Seriously. I need to buy myself a boat. And I shall name it: “Sea Nate”! Now wouldn’t that be something.

The night would be tough and full of events. That much I knew before I even got there. But I had no idea just how it would start out. Friar Jean asked me to meet him beforehand. So we teamed up in some small bar, claiming one of the rooms in the back. There Jean went on about how he trusted me and that he needed to give me physical evidence on that. Next thing I know I feel the exalting joy of the embrace all over again, just as I did back when we raised Coraline back from the dead. It’s scary as hell to get back to your senses, much aware of the fact that someone could have killed you right now and you would have kissed his feet for doing so, just because it felt so fucking good! … Alright, at least that’d be the case till your blood starts drying up to much, which is when you’ll try getting back at the bastard and drain every drop of blood out of him. However, I didn’t see this coming. And when things later took another unexpected turn I found myself in the odd position of being in a cottery with one senator while having the other one bound in blood to me. As much as I may try to deny it, that would give anyone a serious power boost.

Jason is the one guy I told about this. He’s my brother. I trust him blindly. And while I’m not going to drink his blood for the sake of making a point I also feel that he needed to be given some evidence. And vice versa: It’s easy to say you’ll keep someone’s secrets secret. That you’ll stay true. But most of us never get tested in that. And I reckon it may be tempting to go spread the word at some point. He is… Trying to settle down for good. Trying to find his proper place. And for some reason I can’t put my finger on I have this feeling that he’s slipping through my fingers. Even a genius can worry, as it turns out. My trust in him tells me that he’s not slipping away at all. But my own sense of paranoia tells me that he might. Obviously there’s downsides to having an inner beast. Mistrusting mongrel that you are. Anyway. At some point he should hold a position of power here as well. Might take a while. But I’m pretty sure that he will. As for the time being: Anyone who touches him can be very sure that I’ll have his head for it. There’s been enough hurting him before. And while I’m confident he can protect himself just fine a little guardian angel on the side never hurt anyone. Maybe I should get one of those red and white baseball jackets…

The real event of the night was what I couldn’t write about last week. The prince installed a new order within her domain. Instead of assembling a new primogen council and appointing anyone to be her seneschall she instead named three senators: Jean, Thomas and myself. Which feels kind of odd: I’ve been in a cotterie with Thomas, named by him as Wisdom (one of the three virtues the prince chose for herself: the others being Strength for Thomas and Courage for Jason). And Jean just recently used me as his private cocktail bar. So what does that in combination make me? I’m not going to lie about that. Feels great! The whole thing as such poses a challenge. One that I feel I can work on for longer than a fortnight. One that will eventually break my pretty neck. But hell am I going to enjoy and use the time in between or what? It’ll be glorious, if painful.

Initially Sparkle should have held friar Jean’s place. They had a fight last week. But things seemed resolved when they talked at the beginning of the evening. All it took for Sparkle to throw everything away and leave was J.B. and off she went. Said she didn’t have enough support in her clan. In her domain. So she left. Rumor has it J.B. is leaving too. So if both of them are gone, then why fight at all? And what’s it with the Brujah being so fucking quick in saying how loyal they are to the prince and this domain – but whenever they’re put to the test (by their own clan no less!) their pride and whatever makes them leave in a heartbeat. What the fuck.

Didn’t get to talk to Thomas much that night. Doesn’t seem we need to talk much though. The one thing that keeps bothering me his Jason’s and his thing for Wartenburg. I think Jason cooled off a bit. Not so sure about Thomas though. Either he manages to turn her around some time soon or she’ll get him into trouble. Though I find it unlikely I also find myself hoping for solution numbero uno.

One of the people who didn’t take the news all that well was, of course, Simon. Didn’t come as a surprise. From what he told me he feels unappreciated. And that feeling I do know. He’s trying to make good progress but gets nowhere. Must be in part because of a lack of talent as far as empathy is concerned. However, I think he can learn to play the game right. I will teach him a few tricks. … And at the same time have an eye on the fact that he doesn’t learn the truly good ones Jason and the like uses. It’s cute and perhaps sometime it will be good to have Simon in the game. But he’ll never play it any better than the people I care about. I’ll make sure of that. My capacity for being an ass sometimes astounds me. Wow.

On to my own blood. Coraline tried to make amends with Thomas. And on top of that she even makes an effort to be of use to the clan, passing on information just the way she should. I’m not quite convinced that she’s sincere just yet. However, one must admit that she is trying.

As for Alena? She shines as best she can. And that is quite something. What dampened her for the night was the presence of guests from Saarbrücken. A place she held in high honors once. But now that picture is fading… And for some reason she is a particular target of their mockery, undeservingly so. She tells me all this had a purpose, but that she wasn’t supposed to mention it. Whatever. I think they went way over board with what they did.

And what was it they actually did? Enter: Saarbrücken. Being guests in this domain they made no effort to mingle with the actual members of the domain. Nor did they introduce themselves. No saying hello properly. And I did position myself invitingly on a bar chair. No kneeling for our prince. Addressing her in the wrong way. Wondering why Alena is still alive. No congratulations to the newly named senators. Not the smallest sign of respect, no matter what one did. Jason tried to entertain them valiantly but was bound to fail, seeing as they didn’t want anyone to succeed. And me? I had a short conversation with them, basically telling them that this was as far as their lack of manners would allow them to go. Since I did that in my own manner I doubt they understood what I told them. Next time their conduct is that bad I will kick them right down the neck of their bottles with their oh so desired green fairy. Stronger than us? Perhaps. But not smarter. We prevail, assholes.

The whole thing drove one of the Ventrue women close to frenzy. Miss Havixbeck is much into politeness and the like. Reminds me of Alena. I think I managed to calm her some. But certainly not enough to make her forget about this.

Rumor has it that they tested our patience and ability to enforce our etiquette by prince Brückner. I doubt that this was really what she intended. Doesn’t sound like her to go over board like that. Later that night she seemed distracted. A bit distant. Perhaps because of this Fräulein Rottenmeier. But I doubt it was just that. Perhaps something the guests said.

Worth nothing down: Clan Gangrel was the first to assure the senate of their continued loyalty. Go Gangrel.

Raphael remains true. Which is a good thing. He had me worried. And his ghoul really made me laugh! Which is the first time that anyone made me laugh about this – thing.

I have never typed quite as much as I do these nights. I love this.

My dear father,

Your Son