the gathering, I shall have my Practicum Exam, Professor. I do hope you will give me pointers, I must pass this test." She uttered imperiously and with full conviction.

"And I will."

[Tristam]

"Fauna, do you honestly believe that the only reason the dark sorcerers have not overthrown the University Council is because you had not arrived yet?" Baldeserrato mocked her. "I see I shall have to educate you in minute detail the forces that both sides can bring to bear in conflict. If you wish to try and go on a recruiting drive, do so with all due disrection. There is no limit of groups that will reflexively strike at you if discovered. If indeed you cobble together something of use, I shall guide you." He grudgingly agreed.

"As to the Council, the Daemon is not beyond their capabilites." Baldeserrato informed her. "If they had the courage to face the beast themselves, that is. They except your service because you are as capable as you are expendable. Besides, they know if the University empties to strike at the Nether beast, then sources of power within the University will be unguarded. So they mask their cowardice with calls to a higher duty."

"We want this Nether Lord banished Fauna." Baldesarrato said flatly. "The only demons I wish in this world are the ones I summon and control fully. It is too powerful to bind to our will. The cabal that first summoned it could not hold it in check. Ideally, once it was weakened from spell and weapon, we would then capture it in a moment of weakness but there will be too many onlookers to get away with it I fear. Better to siphon off what power we can and fight another day. Never forget that ultimately, the Nether seeks to devour this world. I have no desire to scratch a living off the picked clean bones of the Tether."

"As for deaths," Baldeserrato shrugged but his grin is wide. "If you see your chance, take it. The two worthies you mention will not be on the front line but I am sure Acantha will be on the front line." His grin twisted and he said no more on that subject.

"The practical exam is different for all students." The professor informed her. "They build the exam around the known strengths and weaknesses of the student. They will tempt you to use your dark powers instead of the skills they have taught you as use of unauthorized powers will result in a failed exam. I would go so far as to say that the deck will be stacked against you. That blood bound oath scroll is their strongest way to control you. With it they can compel you if needed. Yet they cannot deny you the right of practical exam. Focus on your weakest energies Fauna. They will feature heavily I can guarantee you."

[Fauna Winthrope]

She frowned and remained silent for more than a flicker, mulling the sagacious words the Professor had given her, never fully realizing the near blunder that she was about to unleash. But then, she was here for advice and Baldeserrato had given what he ought deemed best. Fauna needed to learn a lot of things and the full impact of what she needed to master seemed like a looming mountain for her, unassailable and unreachable.

But then, the young Amunite was never a failure. She did not believe that things would never start unless you tried it, and by the goddess, she will try, carefully of course, most carefully, like a butterfly flittering around a venus fly-trap.

"I never care much with interacting with deamons..." The Dark Sorceress absentmindedly replied, indifferently filling the flickers of silence between, her blond mind still running away with her with what Baldeserrato had adviced. "They're so unaesthetically slob and they've never realized that an annual bath would do them good."

"But never mind," Fauna straightened and looked fully at the professor. "That much I gather. The Deamon Lord is a danger to us all, I was hoping you knew more about it, Professor, something that the Council did not. But then, I must bow to reason and logic. It will be banished and Acantha with it..." She smiled felinely, still remembering the odious, leather-clad Professor.

She groaned when Fauna heard about the Practicum Exam. She knew there was something fishy about it. The Dark Sorceress was planning on using all her available resources just to pass the exam and the University expect her to use her weakest focus.

"That'll be Elementalism." The Dark Sorceress declaired with a sinking feeling, it was the only thing she was not good at. "I expect they'd be trying to blast me with fire, air, earth and water." She fell silent for a few flickers, planning. "Very well, I think I am ready. I have some few tricks up my sleeve they haven't seen yet. They did not know I dabbled with Alchemy and it purely deals with the atomic particles of the energies. I'll go by the rules, Professor, I'll give them that."

"I'm currently staying at the Citadel Palace, Professor. The Major Domus Azarin has kindly taken me under his wings. I think he's greatly curious about us, Professor. For a person without any talent, he's mightily interested about the Dark Arcana." She declaired with utmost curiosity. "I think he may want to talk to you, Professor. He's pretty reasonable and he needs all the guidance he can get. I'm hearing he'll be the next Ceasar and it would do us good to get in the better side of him. Let's not have the Council wrap their fingers around him first."

