Yaquina Head is the highest point of New Port's coastline. The sheer cliffside prevents any travel from the sandy region far below. There is only one way onto Yaquina Head and that is by the two-lane road going in. It curves up and around the seaside mount and doubles back, leading the return to Agate Beach and New Port proper.
     From here, the Pacific Ocean is a living infinity. It extends and becomes the horizon. It is awe-inspiring and its sounds are constant. The wind is moist with spray and salt, and gulls are seen to lift and hover.
     Standing sentinel on the cliffside, its face to the ocean and its winds, is the historic lighthouse of Yaquina Head. White...like some mariner's spirit lingering centuries after -- the bleached stone of the lighthouse reflects the moonlight. That's what beacons are for, right? Beside it, a house -- its stone a mottled grey and white, looking weathered but restored. The approach to the lighthouse is not...obviously...prohibited, but it is a privately owned building.
     The coastline is it's most dramatic here. A huge sweeping wall of stone rises once you're down on the sand, the rest of the world some thirty feet above. But despite the mile of shore, the figure that walks towards the lighthouse can be well felt. Almost like a wave he swells, and as he walks, something dangles in his hand. His back is to you both, and he moves slowly, a little less than a quarter or a mile away or so.

     Having finished the meeting with the Prince and Council with a modicum of success, Victoria makes her way over to the lighthouse where she expects Ian to be waiting. Apparently she caught up with her husband and walks up with him to see Ian down on the beach. Making her way down to follow along a bit before catching up she takes off her shoes once she reaches the sand, setting them on a rock near the path down.

     Arriving with his wife and looking for all intents and purposes like he's had a plesant evening is the doctor of New Port. He seems at ease with the new position his wife has taken on, and if that makes him a target... well then so be it. Ui'll just have to learn how to live with a bullseye on his back. Not that people haven't already taken a few potshots at him but that's a different discussion. Ui seems unconcerned about the trecherous walking... even with Victoria on his arm his balance is smooth and flowing, like the waves themselves he moves. Not with any unatural talent, just the way he is.

     There's little pause in Ian's walking. It seems unplanned, wherever his feet take him. And yes, those are shoes in his hand...a dark spot rests on the sand up from the waterline. His blazer. Something causes him to turn and fling the pair towards the jacket, and he keeps on walking, along water's edge.

     Victoria makes her path over to the lonely stroller. "I thought we might catch up with you here." She smiles and waits back from the water on the sand, "The meeting's broken up now, I'm not sure if Tori was going to come find you now or not."

     Remaining silent for the most part Ui just watches the Prince and former Primogen... back from his castle and yet wherever he is it seems Ian makes it one. Neat trick that.. Ui might just grow into it. He just watches... head turning to the waves and watching them for a moment before turning back.

     "She might," Ian says, looking up as you grow closer. He was already aware of your arrival, and so kept his focus on the dancing waterline. He and the small waves that manage to make it to the beach. "How'd it go for you?" he wonders idly, barefeet in the sand. And in black. A surreal image it is, the young man eternally out of time's pocket. He walks forward, letting wet mush soak between his toes. There's something quiet about him, without William around, as if part of himself is missing. That would perhaps cause the solitary air that breezes as he walks. Loneliness.

     "Well I think." She smiles and stops where she is since Ian seems to be coming back towards her, "Gabriel actually joked with me which I choose to take as a good sign. Again, I'm sorry I was late, the plane left the airport three hours behind schedule." Her velvet skirt is light enough that the breeze off the water causes it to ripple but not so long that it has any billowy effect, rather instead like most of her public moods a sedate kind of elegant shift.

     Plane... an eyebrow lifts but seemingly content to air his grievances in private, Ui looks off to the lighthouse and then back to Ian. Seeing the difference in him without his Husband is something interesting and yet mirror like for what Ui has been feeling the last little while with his wife gone. He puts his arm around his wife as the breeze blows cooly off the water.

     "Oh, it's no problem," Ian waves off, watching the water swirl over his feet. "Just so you were there to take your Seat, as it were." He looks up and smiles, then tilts his head at Ui. "You've something to say to me, Ui?" he wonders, sensing the faint tension. "You seemed to have something to say in Scotland too..." and brow lifts, even as he continues his dance with the waves.

     Victoria nods and lets her husband and Ian talk for the moment, looking up into the sky and then back again as Ui puts his arm around her. Not really sure what Ian is moving towards with that comment, she leaves it for them to deal with between themselves.

