[Donna's eyes narrow as she turns on the other woman. Adrienne smiles and extends a hand, as she's seen other people do in greeting. "Adrienne Melraux. I understand your firm may represent my coven."
Donna shakes her hand, because she does try to be polite to people she's never met, but something about this sounds very ... odd.]
We may. Would you mind if I confirm that with the actual coven first?
["Not at all. Please do. I'm excited to meet Maxim and the other Melrauxs."
Donna nods.]
Excuse me.
[She makes her way back to her office, opening the door and closing it behind her.]
( Connor looks up as Donna lets herself back into her office. )
His husband is doing what he can. Something about his ex's sister's friend, I'm on mute, ( Conner says, tapping the button to unmute. ) David, Donna is back.
( he looks past her, wondering who the two raven haired, severe women are she's been talking to. he now realizes, today may be the day even though donna said, 'not today' )
You have no idea. I need Max and Jaqueline. I need you to open a door and send them here.
[David is quiet for a moment and Donna's eyes narrow.]
David.
["I would love to do that for you, Donna, I really would. But Max and Jaq can't really leave Baltimore right now due to the whole unfinished ritual thing. I mean, I could send Jaqueline and Sierra together but we don't know where Max's partner is and leaving the radius will subject both of them to incredible amounts of pain."
Donna slumps into a nearby chair, burying her face in her hands.]
Great, wonderful. Perfect. I just have a woman claiming to be a Melraux witch.
[David squints. "She can't be. There are only two left."]
That's what I thought but she was escorted here with a woman I thought was dead, so the truth is really relative right now.
[David's quiet again, before turning and going to find someone else to resolve this problem. He passes the phone to Max. "Here. You talk to Donna. Your family, your problem."]
So, this signature covers a lot more than the estate.
( Sorry, Donna, Connor sinks back into your chair. Normally, he wouldn't, but she's in the other chair and things feel more out of control than usual.
Max's ears perk up, eyebrows questioning as he listens to David's side of the conversation and then takes the phone in hand. Guess he's been tapped in.
I have a witch standing in my office calling herself Adrienne Melraux and claiming that she's part of your coven. But I thought at last count there were only two Melrauxs, you and your sister.
[She frowns.]
She also walked in here with a dead woman, if that means anything.
We've had... some of that around here. But, just around here. We would have recognized a dead woman we didn't - or - ( He looks to the rest of them, to his sister, a resigned David, his sister's wife. And Ezra. )Adrienne?
Her name's Isobel Flemming. She's a vampire friend of a kind of friend. Hold on.
[She gets to her feet and moves to the door, pulling it open and turning her attention back to Adrienne.]
Does the name Celeste mean anything to you?
[Hopefully loud enough so Max can hear, she responds. "My parents were Celeste Marchant and Gabriel Melroux." Which is a very slight lie, but Gabriel did raise her and maybe she got lucky and her parentage fell to the wayside after her death.
[Adrienne can speak for herself, thank you. She'll nudge past Donna and into the office, because she's always preferred a direct conversation over a middle man. She also knows a little vulnerability can go a long way, especially if you're a woman.]
A witch is only as good as her coven, and there's a great deal about this world that I'm still learning. I don't know why I'm here, but I don't intend to simply disappear, either.
[She pauses as she considers.]
And from what I've heard, you may not be in a place to turn down extra hands.
[That is a gamble, but she's not completely helpless. She wants to be clear she has something to offer.]
[She doesn't one hundred percent believe that's true, but one thing she dislikes about this new form of communication is that it's hard to read other people's faces.]
Now. How do we move this to a face to face conversation to discuss terms?
[They have no reason to trust each other. Might hash it all out together.]
As convenient as these devices are, I prefer to look in the eyes of the people I'm doing business with.
( Why is nobody reacting, he can't decide this on his own. )
How about this, what kind of business are you looking for? Acclimation? Family history? You mentioned the coven. And our - setbacks. What have you heard, Adrienne?
