Currently in Saint Claire, it is raining lightly. The temperature is 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celsius). The wind is currently coming in from the south at 7 mph. The barometric pressure reading is 30.06 and steady, and the relative humidity is 70 percent. The dewpoint is 31 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees Celsius.)

Dominion Estate

The Dominion estate spreads out over a small hill, giving the mansion built at the peak a view of the surrounding suburban countryside. The grassy lawn is dotted with statuary and encircled by hedges grown up to hide the stone wall which surrounds the estate. A gravel driveway snakes elliptically up from the front gate northward to the house, east from there to the garage, then back towards the front gate. Preparations for some sort of garden have been made on the western slope of the hill.

The house itself is old and appears to have had had work done it over the years. The original, main part of the house is made of gray stone and reaches four stories high with the tower. The east and west wings appear newer and are made of brick and wood. The previous decay and disrepair can still be seen, but there also seems to have been some effort put into fixing the place up.

(+views set)

Obvious exits:
Mansion Front Gate

Creeeak. The doors open up to reveal the Gothic, dragging himself out the door and blinding at the sunlight. "Maaan.. I'm ganna turn to dust." He says in a complaining voice as he blocks his eyes, shouldering his backpack.

Natalie's greenhouse is still in a proto form, currently a stake-and-twine hexagon long yards from the back of the house. Two of the sides have been finished - marked by trenches some twelve inches deep and the same across - and the shiny new Elder is working on the almost finished third. Her only concession to the morning's earlier rain is that the cardboard boxes were carried under the nominal shelter of the mansion's eaves. Now the sun is shining.

Following Jeremy is Leala, who has the foresight to be wearing sunglasses. "It's call the sun... you have heard of it, right?" The Walker looks a little agitated as she follows the kin into the sunlight.

"I have... heard of this great strange thing, but never before have I witnessed its awesome beauty." Jeremy says with a smirk as he glances over his shoulder to Leala. "Whats up?" He asks, turning around to face her. "On yer way to work?"

Jeremy angles himself around to start heading towards the back as he hops onto the wet grass. "Nat is back there working on her greenhouse. Got some stuff ta' talk about. You want to come?"

"Sure." Leala checks her watch. "I have to meet Joshua later, but I tag along for now."

Natalie, unaware of her doom approaching, innocently continues to dig. She's gotten all of the sod removed from the third side now, and can concentrate on making the trench deeper. Lucky her.

"Josh huh? Is he going to talk to you or wag his tail and bark at you instead?" Jeremy asks, hands sliding into his pockets as he lets out a soft yawn.

Leala shrugs. "I don't know. He didn't say what it was he wanted to talk about. As I missed all of the," she pauses, "goings-on yesterday, I imagine it might have something to do with that."

Natalie trundles the wheelbarrow in which she's been piling dirt down the hill, and scatters it across the lawn. No nasty dirt piles for her, nosireebob. Then back up the hill to measure the depth of her trench, scraping the bottom of it flat with her spade.

"Yah, something like that. Maybe you should talk to Nat first." Jeremy grumbles as he trudges through the grass, heading towards the Galliard. "Hey Natalie!" He calls over, lifting up a hand to wave.

Leala follows Jeremy, looking unconcerned by his remarks. "I'll form my own opinions, Jeremy."

Natalie looks up from where she's crouched behind the barrow. "You're up early," she calls toward Jeremy, then frowns at the woman beside him. She stands slowly, brushing her hands off on her jeans, takes a large step out from behind the makeshift barrier, and waits for the pair.

"I haven't gone to bed yet." Jeremy says as he crosses his arms over his chest, glancing between the pair. The chains on his pants jingle and clank against each other as he stops walking, clearing his throat. "Greenhouse is going well."

Her eyes shaded by sunglasses, Leala stops besides Jeremy. She takes in Natalie's frown, but her expression is blank and unreadable. There is a slight tinge of coldness in her voice when she speaks. "I didn't even know we were building a greenhouse." She surveys the incomplete structure, walking closer to it, and peering around.

"Salem's idea." Jeremy says. "For her chiminage." Clearing his throat, he shoulders his bag once more and then lets it slip off, placing it gently over his feet so that it won't get wet.

Natalie does chill right back atcha. "I am building a greenhouse, yes. Natalie Baker, Galliard, Cliath, and Elder." Bless her little tactful heart, she doesn't immediately demand Leala's name in return. Not audibly, anyway.

Leala nods, looking thoughtfully at the greenhouse. "That's lovely. Pleased to meet you. With so many new faces lately, I'm afraid I can't keep up with remembering names, or any of that." Leala crosses her arms over her chest, and walks back over to where Jeremy is standing. Finally, after taking her sweet time, she says, "I'm Leala Marx, Cliath and Ragabash. I own this house and this property."