Fauna knew she was nearing the end of this audience, unless the Professor had some other advices or assignments for her. The Dark Sorceress started fixing herself for her departure. "You can find me at the Citadel Palace, Professor, if you do need to talk to me..." And then she smiled pretilly, steadily looking at Professor Baldeserrato. "Or you can find me at the Red Banner. Look for Lady Flora the Exotic Dancer, I will be having my very own laboratory there, Professor. Drop by if you have the time, I know a girl there you'll surely like." Her face was serious albeit there was a little twitch coming from her red lips.

[Tristam]

"You have been a busy little bee, I see." The professor nodded. "Well I cannot tell you more of the Demon Lord but I can caution you against the demon in your midst." Baldeserrato told Fauna. "Andolin was a student under Thorkatla at the Baslisk's Stare. If he takes a great interest in your magic,s it is because he seeks to steal your knowledge and conceal his own."

"I would also caution you about stretching yourself too thin." The professor went on. "Spending too much time in the Red Banner might cause someone from the palace or University to see why you aren't with them."

"Oh do not get ready to leave just yet, Fauna." Baldeserrato instructed. "There is an important matter that we must resolve now before things progress much further." The professor gestured towards a door off to the side which opened. A female figure was framed by the doorway. The lady was not a great beauty but she had a certain aristocratic bearing. She was distinctive rather than beautiful. She wore a mage's robe of dark blue and Fauna immediately sensed something was off about her. The body language was completely wrong. Fauna was an authority of how to stand or walk to maximize her femininity. This woman clearly was not.

She stepped forward into the light of the room. Her eyes were brown and her limp brown hair was tied back in a simple ponytail. There was nothing familiar about the face but that did not hinder recognition. The look of fear and exultation on the woman's face mirrored the waves of feelings from the voice in her head she called Janice. Impossibly, the woman before her was Tarrant.

[Fauna Winthrope]

Fauna managed a small laugh, "So Lord Azarin is hiding a talent as well, I should have known." He should have told me, we would have basked in the power of the Arcane, wether light or dark. We'll see where this will play out, between me and the Lord Domus.

Perhaps, the Lord Domus doesn't trust me yet. She mused, still eyeing the Professor, unsure who this Thorkatla was. Perhaps, whore of a witch. She shrugged indifferently and replied, "Trust me, Professor, I can manage well, I know how to appropriate my schedule between the Red Banner and the Palace. Besides, it will give me a safe place for my experiments that are anathema to the University and I have Michael Crane's protection. Nobody can touch me there." She stood confident, unassailable. "An important matter, Professor?" The Dark Sorceress asked curiously and turned gracefully when she heard the door clicked open.

That Which Was A Taint Inside Of Her churned and stirred gave Fauna a fright that she immediately paled, her face as white as a ghost. And when That Which Was A taint Inside Of Her recognized the familiar essence of the woman, the Dark Sorceress stepped back, a small gasp escaping her pale lips as she trembeled right before the presence of Tarrant.

"Impossible!" She breathed out a small whisper. "You can't be..."

Yet That Which Was A Taint Inside Of Her stirred anew and Fauna knew that the impossible was possible and she knew that this was Tarrant before her, resurrected, alive and...

"A woman!"

And the room was filled with peals upon peals of her silvery laughter.

"What is the meaning of this, Professor?" She turned her flawless, blond head back to the odoriferous Professor, demanding and knowing that her minute actions was the epitome of feminity.

Fauna was still somewhat afraid though, as she stepped back, unsure of how to greet Professor Tarrant. He did try to kill her by leeching her very essence and the Dark Sorceress was very dubious of Tarrant's agenda.

"Or perhaps I should call you Tarany?" She could't help blurting that out, trying very hard not to laugh out loud.

[Tristam]

"Tara, actually." The lady replied in a husky, clipped voice. The gaze she gave Fauna was resigned. Laughter was everyone's first reaction. Why should it not be hers. "Or so Ryalda named me."

Professor Baldeserrato took up the narrative. "It seems that a petty hedge witch managed to get her claws on one of the books of the Liber Maleficarus." He announced matter of factly. "One of her first actions was to summon forth the Netheric tutor Darius which began to instruct her in the finer points of dark sorcery."

