Muzaka was actually sleeping. Not any differently from anyone else, naturally. He was laying at ease on the settee, not having removed his boots properly, and was half-hugging a pillow. Before him, the hearth was burning some cedar logs, sending out their rich scent into the room. The snapping of the little bits of wood, and the hiss of the sap as it boiled, gave the fire a somewhat sinister mood…but the dancing flames were pretty.

At the window, it was chilly. The outside air seeped in somehow or other, and there was a feeling of contrast. The warmth from the area Muzaka had claimed, and the cold of the window area where he stood. Cadis was uncertain if he could approach the settee, although he could not think of why someone who is already sleeping could object.

Feeling old and exhausted, Cadis shut his eyes. The trees had grown another few feet, and he was not any different. The natural world was amazing; it was always changing its shape. He would have liked to have been a tree, he thought absently, but this thought-train lost momentum and crashed as the door opened.

Frankenstein came in, with tea for him. He was being moderately quiet because he knew Muzaka was sleeping. In the two nights since their arrival, both Muzaka and Ashlyn had slept badly. Now that Ashlyn was up to eating, Muzaka had finally left her side; but he was too aware of being in someone else's house, so it was hard for him to fully relax.

Breathing in the scent of the tea, Cadis smiled. He was aware that Frankenstein felt he was inadequate. That was how this man interpreted being unable to find his master promptly. But, in reality, it was not like that. "Frankenstein." Cadis said, speaking carefully around his pronounced teeth. "It would seem that I may need to take a rest."

A slight clatter of china. "Master?" Frankenstein asked, softly. "The Lord said there was a collision of powers, so I can understand your words. But is it in no way fixable?"

"Fixable?" Cadis turned, frowning. "Is this a word the humans have created to mean something?"

"It means to 'repair' or 'fix'. Fix as in 'adhere' and 'repair'. For instance, we would 'fix' a broken tree by wrapping up the broken limb. The same can be done with humans." Frankenstein calmly explained his vernacular. "I meant that, is there a way in which you might come to feel stronger?"

"I see." Turning back to the window, Cadis thought about that. The very plainest answer to that, was that he would sleep for some length of time, so that he felt better. However, if he wanted to avoid a long slumber, then…there were some methods. None very nice. All rather unhappy. His brows pinched. For a moment, he felt a little unstable. It had never been such a strong impulse before, and he did not like it. "Frankenstein…one more sugar."

He wanted to taste something sweet.

Frankenstein was not a fool, but he did not question it or argue and added another cube of white crystal. The sugar that had been so sought out by humans; they did have it. Although Lukedonia was sealed off, it was not like it was another world. They had plants and such, and all the comforts of the hearth and home were to be found there. He loved the balmy weather in the summer; they did get some snow now and then, but it had been a long time since any had piled up on the ground. He wondered if he would ever get to see it snow again, and this made him think about Muzaka again.

Muzaka had seen the highest north, where there was always snow.

He had seen the very farthest south, where there was nothing but sand.

Cadis looked at his window. This was where he was the most comfortable, but it was no longer enough. He felt like he was going to go crazy soon. Even though he knew nothing would change. Turning away, he moved and seated himself, so that he could drink the tea that Frankenstein had made for him. It tasted…quite bad. It was gritty, too, from the sugar. He had mutilated the flavour so badly, it could no longer be considered tea. Yet, he drank it. Offending his own palate, which was very delicate, with this brutally sweat liquid.

Setting his cup down on the saucer, Cadis observed Frankenstein. He was 'loitering', rather than 'waiting upon'. Well, he was a sensitive person. It only made sense that he would be worried to some extent. "Come with me." Cadis abruptly said, causing Frankenstein to look at him. "Tomorrow, I will speak with the Lord. For this, I think you should be present."

"Why?" Frankenstein asked. "I will most certainly go! Of course. But it is odd that you should ask me."

"Because you are human," Cadis replied, openly. "The Lord knows this, too." Uncomfortable, thinking his stomach did not like that much sugar, Cadis sighed just a little. "You must have patience, and try to be polite."

"I will try my best." Frankenstein replied, with a bow.

Although the Lord was normally regarded as the highest authority, the only one to be genuinely feared among the Nobles, by the Nobles themselves, was the Noblesse. This was largely due to the fact that his power was godly, and should he believe it within his judgement, he could annihilate any noble who transgressed. Nobles did not leave bodies behind them. They disintegrated. Dispersed. Disappeared.

