[STORYTELLER – Mercurio di Mannoni – The Deck > – A]
The pale skin, eyes burdened with bags and sideswept hair was no surprise to Mercurio. He had seen many pass before him to see Cross just like this one. But what caught his eye, or more his tongue was the unmistakable taste of a devilish deed. There was no mistaking the taste of mixed blood, blood tainted by Diablerie. While Connor passed the man, Mercurio leaned in his ear, whispering something that only the two of them could hear. “Seems we are birds of a feather, I can taste the thirst in your blood, Connor Crow. It’s just our little secret though, don’t you worry.” With that Mercurio tapped the other’s nose with a smile on his face and turned back to his duties.
[ToB 9 Crit Messy – Compulsion, Dominance.]
As things wrapped up, the crew emerged and Mercurio was sent to take the box of notes down to the Prince himself; he paused a moment to read them on deck. Perhaps it was the boredom of another tedious meeting to attend, or it was the insatiable curiosity the man still garnered from his mortal days. Whatever it was, what he found did not make him happy. Inside the box were the normal letters, begging, asking, questions, those were all normal. But the one who stuck out, the one who took things a little off course. Oh that was the one that tipped the moustached man off. Handing the box to his close associate, or as close as you could be with a woman who shot lasers through your skin, he departed his spot.
Mercurio wanted to find this one, oh he did, he wanted to have a little chat about this note. When he found the man standing alone on the deck, he took a second to straighten the hem of his shirt before walking up to the man and placing his hand on his shoulder firmly. Mercurio was no shy man, no, he would speak loud enough for others to hear and in fact, aimed for that. “You, you are Robert Meyers correct? Yes, I recall you boy. You were the one who felt so proud knowing a low tier skill in our clan line.” Mercurio removed his hand and pinched his nose in frustration. “You wanted to chat with me and here I am, here to chat about this.” His other hand retrieved a piece of paper from his pocket, clearing his throat he read it out aloud.
“Dear Mr. Mercurio… Mr. Mercurio? Really Robert, you would not use my last name? Perhaps you should have asked it before you wrote a letter to me. I would like to express my interest in learning under you at some point. I will of course be willing to pay whatever price you set for your lessons, be it monetary or boons. I will be in touch throughout the stay on the Lady Washington if we can work something out. I am always seeking to aid the Camarilla in whatever matter benefits it.” The fiery haired man folded the paper and tucked it away neatly before continuing, he didn’t allow for Robert to speak and in fact any attempt to do so would end with the man shushing him. “You see dear Robert, that box, was for letters to Prince Alec Cross. I am utterly flattered that you see me, as something equal if not better than our dear Prince, but do not mistake that as something I do like. You, my boy are nothing but a sniveling little whelp in our rung of society and I cannot fathom why you would deserve to learn from me. You are unable to follow instructions that state, Letters to the Prince and instead write to me? You also feel so inclined to name something I am doing, that any basic fledgling could do. It’s pathetic. This little display is nothing more than a meager attempt to appease someone you know is superior to you, and honestly, as a Tremere, I expected more from you.”