Welcome to Alexander's. May I take your order?

Hey, waiter? I'd like a G&T, please.

(To Rufus): Hello.

"Er, Hi. What's up?"

Now there's something I haven't smelled for a long time. Forgive me, but I hadn't thought the newid blaidd were still around.

(to Rush) Your usual, tonight, sir, I presume?

Rufus looks a tad confused "The what now?"

(to Jacob Smith) "You must forgive me as well, Mr....? I'm afraid that I, like my friend here, am in the dark about the Newid Blaidd," Constantin says, with a bland smile as he waits for this stranger to introduce himself.

Oh, forgive me, I certainly didn't mean to offend. I just...you smell so much like them, I assumed you were one of their pack. The newid bleidd are quite distinctive, you know, and you do smell exactly like one of... Well, it must be my mistake. I did hear that they had all died out; I suppose the rumours of their extinction must be true after all. May I enquire whose pack you are a part of?

Jacob pauses, wrinkling his nose and shuffling slightly away as he notices Constantin. His eyebrows fly up his head, with a look of considerable surprise. His two minions begin to make their way closer to Constantin and Rufus's section of bar to provide some muscly backup when they see that their boss is talking to a vampire.

"Oh, forgive me, I didn't realize you were...friends?...with this gentleman here." He looks Constantin up and down, taking in the obviously well-made suit, and raises his eyebrows further. "Are the two of you here for the Black Prince's gala, then? Funny, I hadn't heard he was bringing in any werewolves that weren't Lupus Tutorem."

[Waiter, speaking to Rush] "I'm terribly sorry, sir, but I assumed you would want your usual drink, tonight? A virgin mojito laced with Hedgefruit juices? I know I have not served you personally yet, but here at Alexander's we attempt to remember all our customers' preferences, in order to provide more quality service."

Rush blinks, brought back to earth after giving the place a glance-over, seeming impressed by the decor (and the rather attractive staff). He gives the waiter an apologetic smile.

"It's been a while– nice of you to remember after so long. Can I get a table for two? Somewhere off to the side, if you can."

(to Jacob) "Oh, we're not here for anything official," Constantin dismisses easily, "just stopping by."

(to Rush) "Certainly, sir. Would you like a privacy-warded table, or will one on the floor suffice?"

[GM NOTICE TO ALL PLAYERS: The bar is against the back wall of the restaurant, with a line of barstools in front of it and a blank space where people can easily go up and get drinks. In front of that is an open space (with convenient ledges to set things on) where people can mingle, and lining the sides of the room are tables: most set out in the open, and a few (like the ones in the X-Men First Class Hellfire Club, which I sadly cannot find pics for) set into the wall, with spaces for curtains to be hung across them. These are the tables that are warded for privacy, and cost a little extra to sit at.]

(to Rufus) "Ah. Interesting. Do you have a pack in the area, then, or are you traveling to meet them?"

(To Jacob) "I...uh don't have a pack, well unless you count my friend which I do. What are the newid bleidd Mister...." He watches the man carefully and sits up straight to make himself bigger when he sees him eye Constantin like that. A very wolfish 'this is mine' gesture.

"Really? You've never heard of the Newid Bleidd? One of the oldest packs in Wales - although there's some doubt about whether they're true werewolves or shapeshifters...I could have sworn they all died out, but maybe...You say you don't have a pack? Saaaaay, how would you like to share a few drinks with me and my friends here?"

He waves a hand behind him, at the two wolves flanking him on either side. Both Constantin and Rufus can tell from the way they're standing (and the way they smell) that they are both lower on the pecking order than Jacob, and of very different breeds - a different "flavor" to the werewolf smell, if you will. [SIDE NOTE FOR CONSTANTIN: While all of these new wolves smell different, none of them smell quite as bad as Rufus.]

Jacob sticks out his hand to Rufus for a handshake, offering a winning smile.

"My name's Jacob Smith - I'm one of the Betas of the London pack. Lucky you ran into me, here, really - there's all sorts of wolves in London. We of the Lupus Tutorem are, of course, the only proper pack, but there's always a few upstart punks trying to cause trouble. I'm of a pretty ancient lineage, actually, my brother's an Alpha - we were just waiting around to meet him, in fact, and if you wanted to wait with us I'm sure I could introduce you..." He gives you a sunny smile, notices how close you are standing to Constantin, and hastily turns to Constantin, adding, "and your -er - charming friend as well, of course."