It was not a little frightening.

Were Nobles now wrought from matter? Were they not made of clay? What was the container of their power and spirit made of, that it did not return to the earth?

This was the dilemma that had caused some Nobles to fall into doubt. To doubt their laws and their Lord. However, they could not question the Lord. First, because he was the Lord. There was no questioning the highest power on earth. Second, because there existed the Noblesse. Whether right or wrong, whether fact or speculation, whether with regret or justification, he held ultimate control over their existences. Existences they already felt uneasy about.

Then, there were the humans.

The humans multiplied endlessly. They waged wars, endlessly. There was no stopping them. Like cockroaches, they bred x-potentially and left nothing much but havoc and rotting corpses behind them. They were weak, so it was not much of a problem for the Nobles.

Yet humans had one thing that the Nobles did not. Without power, without knowledge, without beauty or grace, they still had a well-spring with in them, and that was their adaptation. They could adapt to any and all changes. Sometimes as swiftly as instantly leaving their abodes and travelling to some new land. They could cast off their names and their ideals. This adaptation was inspiring and fearsome for a species that, individually, only lived little more than half a century.

Then, there were the Werewolves.

The Werewolves were so powerful. They could be injured to the point of ruining their bodies, and they would regenerate and keep on fighting. They had to feel some pain, but their minds did not break. They could endlessly fight and survive. As if their species was built for no other reason but to instil terror.

The Nobles lived long lives. Without ageing. Without losing their reason. Most stayed at home, just improving themselves in their own way. They had various hobbies. It was not like they needed to interact with Humans or Werewolves. Only very rarely were there any interactions between the races. For thousands of years, they had existed, but they were not all that different. Just that, when they thought about their existence, and the existence of these other races, they had to compare them to each other. The Nobles with their grace, the Humans with their adaption, and the Werewolves with their strength.

Then, there was Frankenstein.

What the hell was he?! How the hell had he come about?! He was…a human. But he was not a human. He was a power-user. But he was not a Noble or a Werewolf. He was the one the humans feared and despised. The Werewolves did not seem to give a shit about him. And the Nobles…expected him to be imprisoned by the Lord. He was not. They expected him to be annihilated by the Noblesse. He was not. In the end, he took up residence in the Noblesse's house. He lived there!

He entered a contract with the Noblesse!

This human, this non-human human, had made a contract with the only being they feared. It was an insult. They controlled their curiosity, because of the Lord. They controlled their terror, because of the Noblesse. They did sometimes interact with humans, but they hid this and tried to make up for it. So as not to anger the only being that held their lives in the balance.

Once they were annihilated, they would cease to exist!

The preoccupation of self-preservation was new to the Nobles. Because, for the older generation, they knew first-hand what the Noblesse could do to them. If he could do it to his own brother, he could do it to anyone. For any reason.

But he had not annihilated Frankenstein.

Then, in that case, why did they need him? If he could just disappear, then they would no longer agonise over his existence. Him, and the Lord, and the Werewolves and the Humans! If, in any way, the tension could break, then they would be able to live freely and at peace. Some would ultimately fall to evil ways, some would ultimately disappear in the scope of eternity. That was natural and none of the Nobles really thought about that as a terrible thing. If they fell into Eternal Sleep, then that was fine; they were even a little curious about what came after that.

Annihilation was an entirely different phenomenon.

The Noblesse was friends with the Werewolf Lord. He was not precisely 'friends' with the Lord, though, but they were naturally drawn together. Killing off the Noblesse had never before been conceived of, because he was regarded as something sacred and superior. That his worth was greater than theirs. Just by existing and bearing that all-powerful title, he was supposed to be revered and respected. But, it did beg the question of what made him better than them? Why did he deserve their respect? Respect had to be earned, and he had done nothing to inspire them; only living like a doll shut up in a doll house. A nonreciprocal god, after all.

It was essential. It was to their benefit. Without morality or codes or ethics getting in the way. Only for their own sake. Another new concept to the Nobles. Selfishness. Cunning. Spite. Deception. They had learned to be greedy. To be egotistical. Because, they were aware that they, too, could be murdered.

Evil was, ultimately, a point of view.

Just like God.

Therefore, they did not need a Noblesse. They did not want a Lord. And that was why they plotted. It was always all for their own sake…