Chapter Text
The fact that Caterina Dellamorte, First Talon of the Antivan Crows had simply accepted when he suggested the Cantori Diamond as neutral ground for a meeting she had asked for, told Viago de Riva, that the matriarch of House Dellamorte wanted something from him.
Wanted it really bad and urgent.
Caterina usually just summoned anyone she felt she needed to talk to. Yet she had agreed to appear at the Diamond after her very formal message, that she wished to talk to the 5th Talon.
Viago carefully but absentmindedly straightened the fine leather of the gloves that covered his hands, while he was deeply lost in thoughts.
He barely took them off, those gloves. Not because of his own poisons - those he could handle just fine.
But someone in his position was never safe. He could never know, how and when someone else would try something he had already succeeded at: Taking down a whole house.
In his case even the very house that he had been trained and was educated in, for the major part of his life.
Once they were all gone, he had been successful in founding a new House of Antivan Crows.
His own House under the name and banner of de Riva, with its own motto and its own… well better his own agenda.
He had been able to survive with enough power to claim the spot of 5th Talon shortly after, which the House he took down had left empty.
There had been numerous attempts to kill him since.
With poison and blades and a handful even more creative approaches to keep House de Riva from thriving.
Viago chose to not talk about any of them.
And those who had been behind those attempts, would never be able to talk ever again.
People tend to forget that he was just as good a blade wielder as he was with his poisons.
He never had been the strongest, fastest or tallest among his fellow crows but with his determination and intelligence he had been able to turn everything into his advantage, what was seemingly making him less able or impressive.
Not few used to underestimate him.
Well, not anymore.
Viago allowed himself a self-satisfied grin.
But the brief moment of pride of accomplishment faded way quickly and he was back to his normal state of introverted brooding with hints of paranoia.
Viago’s coup and successful founding of House de Riva, later his claim to talonship had taken place only about a year ago and he still fought - literally and figuratively - almost all the time.
Quiet and unbeknownst by anyone, but he did.
More often than not he doubted himself, fought his internal struggles of finding the certainty that everything was settled and under control.
He was learning it the hard way, every single day, how nothing would ever be settled and safe for him and those close to him.
Having people to care deeply about, was a luxury a Talon of the Antivan Crows barely could afford, he knew that.
Lesser men than him would have taken care of such matters long before even before making any move to power.
He had contemplated it, but to his own surprise, family bonds meant more to him than he would ever be ready to admit.
Caterina on the other hand was about three times his age and had been First Talon for several decades. She just… was.
Cold and confident, ruling over Antiva with probably more power than the king himself ever had. And if she ever had experienced any insecurities… they would have been taken care of long ago.
No one beside herself, had been left alive, who actually could have known the actual Caterina Dellamorte good enough and in person. No one could bear witness about how and why exactly she had become who she was today.
Everything anyone would claim to know about the First Talon and her life was legends, hearsay and probably most of the time well curated bits and stories she herself had either shared with a purpose in mind or simply made up for political, business or societal reasons.
As much as Viago detested Caterina - which was mutual as he knew from good authority - he could not overlook and had to respect the coldly calculated and well organized way of handling hers and the Crow’s business.
Viago sighed as he caught himself way too deep in his own head once again and willed himself back to the pressing matters at hand.
He took a last look into the big mirror in his private, meticulously tidy and neat chamber, briefly admiring his elegant appearance.
He had been working hard on it: Only the best tailors and paying attention to latest fashion trends. A good and trustworthy barber to tend to his beard and the unruly dark hair that otherwise would just grow into a curly mob beyond any style or fashion.
Not that he cared that much, but he had learned - and learned well, that appearing handsome to the eyes of the people was a source of distraction that was easy to achieve and therefore dumb to ignore.
Once every button and clasp was checked to be properly closed and every hair being in place, Viago finally turned away in a swift motion to be on his way.
Soon enough he would know, what it was, that Caterina Dellamorte desired from him and House de Riva.
And what it would cost him.
~~~
And she desired a lot!
They had met at the Diamond’s top floor which was already exclusive on its own but the back rooms, hidden behind some artfully crafted wall panels, were reserved for meetings like this: Talon business.
Rarely did the Talons meet anyway, too big the risk of being assaulted by rivaling houses who aimed to put a halt on potential alliances even before they could be negotiated and start to blossom.
After the ordeal of Viago displaying his obeisance and showing the proper respect had been performed to Caterina’s satisfaction, they had settled into some comfortable and finely crafted fauteuils.
Teia Cantori, owner of the Cantori Diamond, 8th Talon and the only person on Maker’s green earth, that Viago de Riva would have called a confidante outside of what was his actual family, had appeared and already retreated soon after. She had provided them with two cups of the finest Antivan Coffee and some fancy baked goods that neither of the two touched.
Caterina had nothing to object against Teia knowing they were here.
As much as Viago trusted the dark haired elf, was Teia also fully loyal to the First Talon.