Resources, mostly. I'm not expecting us to be chummy, I've been dead too long for that.
[Leaning on the family name was only to get her here, to this conversation. She also doesn't know how much they know about her parentage, so she doesn't need that to be thrown in her face.]
I have a friend who's been helping some with acclimation but I can't have her compel me everything I need forever. That's not sustainable. And from what I have seen, there's very little that doesn't function without liquid funds.
[None of what she has.]
Not much. Simply that there was a large shake up in a powerful coven, and while I am not a lawyer, I can read enough to know that power is changing hands.
[Donna hisses a soft "Shit" behind her. You let her in the office, sorry.]
I don't want standing or rank. I'm willing to pull my own weight and earn my keep. But I need somewhere to go, and anyone else I can ask is four hundred years dead. I'm not blind to my circumstances.
[Jaqueline's face says she doesn't trust anything this woman is saying and it's a bad omen all around, but Max is the one negotiating. Max is the one who was asked for.]
("That's not a question, Max," Ezra says, giving him a 'what are you doing?' look. He returns one that says 'putting everything on the table.' Just deciding how to say it.
Connor just sits, also waiting. )
We can't move this face to face without -- ( What does he need to know. ) How do we know your four hundred years old? You could just be saying that. You're reading into our coven's upheaval, you could know Adrienne's name. Can you give us anything else?
[Adrienne sets her jaw, as she tries to think of what's something that would have been passed down that only she would know. She could take the easy route, reveal her actual father, but that is still something that leaves a bitter taste in her mouth and if she's honest, it may not be something this generation knows.
She also doesn't want to be saying this in front of strangers without being able to see what's happening on the other end of the line.
It's the best option she has though. Her eyes meet Connor's at the desk, and then she turns towards the window to avoid making eye contact.]
My death was probably recorded as a casualty of the Gauntlet. That's only partially true. The actual truth is that my mother killed me in order to curse the man who called it.
[Is that enough? Can they read between the lines and hear the thing she didn't want to say in the first place? She hates how much weakness she is having to show, but she doesn't have much of a choice.]
( Connor looks away, knowing this moment isn't for him, but he won't leave Donna alone with this 'not old friend' and random woman. Not when Harvey isn't here and they have half the office in. So, he's staying put. As uncomfortable as he is.
He doesn't mean to say it out loud, because the only name that comes to mind as he happens to look at everyone else is:
it's inadvertent, he didn't mean to play this card, it's easy to use a name heard and lie, but, )
It means we should be cautious and I don't disagree. Let's go through the scenarios. Say she's who she says she is. She's... back. With someone else Donna thought was dead. She found us through Donna. It feels random, but it doesn't feel sinister.
("Are you just looking for a reason to pull Rusty back into the proceedings," Ezra asks, out of line. )
Rusty is long gone.
("But, Adrienne, his long lost whatever, that would send him running back, back into your orbit, when we have more important things. We have Elton. You should be focusing on Elton, not this woman."
He lets that settle, then turns to Sierra.
"Well."
Sierra shrugs, looking at her wife, her former bethrothed and then his.
"Another pair of hands here, especially one with knowledge from four hundred years ago wouldn't be something I'd turn away, but I would also want her vetted," she admits. "Before we bring her here physically and definitely not through David's door.")
[David and Jaqueline share a look, as though they're not entirely convinced that this is the best course of action, but still - their choices are limited.]
Did your mom still have that holding room?
[David nods. "I'll make sure the spells are still working." He goes and heads back into the compounds and Jaqueline turns back to her brother.]
We talk to her in the anti-magic room until we figure out if we can trust her.
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everyonelives2025-10-11 07:15 am
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Donna shakes her hand, because she does try to be polite to people she's never met, but something about this sounds very ... odd.]
We may. Would you mind if I confirm that with the actual coven first?
["Not at all. Please do. I'm excited to meet Maxim and the other Melrauxs."
Donna nods.]
Excuse me.
[She makes her way back to her office, opening the door and closing it behind her.]
David still on the line?