Nodding his head, Jeremy just remains silent, glancing at Leala for a moment, before looking back to Natalie. He doesn't have much to add, he looks dead sleepy.

It's not like flipping a switch; Nat doesn't immediately become buddy-buddy. She does relax, however, eying Leala a fraction of a second longer before dropping her a nod and turning back to her work. "I've heard about you. Glad we could finally meet. Jer says you spend a lot of time working on business, huh?"

"It's no small job financing a large family such as this." She throws a sidelong glance at Jeremy. "If people want to continue enjoying their expensive toys, someone's got to pay the bills. Still, with all of the problems recently, the effort hardly seems worth it."

Glancing back at Leala, Jeremy raises up a brow. "Ow. That was low." He says with a slight grin on his face. "Sides', I pay some of the bills too." He pffs, slipping his hands into his pockets, before letting out a loud yawn.

Leala

A small smile plays mischievously across the dainty face of the young woman you see before you. Her gold-brown eyes sparkle a little, displaying a mild amusement. Her thick dark blond hair set in a simple chignon, with wispy waves falling around her face. Her facial features are petite and defined, but not angular, with fine brows curving over her bright eyes. She is short of stature, standing no taller than 5'2", and her frame is quite delicate and slender, almost aristocratic, with long limbs, and hint of grace in the way her arms gesticulate as she talks. It is not hard to imagine that many would find her charming, with her cheerful demeanor and brilliant smile.

"Today, Lee is wearing a tailored white cotton button down shirt, which looks newly pressed. The stiff cuffs and collar are turned over a finely sewn black leather jacket, which is also tailored to her form. The cropped bottom of the jacket flares slightly at her waist, where it ends abruptly. Her jacket matches the black leather boots peaking out from underneath her pressed bootcut jeans, and the thick black belt at her waist. A violet silk scarf hangs loosely around her neck. She carries a slim aluminum briefcase, and a black leather camera bag.

Natalie only grunts and picks up her spade again. "For which we're all grateful. You're welcome to pick up a shovel and help, of course." She nods pointedly toward the other two shovels waiting near the house. "I'm assuming, since you didn't wake me, that you didn't find anything interesting, Jer?"

Jeremy shakes his head with a soft breath. "Of course not." He murmurs. Eyes rolling upwards, he stares at the sky. "Its ganna rain again."

Ignoring both Jeremy's remark about the finances and the shovel propped against the wall of the greenhouse, Leala turns and looks back towards the house for a moment. "Well, you're obviously busy, and I'm not dressed for helping out, so I think I'll be on my way." She turns back towards Natalie. "It was a pleasure." If Leala meant that remark, then she certainly hid it well.

Natalie's greenhouse is still in a proto form, currently a stake-and-twine hexagon long yards from the back of the house. Two of the sides have been finished - marked by trenches some twelve inches deep and the same across - and the shiny new Elder is working on the almost finished third. Her only concession to the morning's rain is that the cardboard boxes have been carried under the nominal shelter of the mansion's eaves. Jer and Leala are nearby.

Anthony, after looking around inside for signs of life and finding none of note, makes the hike around to the back of the mansion.

Natalie straightens, refocusing on the Ragabash. "Jer's already told me you're busy. That being the case, I'm not going to... press you if you're not available. I just expect you to keep me informed of what's going on, and try not to let things happen without me knowing about 'em. All right?"

Stiffening, Leala's voice becomes hard. "I took orders from Jack Salem and before that John Smith. Considering I've known you... oh... about 4 minutes now, that you are operating in my house, and that you've been in this city for less than a month, I'm not too concerned with keeping you informed. Jack obviously had his reasons for naming you Elder. I prefer to stay out of the limelight," she practically snarls, "so don't think that I'm anxious to take your job. I am not, however, going to roll over and make myself accountable to you. Not until I've determined that you can replace Jack." Anyone who's actually spoken to Leala probably has never seen her raise her voice. Arms crossed, and a deep frown on her face, Leala turns to leave.

"...Fuckass." Jeremy murmurs softly under his breath, clearing his throat and shifting some on his feet.

As Leala departs, Anthony arrives, though he keeps his distance for the time being, looking a bit unsure if he should stay or just keep walking.

Natalie stabs her shovel into the ground and turns back to Leala, head dropped and nostrils flaring. "You know why I'm damned tribe elder? Because I'm the only one who can, you damn bitch. Yeah, I've been in town less than a month. And I've never seen your smug little face around here before. Maybe if you bothered to, I don't know, be involved in this damn tribe you'd get a little more respect. Frankly, Salem didn't give me eldership. I took it because the only other options were submissive cunts. You want Elder? Fine. Challenge me for it. Until you do, I demand your respect. You don't want to give it to me? Then don't bother coming back to your damned property."