"Darius was also my instructor for a time." Tara cut in. "So when Darius had a premonition of a Dominican Inquisitor slaying both Ryalda and himself, he convinced Miss Cullenmarc to summon my soul from its tortures in the Nether and bind me to her as a protector." Tara sniffed disdainfully. "Well that she did. The child had the raw will but not much else. The only body she has available to summon me into was this one." Tara sighed and went on. "We laid a trap for the Inquisitor but in the end, his faith proved stronger than the traps and both Darius and Miss Cullenmarc chose that moment to become useless. My geas however was clear. I was not to let Ryalda come to harm. So I drew upon the closest source of dark energy and rent Darius asunder to create a portal of escape and then I threw useless chit through it. Then the battle began in earnest." The smile on Tara's face was confident and satisfied.

"I awoke in the rubble of the house and felt the pull of my geas." Tara explained. "I had to return to my mistress and protect her. Yet, I knew not where she was. Though compelled to search, I did not have to search well. Thus I kept some measure of free will until news of her did reach me and I was forced to follow once again. She had boarded a ship for Citadel and I followed. I first decided to search for her in old haunts of mine."

"That is where I found her." Baldeserrato stated. "She tripped a ward not there when she used the place and I almost killed her in the resulting battle. Fortunately, I recognized one of the spells she used as one of Tarrant's own creations and let up the assault long enough for her to explain. We discussed her problem and I came up with an admirable solution." Tara crossed her arms over her bosom and eyed him with a sour look. "I laid my own geas upon her." Baldeserrato explained. "Every time the urge to seek her mistress becomes too great, I can countermand the order."

"Is all that clear to you, Miss Winthrope?" The professor asked.

[Fauna Winthrope]

Fauna moved her flawless head between Professor Baldeserrato and Professor Tarrant as they talked, her face set in profound interest. Ryalda. Cullenmarc. Darius. Liber Maleficarus. Inquisitor. It was all pretty confusing for the Dark Sorceress, but nevertheless, she got the gist of the story why Professor Tarrant was now inhabiting a woman's body.

"Well..." The young Amunic girl replied, lost for words, assuming a very polite demeanor, she was, after all, the Major Domus' Protegee now and she had to act very civil and proper. "...A pleasure to meet your acquaintance, Lady Tara." She continued with a graceful curtsy, hiding the quivering of her lips and the mirthfull twinkle of her eyes as she bowed.

"Um," Fauna said dubiously, her gaze meeting Professor Baldeserrato once more. "This is quite..." The Dark Sorceress paused, looking for the appropriate word. "...enlightening, Professor Baldeserrato." And very funny, as a matter of fact. Fauna added silently, "But is there any reason why you are re-introducing me to the person who tried to kill me?" Her cerulean eyes turned once more to Professor Tarrant with looks of daggers. But then, she realized it was a senseless question. Tarrant was the reason why Fauna Winthrope was here now, it was his essence inside her that was the focal point of her hunger for power.

"I am quite curious about this Liber Maleficarus..." She continued, her eyes questioning between Tarrant and Baldeserrato. "A collection of books, you say? And what happened to this Lady Ryalda Cullenmarc? Is she still knocking around here at the Citadel?" Fauna was quite interested with this Miss Cullenmarc.

[Tristam]

"I brought you two together because it was inevitable that you two would meet and I wanted it to be on my terms." Baldeserrato explained. "Tarrant's soul will ever want to be whole you see." Baldeserrato rose from his chair and began to walk around the desk. "No doubt it was his plan for the bit of essence inside your head to eventually seize control of you utterly and summon forth the rest of his spirit into your body. Same deal, different tits basically." Baldeserrato smiled at Tara who crossed her arms even tighter and gazed venomously at his erst-while partner.

"The real question of course is, am I content with the status quo?" Baldeserrato went on. "At the moment I've got Tara under my control but Tara lacks the full talent and drive of the great Tarrant." Baldeserrato turned and pointed a finger at Fauna's skull. "You don't just have a piece of Tarrant, my dear. You have the ruthless drive and the dark intuition needed to truly tap the well of pain and advance in the Art. Yet it is hampered by your own inexperience and personality. He pushes you forward but how far can you go, Miss Winthrope. That is the question."