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His husband is doing what he can. Something about his ex's sister's friend, I'm on mute, ( Conner says, tapping the button to unmute. ) David, Donna is back.
( he looks past her, wondering who the two raven haired, severe women are she's been talking to. he now realizes, today may be the day even though donna said, 'not today' )
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Donna sighs as she moves closer.]
You have no idea. I need Max and Jaqueline. I need you to open a door and send them here.
[David is quiet for a moment and Donna's eyes narrow.]
David.
["I would love to do that for you, Donna, I really would. But Max and Jaq can't really leave Baltimore right now due to the whole unfinished ritual thing. I mean, I could send Jaqueline and Sierra together but we don't know where Max's partner is and leaving the radius will subject both of them to incredible amounts of pain."
Donna slumps into a nearby chair, burying her face in her hands.]
Great, wonderful. Perfect. I just have a woman claiming to be a Melraux witch.
[David squints. "She can't be. There are only two left."]
That's what I thought but she was escorted here with a woman I thought was dead, so the truth is really relative right now.
[David's quiet again, before turning and going to find someone else to resolve this problem. He passes the phone to Max. "Here. You talk to Donna. Your family, your problem."]
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( Sorry, Donna, Connor sinks back into your chair. Normally, he wouldn't, but she's in the other chair and things feel more out of control than usual.
Max's ears perk up, eyebrows questioning as he listens to David's side of the conversation and then takes the phone in hand. Guess he's been tapped in.
"Donna," he says. "What's my problem?" )
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[She frowns.]
She also walked in here with a dead woman, if that means anything.
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( He knows exactly where that name comes from. )
Mention the name Celeste. Who's the dead woman?
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[She gets to her feet and moves to the door, pulling it open and turning her attention back to Adrienne.]
Does the name Celeste mean anything to you?
[Hopefully loud enough so Max can hear, she responds. "My parents were Celeste Marchant and Gabriel Melroux." Which is a very slight lie, but Gabriel did raise her and maybe she got lucky and her parentage fell to the wayside after her death.
Donna glances back to the phone.]
You hear that, Max?
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( Ezra, crossed arms, offers a hand up, finger outstretched.
"Elena's birth mother?"
Max makes a face at Ezra and then listens to Celeste's response back. )
Heard it loud and clear. ( He covers the phone with his hand. ) Celeste's daughter is with Elena's birth mother. And Donna Paulsen.
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[She's picked up bits and pieces of the conversation.]
As in also Rusty's daughter.
[In theory. Provided she actually is who she says she is, even if they have no way to prove it.]
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( If his crush's daughter - real daughter - just touched down... He thought he life was complicated enough. Max uncovers the receiver. )
What does she want from us?
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[Adrienne can speak for herself, thank you. She'll nudge past Donna and into the office, because she's always preferred a direct conversation over a middle man. She also knows a little vulnerability can go a long way, especially if you're a woman.]
A witch is only as good as her coven, and there's a great deal about this world that I'm still learning. I don't know why I'm here, but I don't intend to simply disappear, either.
[She pauses as she considers.]
And from what I've heard, you may not be in a place to turn down extra hands.
[That is a gamble, but she's not completely helpless. She wants to be clear she has something to offer.]
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The great deal she needs to learn? If he draws a straight line or even a crooked one through their lineage, she probably hails from the 1600's.
He exchanges looks with everyone. Has Donna been spilling family secrets? Or, this Isobel woman?
"No one is asking you to disappear. Adrienne." Just to confirm this is indeed that Adrienne. Fuck. )
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[She doesn't one hundred percent believe that's true, but one thing she dislikes about this new form of communication is that it's hard to read other people's faces.]
Now. How do we move this to a face to face conversation to discuss terms?
[They have no reason to trust each other. Might hash it all out together.]
As convenient as these devices are, I prefer to look in the eyes of the people I'm doing business with.
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( Why is nobody reacting, he can't decide this on his own. )
How about this, what kind of business are you looking for? Acclimation? Family history? You mentioned the coven. And our - setbacks. What have you heard, Adrienne?