Jeremy clears his throat. "Actually, Natalie.. as the Litany dictactes, you must respect the territory of another, and Leala is a declared member of this Sept, Elder or not.. and she did pay for the house that we live in. She has all rights to say what is on her mind."

Anthony's confused half-smile fades quite steadily as Natalie presses on with her rant, finally breaking into a full scowl around the 'submissive cunts' part.

Snarling, Leala faces Natalie head on. "Smug is an Elder who hasn't even finished her fucking chiminage yet. It's so lovely that you have the time to prance around on my property, playing with a fucking garden. Maybe I should have a butler installed for you, or hire a contractor to make life easier. Why not? It's not like any of you fucks give a shit about me. Let's ask the wallet for some cash! I do this for you people. Do you think I love spending my days with stock portfolios and accountants? I moved to this place to find a family, and I'll I've found is a bunch of whiners who complain about how I'm never around and how I don't care. It's obvious that my family died with John and Roger." Snarling again, she takes a step forward. "Would I have done all this if I didn't fucking care? As for you kicking me off this property, it couldn't happen with a fucking bulldozer."

Jeremy frowns slightly at Leala. "Hey!" He says. "Thats fucked up Lee. I totally agree with what you said, but I always thought I was still 'family'. I'm the last of the frigg'n old school around here and ya'know, I don't whine or beg you for cash."

Natalie whirls on Jeremy - if looks could kill. Three tense breaths pass before she spits out, "Submission to those higher in station." Another breath and she turns back to Leala, no longer so obviously furious but still worked up. "Let's try this again, shall we?" Her tone's forcibly bright, like a convict reading to children. "Hello, Leala, pleased to meet you. I don't know you from Adam, and since you've... and I'm not going to try and impose excessive rules on you either. All I ask," spit out through clenched teeth, "Is that you do me the courtesy of keeping me informed, since other... Keep me informed. Please."

Leala's face softens as she glances at Jeremy. "Sorry Jer. I didn't mean you." She takes a deep breath and faces Natalie once again. "I don't know if I have what it takes to be Elder of this tribe, even temporarily, but I owe it to myself to try. Besides, it's embarrassing that you would have to take over from Jack because of my lack of commitment. I should have been more involved from the beginning. I guess I just walled off my emotions after losing so many tribemates." She takes off her sunglasses, her eyes pained. "So, as my first bit of information to you, I, Leala Marx, formally challenge you, Natalie Baker, for Eldership of this tribe."

"Its ok Leala.." Jeremy says softly, reaching out to squeeze her shoulder. "I lost Roger and John too ya'know. Roger made me into who I am, and John taught me how to be a true cockroach." His eyes look a bit sad, then sighs, glancing over towards Natalie.

Anthony makes up his mind, and decides to keep walking; he turns around and starts back the way he came.

Natalie hesitates, then drops Leala a nod and turns back to her shovel, more than a hint of relief crossing her face. "Right." The work, or perhaps the Challenge relaxes her further, until she's almost able to speak conversationally. "If it were just up to me, you could have the damn eldership. But, since I said, I don't know you from Adam, I dunno if that's the best thing for the Tribe." She levers the blade under the sod and lifts, heaving the grass. "I'll speak to... to Salem, probably, and have him judge it." She flashes a feral grin at the grass. "His fault for not leaving as soon as he'd stepped down."

Leala nods, relaxing as well. "As Elder, it's your responsibility to do what you think is best for the tribe. I will have to prepare my accountants to assume an increased role in managing things. So, just get in touch with me or have Salem do it when we're ready to talk some more." She looks down at her watch. "Right now, I have an appointment." She grins genuinely, then, like a large weight has been lifted off of her chest. "Natalie Baker, it was genuinely a pleasure to meet you." With that, she turns and stalks back towards the house.

Anthony walks through the gate at the end of the driveway, which closes quietly behind him.

Natalie doesn't watch her go; never even noticed Tony in the first place. Jeremy? As far as she's concerned now, he might as well be a tree.

Standing there for a moment, Jeremy lets out a breath and turns around, heading off as well, picking up his bag. "Um. See ya Nat..take care?"

Natalie nods but doesn't look up. "I will, Jeremy, thanks. You better get some sleep, though - you gonna be all right to drive, or will you crash here?"

"Um... I think I'm going to.. crash here. So. I'll be upstairs if you need me. Just wake me up if you want to talk or .. just need.. anything, alright?" Jeremy says, pausing for a moment, then heads off, playing with the chain around his neck.

[End of log]