Baldeserrato let his hand drop. "So, do I tear the mewling little piece of Tarrant's soul from your head and recreate my old friend? That gives me a whole Tarrant and whatever remains of you may still prove useful. Of course I could simply let the rest of Tarrant into your body but that leaves me with a useless World's Mouth aristocrat and a whole Tarrant. Less useful really. Or I leave things as is and trust I can counter the sympathatic draw between the two of you."

Lady Janice hurled himself at the bars of his cage. Both Ventalla's magics and Fauna's will shuddered under the assault. Dark spidery words echoed unbidden through her mind as her hands remembered familiar gestures that she had never made. It was magic to draw forth the essence of a human soul. It seemed so simple. A swift incantation and all of Tarrant's power and knowledge would be theirs. All she had to do was agree to move her lips and hands. He would do the rest. It seemed so simple.

[Fauna Winthrope]

But it was never that simple. Simple things would leave you deader than dead, even deader than the dead that was in the cemetery and Fauna Winthrope was not that naive.

And so, with all the Will she could muster, with all the mental effort she could conjure, she stilled her graceful hands and pointedly looked at both Tara and Professor Baldeserrato, hugging her own precious breast, fearing that the odious Tara would steal it from her. It was an asset, her greatest asset and Fauna had the mind to go to the Pecunian Bank and had her bosom insured.

All in good time, my dear. She reassured That Which Was A Taint inside of her. All in good time. I did your bidding with Michael Crane, now you must do mine here. With an arched of her eyebrow, she looked at Tara, knowing that Tarrant could also feel the pull of what was inside of her.

But there was the hunger, the hunger for knowledge that was the promise of Tarrant. Tarrant whole inside her, she would be powerful. With her divine body, Tarrant would be more than what he was now, they would reign Tazlure supreme, a Goddess, envied and powerful at the same time and all shall feel her wrath and anger.

But then, would she be Fauna?

No.

"I shall remain Fauna Winthrope, thank you very much." The Dark Sorceress declaired icily, turning to look at both Tara and Baldeserrato with an imperious, challenged look. "Tarrant is dead. Killed by mere students. He had lost his chance, it is now MY chance and believe you me, Professor Baldesarrato, I can go farther than Tarrant."

But her hands were twitching, ready to weave the incantation that was upon the tip of her tongue, her bosom heaving with all the mental effort and restrain she could muster, her blue eyes flashing, looking hungrily at Tarrant, wanting to leech the Power and Knowledge that was his.

ooc: I'm not quite sure, Tris, of what you meant. Is it just Tarrant's knowledge and power? And would it magnify Fauna's power a hundredfold? Or would it be his entire soul and totally replacing Fauna's will and be replaced by Tarrant?

[Tristam]

OOC: The Voice inside your head has not clarified what the spell will do. It certainly sounds like the Taint is offering Fauna a route to power but Fauna can tell the spell is to draw forth a soul from one body and into another. On the whole, I think Fauna is reacting exactly as she should.

IC: Tara's hands clench at her side as Fauna coldly denounces all that Tarrant once was. Her hands twitch to act just as Fauna's do. THe professor kept a cool gaze on Tara. Fauna suspected it was more than just a look.

The Taint slammed at the bars of his prison but Fauna's will held the remnants of Ventalla's wards firm. The temptation of the spell remained lingering in the back of Fauna's thoughts but tonight it was her choice and her choice alone of whether to give into that temptation.

Professor Baldeserrato smirked at her bravado. "Well you haven't lept for her throat or begun dark magics beyond your tender years. Perhaps you will be strong enough after all." He allowed. "Go about your tasks, Miss Winthrope. We'll let this situation be a problem for another day."

[Fauna Winthrope]

With enough determination and will, the Dark Enchantress banked the sweltering anger and taint deep within her, firmly holding the waning wards of Ventella and shackling That Which Was A Taint within her in check.

Be still! She chillingly demanded, her cerulean eyes still locked within Tara's and throwing her imperious command not only within herself but to the remnants of Tarrant within Tara. It was an effort almost about to crumble but she realized that it was freely her own decision and slowly, her cruel, flawless face calmed down and was replaced with icy indifference.