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[Leaning on the family name was only to get her here, to this conversation. She also doesn't know how much they know about her parentage, so she doesn't need that to be thrown in her face.]
I have a friend who's been helping some with acclimation but I can't have her compel me everything I need forever. That's not sustainable. And from what I have seen, there's very little that doesn't function without liquid funds.
[None of what she has.]
Not much. Simply that there was a large shake up in a powerful coven, and while I am not a lawyer, I can read enough to know that power is changing hands.
[Donna hisses a soft "Shit" behind her. You let her in the office, sorry.]
I don't want standing or rank. I'm willing to pull my own weight and earn my keep. But I need somewhere to go, and anyone else I can ask is four hundred years dead. I'm not blind to my circumstances.
[Jaqueline's face says she doesn't trust anything this woman is saying and it's a bad omen all around, but Max is the one negotiating. Max is the one who was asked for.]
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( "That's not a question, Max," Ezra says, giving him a 'what are you doing?' look. He returns one that says 'putting everything on the table.' Just deciding how to say it.
Connor just sits, also waiting. )
We can't move this face to face without -- ( What does he need to know. ) How do we know your four hundred years old? You could just be saying that. You're reading into our coven's upheaval, you could know Adrienne's name. Can you give us anything else?
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She also doesn't want to be saying this in front of strangers without being able to see what's happening on the other end of the line.
It's the best option she has though. Her eyes meet Connor's at the desk, and then she turns towards the window to avoid making eye contact.]
My death was probably recorded as a casualty of the Gauntlet. That's only partially true. The actual truth is that my mother killed me in order to curse the man who called it.
[Is that enough? Can they read between the lines and hear the thing she didn't want to say in the first place? She hates how much weakness she is having to show, but she doesn't have much of a choice.]
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He doesn't mean to say it out loud, because the only name that comes to mind as he happens to look at everyone else is:
it's inadvertent, he didn't mean to play this card, it's easy to use a name heard and lie, but, )
Rusty?
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[She blinks, thrown by the random word because as far as she's concerned that isn't a name. And certainly not associated with anyone she knows.
"Russell DeBrande," Donna offers, because of course she wouldn't know Rusty of four hundred years ago as Rusty.]
Oh. Yes, Russell DeBrande was the man she cursed.
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( That and being cursed would drive a man crazy. )
Sorry. That's his name now. Or, Dave. Or. Wait. Donna, you know --
( Not the point. )
Give me a moment.
( He mutes the call, glancing around at everyone.
"What are the chances," Sierra says, smirking. )
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[David wrinkles his nose, because while he knows that things are weird right now. "I'm kind of with your sister on this one."
Jaqueline points to David.]
Ha! Then this means I'm right.
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( "Are you just looking for a reason to pull Rusty back into the proceedings," Ezra asks, out of line. )
Rusty is long gone.
( "But, Adrienne, his long lost whatever, that would send him running back, back into your orbit, when we have more important things. We have Elton. You should be focusing on Elton, not this woman."
He lets that settle, then turns to Sierra.
"Well."
Sierra shrugs, looking at her wife, her former bethrothed and then his.
"Another pair of hands here, especially one with knowledge from four hundred years ago wouldn't be something I'd turn away, but I would also want her vetted," she admits. "Before we bring her here physically and definitely not through David's door." )
So, then what?
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[David pauses for a moment, before tipping his head to the side. "We could run a DNA test."
Jaqueline's brow furrows.]
Against who's?
["Rusty's." David pauses. "Or yours. But Rusty's would be the most accurate."]
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( Despite being called out, he does sound like Rusty bailed on more than one thing at once. )
Look, what - what harm can she do if we do bring her here. We're on another level now.
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Did your mom still have that holding room?
[David nods. "I'll make sure the spells are still working." He goes and heads back into the compounds and Jaqueline turns back to her brother.]
We talk to her in the anti-magic room until we figure out if we can trust her.
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