Kalynn looks down at her now empty wine class, pondering for a moment if she should have another. Slowly, she rises from her seat and returns to the bar.

"Excuse me, waiter, but might I get another glass of Port? And have you seen anyone here who goes by the name of Rush? He is expecting me." She offers her best smile and glances around the room. After so long, a place like this is a bit much to take in at once.

Cyrus is sitting a good distance away from everyone else--by this, we mean as far away in a corner as possible. He's armed with nothing but a beer, some fish-and-chips, and a small white cat that is equipped with her own dish of cat food. He also seems to have found a potted plant to scoot near his table, further obscuring himself from others.
Apparently, he really doesn't want to be disturbed. Or noticed.

Constantin spares Rufus a glance. Given what is being discussed, this really has to be his decision. In the wordless way of long-standing friends, Constantin warns that, to him, this whole approach has seemed rather... slick.

"Such a kind offer, Mr. Smith, but we'd hate to intrude upon a night with friends and family," he delays, polite and grateful for the clearly sincere invitation. It sounds like a sweet refusal; the kind that might very well just be perfunctory, and all it will take to crumble is convincing the bolder friend to go.

"Wales...oh that must be my family. I'm Rufus and this is Constantin." He shakes Jacob's hand briefly. "It has been awhile since one of us turned and I should probably say I don't have a pack yet. I'm currently the only one of the appropriate age to turn. But since I am the oldest wolf from the main family of the Newid Bleidd, I'll probably be alpha in my own right once there are others. And we're just passing through on vacation so I'm sorry but my answer is no, I am not interested in joining your pack. Which is what you're really asking and not just for drinks. I hope you enjoy the rest of your evening Mr. Smith." Rufus always has been more frank than Constantin.

Constantin's quick to try to soften Rufus' words. Sometimes his friend doesn't remember that not everyone likes to hear the unadorned truth.

"Not interested in joining, however, does not mean uninterested, and certainly doesn't mean unfriendly. If your invitation stands for someone who is not packless so much as... possessing a pack-in-waiting, I'm sure Rufus would be glad to meet the -Lupus Tutorem, was it?- as friends, even if he can't become family, sometime when it's convenient for all of you."

"Ah..." Rush deliberates, glancing around. "I'm not sure what my dinner guest wants... Just out of the way, for now? If someone asks for me, send her over. Or any of my 'freehold', really." Quotes clearly emphasized affectionately, though he manages to stop himself from actually making finger quotes like some teenager.

(to Jacob) "Not that I don't appreciate the offer," Rufus adds in deference to make Constantin feel better, "but my friend and I are really only going to be here for a short while. Perhaps another time."

"Certainly, sir." He leads Rush to a side table, partially obscured by the ornamental Koi tank, with a clear view of the floor.

"You're travelers? Well, then, I insist on buying you a round - on the house, no obligations. Do you prefer beer, or perhaps a stronger spirit...?"

A group of four enters the bar together, shaking out their coats and looking around for seats. This entrance might have had an intimidating air, if it weren't for the fact that most of them look like scared teenagers, a little overawed by the striking, symmetrical perfection of Alexander's bar.

The oldest, a well-built man in his mid-twenties, points the three youngsters to an unclaimed table.

Adam looks around the room, catching something of the last exchange between Jacob, Rufus and Constantin. He crosses the room without invitation and says, "Giving more newbies a hard time, Jacob? I thought you learned that lesson, last time you tangled with Eve."

To Rufus, "I'm Adam. Don't let this guy ruffle your feathers. He'd run anybody who's not part of his pack out of town on a railroad spike if he could, but he can't."

But the look in his eyes says, Not yet, anyways.

The three teenagers find a table, the youngest and smallest of them, Kay, leading the way.

Larry, a too-skinny kid in all black and a ridiculous hat that he probably thinks is stylish, catches a glimpse of Rush across the room behind the Koi tank. He nearly bounces out of his skin and calls, too loudly, "RUSH! HI!"

Sam puts one big hand on Larry's shoulder and encourages him to sit, but he and Kay both look over and wave to Rush with shy smiles, then turn back to each other, huddling together against the strange environment.