Cassian swallowed hard as he made his way down the dark corridor. After a month with Delilah, he still didn't know what to expect to be lurking in the shadows of any given hallway. He paused to take a deep breath and then forced himself to keep walking at a slower, somewhat relaxed pace. He had only gone a few steps when--
"You! With the black hair! Halt!"
Oh great. Just perfect. He had been hoping to make it through the halls of the large mansion without being stopped. The building was filled with more nutjobs than the circus. Rolling his eyes, he turned around, not surprised to see it was a member of the lower arcana that had addressed him so rudely.
"Yes, sir? Can I help you?" In truth, it was killing Cassian to pretend to be so polite, but he forced his smile anyway, deciding it was better to make enemies so soon after becoming involved in the already too risky alliance. Even if it was just an underling.
The robed man remained silent for a long moment before answering. "The Cardmaster would like to see you personally now. It is about your rank and assignment."
Cassian froze. Of all things, he had not been expecting that. He only stood there, wide-eyed, while the lower arcana turned and began to walk down the long corridor. He was almost out of sight when Cassian finally was able to get his feet to move and with a hurried trudge, he followed the steadily disappearing figure.
When he finally cauglht up, the underling was standing outside of a pair of large wooden doors. They were decorated extarvigantly with paintings of biblical angels and early man.Somehow, it gave him an awful foreboding feeling that no matter what he did, he could not seem to shake. The more he stared at the carved figures in the gigantic doors, the more that feelin grew, until that was all that he was aware of. Cassian was so absorbed in the intricate designs adorning the doors that he started when the lower arcana lifted his hand in a dramatic gesture for him to enter. Gulping, Cassian pushed aside those (surprisingly heavy!) beautifully painted doors.
"Come in, Mr. Cassian. Don't be so shy."
Cassian shivered as the chilling voice washing over him, and couldn't help but obey and take several steps into the large room. It was beautifully furnished with red velvet armchairs scattered about it in groups, with each group receiving its own polished wooden table. There were tall windows lining both sides of the room, with the same red velvet of the armchairs adorning the curtains covering them.
The carpet was a very busy neutral colored floral pattern and the walls were covered with blue striped wall paper. Cassian took a sharp breath. This was definitely more glamorous than what he was accustomed to.
"Don't be such a stranger, sir..." drawling voices called from women who occupied a few of the velet chairs. "Do come in..."
Cassian shook his head to clear it. He would have to ignore it. He would have to ignore everything but the task at hand. He looked up quickly when he heard soemone clearing their throat. At the back of the lavish room was an equally lavis chair, not unlike a throne. The arms of the chair were bare...except for the same patterns and painted designs as what had hypnotized Cassian at the doors. He had to fight so that the same spell did not overtake him again. In the "throne" was a rather good looking man about in his late 30s. He had dark hair which was slicked back from his face, and he wore a neutrally colored suit. He also wore a pair of smart glasses over his cold eyeswhich werew now fixed upon Cassian in a half bored, amused way. Cassian shifted uncomfortably under the man's powerful gaze.
"Mr. Cassian," the chilling voice which shook Cassian uttered. "Do you have a rank at all as of yet? You have only been with us for a short time, and I regret to say that I have not had the time to keep track of our...newest members." The man's speech was slow, menacing.
"No...No sir, I do not. And I do not have a partner yet either..." Cassian had to struggle to keep his voice from cracking.
"Hmm."
"Sir?"
Slowly, the man rose from his seat, and crossed the distance between them.
"You've never seen me in person, have you, Mr. Cassian?"
Cassian was having difficulty speaking, his mouth just wouldn't form the words. "N-no... sir..."
The man smiled, which caused Cassian to surpress another shiver. "Well, I assure you that I am no representative. I am the real thing. The founder of the organization Delilah, the Cardmaster."
He turned away from Cassian and towards one of the stretched windows, pulling the curtain back to look out of it. "However some may know me better as the Earl Alexis Hargreaves..." He seemed to be speaking more to himself than to his "guest", for he only trailed off and kept staring out of the window to the darkness outside.
Cassian started when he finally spoke again. "Mr. Cassian, I believe I have the perfect assigment for someone of your...talents." The Cardmaster turned slowly to meet Cassian's startled eyes, smirking. I will assign you to our doctor here at Delilah, and you will be his...ah, assisstant."