"I AM strong enough." It was a statement of fact, that much was certain and it was evident by her calm, chilling voice devoid of any emotion, glancing at Baldeserrato with a challenged look, expecting him to contradict her.

"But why will this be a problem, Professor Baldeserrato?" Her voice changed and became sweet, almost purring, seductiv as the Dark Enchantress slowly moved towards Tara, her minute actions screamed gracefull temptation. "...When Tara and I can work together, each half of Tarrant contributing, and together..." Fauna Winthrope walked around the female Tarrant like a vulture, inspecting the woman, scrutinizing as if the woman was a mere piece of cloth. "...Tara and I could be a power to be reckoned with."

"What say you, Tara?" The Dark Enchantress stopped just before the woman: face to face, tits to tits. "I am still you apprentice, Tarrant. You do know that, don't you? I still follow your teachings and through me, you can achieve your ambition." Hmn... Fauna could see a great potentiality with this. But she had one task to do first, and that was to totally make Tara over. The woman was screaming for a makeover and she look so hideous. The Dark Enchantress wouldn't want to be seen with this totally unfashionably looking woman. By great Anasis, her reputation was at risk here.

"That hair," The Amunic woman murmured, lifting Tara's brown lock of hair, a hint of discontent could be clearly seen on her flawless, amunic face. "That will not do. And this dress! Blue?! You do know blue is sooo last season? Who in the Nether's name dressed you, Tara? Your grandmother? This will not do!" She complained, looking at Baldeserrato with great alacrity.

"Am I like so the only one with an iota of fashion sense here in the Citadel?" She rolled her cerulean eyes heavenward and sighed, as if asking the very heavens 'why her?'

"I mean, you don't want to be like..." She stopped, almost about to blurt another student she vaguely remember in her dreams, a student of the University with not enough fashion sense in her body. "...Becca, don't you, Tara? Wait, I think I don't know anybody named Becca... Don't I? I'm not sure."

[Tristam]

Tara stared daggers at Fauna as she circled. Then her gaze grew thoughtful as she too considered the possibilites. Her soul has been wandering the Aether at night. Already the lines between dream and waking blur. Time is on my side.

"Very well, my student." Tara hissed. "Teach me about being a woman and I shall continue your training."

Professor Baldeserrato simply watched the scene before him. His expression was neutral and he let things unfold.

[Fauna Winthrope]

"Done then, Professor Tara." Fauna declaired as she spat on her hand and offered it to the Westerner Woman as a sign of their deal. "By the end of this Samheen, you'll be gorgeous that everyone will want to look like you." Her mind started racing girlishly with this new project in hand.

"We'll start shopping at the twenty-ninth of Samheen. I'll be buying things anyway for my new laboratory at the Red Banner and I'll probably need your expertise on that, Tara. For one thing, I'll be having unlimited funds and it'll be quite a shopping spree." The Dark Enchantress gave the westerner woman a girlish look, excited by the promise of that day. "Hmnn..." She pursed her lips, thinking. "Come to think of it, I'll give you free reign on what to do with my laboratory at the Red Banner. Someone told me to buy at Hadvin's and I haven't been there and I don't have any idea what to buy either, except some few alchemical equipments."

"Will you be staying here at the University, Tara?" The Amunic girl curiously looked at the woman then at Professor Baldeserrato, looking for his approval. "Because she can stay at the Red Banner too if she wants. Someone needs to mind my room there anyway when I'm busy at the Palace."

With that, the Dark Enchantress fixed herself gracefully for her exit and wistfully looked at Tara. "A pity." She sighed. "I had a huge crush with Professor Tarrant back then, he was quite the dark hunk." There was a twinkle in her cerulean eyes when she said that. "Well, will there be anything else, Professor Baldeserrato?" Fauna turned those eyes to the professor. "If not, I'll see you on the twenty-ninth, Tara."

[Tristam]

As Fauna detailed some of her deal at the Red Banner, Tara and Baldeserrato looked at each other curiously. Neither said a word but their faces clearly mused the possibilties.

"I think Tara should stay here for the nonce, my pupil." The professor decided at last. "Until we see what can be made of your new domain." he explained.

Tara still spoke through gritted teeth. "Until the 29th."

Baldeserrato gestured for her to leave at her last look.

[Tristam]

Skilled by one out of the darkness.