     "No..." He shakes his head... He may have had something but it's gone now. "Nothing important... just that I wonder what it is that you'll do as one of the Innocu." A slight laugh dances on Ui's face but for the most part it's schooled to his normal affable look.

     "Inconnu?" Ian smirks, shaking his head, "...is that what you think?" His grey eyes look to Victoria, almost as dark as the sea ahead of him. "Have you explained to him who and what the Inconnu are, Victoria?" He smirks and looks at Ui, "I doubt seriously I'd ever be considered for Inconnu, by Inconnu. Nor would I want to be one, Ui Nader."

     Victoria shakes her head, "I'm afraid that I don't know terribly much about them myself, though I certainly didn't think that you were joining them." Wherever he got that idea from she'll probably never puzzle out, "Other than that Maximilian seems to find them somewhere between myth and closet monster."

     He laughs, Ian does, "Well, they are a bit, and suffice to say, I don't know that much of them myself..." but he looks at Ui, "I am Ian Dunross, of Strathfayr, Ui Nader. And I have been in the Camarilla since it was brought to existence. That...will not change." Not Ever.

     There's a shrug.. perhaps it was something he read. "Just something I heard somewhere... I think William said something... jokingly perhaps." There's a grin for all of that but Ui's eyes flatten as Ian declaims what it is he is and was and will be. There's a sober nod in acknowledgement for it.

     "Anything else," Ian quirks, mostly still interested in the feel of water and sand. Is that what it is like, to be so old? What would he be like...without William. "Ah...I should tell you...I am going home in a few nights. But of course, you know how to reach us...." The sand squishes and that brings a smile to Ian's face as he looks down again.

     Victoria looks back over now that it seems that conversation is at a close and nods to Ian's response, not really expecting much else on the subject. She never seems to get much more than that from anyone else. "So you needed to speak to me? I don't want to take up the rest of your evening since I'm sure you have a great deal to take care of." She nods at the comment of leaving, "I rather assumed you would after the meeting. I have the numbers that you and William gave me, I'm sure I can track you down if I need to."

     "No, no, I didn't need anything," Ian murmurs, grey eyes lifting to see you both. There is a smile, but it is wistful. "Just giving my congratulations to you...both. You lived. You prosper. Carry on," he grins, keeping things to the point. "And no need to rush off," he sighs, bending to roll his pants leg up. Deeper wading.

     He laughs softly at the praise and instructions from Ian. But not willing or wanting to wade out into the water, Ui detaches himself from the Wife and grabs a seat on a rock. Content to listen and to watch. His eyes look out.. and he takes a deep breath... tasting the air. Something he has forgotten and smiles at the familiar scent.

     Nodding and turning to look out at the water, "Thank you, I appreciate it." She smiles a moment in response to the grin from Ian and then her features slide back into their earlier slightly stoic expression, "Everyone is going to miss you weather they realize it or not. I'm sure I'll have all kinds of interesting stories to tell you after you've left." 'Interesting stories' isn't that one of her nice little understatements considering the prince declared that the northern side of the city should be getting ready for a war.

     "Take no prisoners," Ian advises, imagining the scenario himself. "Be smart. Watch. Act quickly and precisely when you do move. You will be alright, I will venture a guess." Pants done, he moves forward, letting his feet disappear beneath the waters. "Will...really liked the lighthouse," he murmurs, "...I...bought it for him." He glances over at the two of you. Should you be the same in a millennia? A shrug and he looks back to his feet, then sighs.

     "We'll keep it in good stead while you're gone... when you decide to visit us. Give us some time we'll have this city in our pocket." There's a slight grin in it... the doctor always, trying to keep Ian, the Paitent (how strange a role that is for Ui to put ian into) at least a bit more active. But he leaves off and lets his Wife do her part.

     Looking up to where it stands on the cliff she nods, "It suits him very well, you did a good job..." Victoria looks back over to Ian, "I'm not really sure where we're going to be staying most of the time... I'm going to keep my apartment I think yet, but I don't know if I feel right moving in to either the winery or the lighthouse. It seems rather like squatting in someone else's home."

     "That's good," Ian smiles, "...it's...a nice lighthouse. I'll have our things out...soon enough." He looks back to the sea and nods at Victoria's comment, "I can understand that," he offers. "They...were Ours. Done...very specifically, you know." He laughs a little, that sort of sound before you begin to cry, "I built...the house onto the winery...to get William...to move to New Port..." From San Francisco. He snorts and nods, "I guess...it worked." Apparently, he thought it wouldn't.

     Ian... near tears. Easier to say that the sun rose tonight at Midnight. Ian... showing a weakness.. a sadness. Grass is really blue, and the sky is falling Chicken Little. Ui... just looks there and listens and looks to his wife at a loss... Broken arms and sucking chest wounds are Ui's baliwick.. not... this.

     Victoria looks over to Ian and smiles softly, "I think you could have made him a castle out of cardboard boxes initially and if you told him that you would be here he would have moved, but it does suit him rather perfectly." She looks out over the waters again, not watching Ian in his slip since she doesn't think he'd want her to, "He never really fit in New Port though. It was always like he was taking a day trip or something rather than setting up residence. He was always so restless. I think that he'll be much happier in France now, he needs the grounding there."

     He nods, not disagreeing. "Well..." Ian smiles, "...Europe is our home. We know that...always have. But I guess...I could have build a box and he would come. I know that now...I didn't know that four years ago." He sighs, gathering himself again. "I should...go inside. I've got to make a call soon." Grey eyes are still like stormclouds, even after these years. "I'll see you later then." Perhaps.

     Victoria nods and smiles, stepping over to give Ian a hug before he goes, "Thank you for coming back, I'm sure we'll see you again soon." She grins, "Not to mention you've got your Christmas present to play with, so you'll have all kinds of fun." Not that it'll be terribly useful... a tracking device on a girl an ocean away doesn't help much. And the walkie talkies don't have that kind of range.

     He seems a little surprised by the hug, blinking with his arms out. It takes a moment, but then Ian recalls the gesture, closing his arms gingerly around Victoria. "Um...you're...welcome," he says, leaving the rest there. It's a genuine hug, and he closes his eyes a second before letting it go.

     Hopping off the Rocks Ui makes his way over to the embracing pair... he reaches into a pocket and pulls out a little box. It's a square box and he grins while giving it to Ian. "I ah.. figured that this would be something that you would enjoy... a reminder of what you've entrusted to us... something to remind you of this home."

     Victoria smiles and steps back, dropping a quick kiss on his cheek as she pulls back, perhaps even getting a little emotional herself. Moving so that he can take the box from Ui she nods, moving to his side now that that's done.

     He lets Victoria go as grey eyes shift to see the box. "Oh, that is nice of you, Ui," Ian offers, nodding as he accepts it. "Thank you, very much," he smiles wanly, extending his hand for a shake.

     His hand is taken and he smiles while he gives it a hearty shake. "My pleasure... and thank you... for everything. I owe you and William both so very much." He laughs, not sadly but with open pleasure. "Next time I come to visit... we'll have to see how much I've learned without my sparing partner." He grins... "Who knows, maybe I'll even not get my ass whooped."

     Ian laughs and nods, "You are welcome, and His Highness will be happy to see you, I am sure...regardless of your state of progression." Hand is retrieved and those eyes look to the box. "Should I open it now?" he wonders, already moving to see what is inside.

     There's a nod from Ui and when it is opened there's a glass sphere. You know one of those paperweight thingys... but this one is special. Aside from the water and requisite glitter.. you'd think he zapped the lighthouse and shrunk it into the little thing. It's an exact duplicate of the light house sitting on the edge of the bluffs. "So you can remember what it looks like."

     "Ohhh..." Ian smiles, a twinge of sadness behind it. "That's...very kind of you, really..." as he holds it up, "...it's...great." And he angles so that he can compare the two. His grin warms and he bites his bottom lip a second. "We'll remember," Ian says softly, putting the sphere back into the box. "Thank you," he nods again, turning to see you both. "Well," he smirks, "...before I get any more upset, I should...go see about my call." More than likely to William. He could use it. But there is no more talk of departures or times. When he goes, he'll go.

     Victoria nods and smiles, "You're very welcome, it was Ui's idea really, but it's fabulous I think." She steps back so that he can pass her, planning to stay down on the beach for a bit longer, "I'm sure we'll talk to you again before you go."

     There's a nod from Ian as he leaves the water to pick up his shoes and blazer. Scotland's not so far. Nor is France. But for him...and William...they are worlds away from here. He starts up the beach, towards the lighthouse. It'll take him a while to get there, but that seems alright for now.

Posted by rowan at February 07, 2000 07:21 PM