Nothing of what they would negotiate in here would find its way out.
Caterina was no friend of small talk.
Which was one of the few of the matriarch’s traits, Viago could approve of.
But it was also always a very raw way to hear unpleasant news very fast, very brutal and with no comfort of well chosen pretty words.
It was Viago’s family that the First Talon was aiming for.
Weren’t they all? Always?
Viago resisted the urge to smile a bitter and ironic smile over how choices and their consequences would eventually always come back around.
“First Talon, House de Riva feels deeply honored.” He began the conversation after Caterina’s reveal of plans.
He was, in fact, not honored at all.
He was terrified.
“As you should.” the old matriarch dryly replied and took up her coffee cup but did not start drinking.
Instead she was watching him. And not even subtle.
He could not determine whether she could sense his lie about liking her idea.
Either she actually believed that everybody she interacted with, felt honored - which honestly would be a bit delusional.
Or she simply did not care how others felt around and about her and just expected confirmation and execution.
Viago’s money was on the second option.
He very well had noticed that she waited with her coffee, until he was done testing his own cup for poison.
Yet she did not test hers altogether. Not even a sniff or a dip with a spoon to try.
Was she trying to butter him up by showing trust where it was least advisable to do so? Trusting, that if his cup was safe, hers would be, too?
Unlikely.
Most probably was she doing the same thing he did: Immunizing herself by ingesting small doses of various poisons every day on a neatly considered and written schedule in order to prevent cross reactions and accidental potentiate the effects.
And given her age, she possibly did that for more than 50 years by now. Barely a poison she would not have been immune to after all this time of exposition, so he estimated.
Viago forced his mind back to the negotiation at hand.
“I was just wondering, House Dellamorte must have a whole army of fledglings.”
“Of course I have.” it was not lost on him, how Caterina used I while referring to House Dellamorte. “But they don’t mingle with my boy Lucanis. And with Illario… hopefully.”
“A very good point to mention… Illario…”
Caterina’s Grandson Illario, only around 17 or 18 years of age, already had a certain kind of reputation in Treviso and not only among the Crows. The young man had developed an early interest in getting to know, preferably girls but not exclusively, in the most archaic of meanings.
The two Talons kept looking into each other’s eyes.
It was a competition no one ever had negotiated or agreed to.
It was just what happened when in a conversation with Caterina Dellamorte: The first one to look away was losing and supposed to give in.
Pointless for Viago to even pretend to have a chance.
Caterina’s dead stare would outlast the entirety of Nevarra’s Grand Necropolis…
But he had to stand his ground. He wanted, needed to.
For Caramella and Elia.
His little sisters. His weak spots he had deliberately chosen to keep even though he knew they made him more vulnerable.
It was a challenging task opposing a woman, who’s age demanded the honorary title ‘nonna’ but her reputation made it life threatening, following through with this urge.
No one dared to call Caterina Dellamorte ‘nonna’ except Teia Cantori.
And obviously she was also the only one who was allowed to actually do it - and to live afterwards.
“If you trained your sisters right, Illario will not be a problem.” she tossed the ball into his court and he hated it.
“Of course I did. The issue is certainly not stemming from House de Riva. And I will take your word, that your grandson will not cause trouble here. This being said, I will admit, that I can potentially see a few benefits in agreeing to what you propose.” He hoped she would not inquire what those benefits were, because he could not name a single one. But what else could he say?
Protecting his sisters now meant to make it as safe for them as possible.
“Perfetto. Then we shall agree on a date for the transfer.” Caterina wanted to close the deal, and quick.
But Viago was not ready to seal the deal.
He would not give in, until he knew at least one of them would be safe from being dragged into this.
“Elia is only 12. She’s going nowhere.” he bravely objected, his whole body tensed and his mind completely stressed out, just from openly objecting Caterina.
“How cute. In my time, at 12 years of age, I was already doing contracts.” Caterina did not even bother to smile.
“Times change.” He dared to oppose again even though he knew his reply meant nothing to Caterina. But he knew he had the perfect excuse, as of why his adopted sister was not eligible to what Caterina was planning. “And even more important, Elia just recently came into her magic.” here he bent the truth a little, because Elia was training her magic for quite a while now but it always had been a secret. Which came in handy now. “And we can’t abandon her training in that regard. I’m working in close cooperation with the Antivan Circle and I don’t intend to burden you with the hassle of that.”
“A mage…” one of Caterina’s thin eyebrows rose in what could be surprise or deprecation alike, probably a mix of both. “Well, well, some of them turn out to be rather useful to have in our ranks. What’s with the other one?” The matriarch continued without pausing her speech.
“Caramella. 15 years of age.” he reluctantly helped.
“Yes, yes.” she impatiently waved with one hand, as if to get rid of an unwanted insect. Details like names and age did not matter much. Caterina needed a tool and Viago obviously was expected to deliver. “Is she worth the trouble? Smart? Willing? Pliable?”
“Intelligent. Strong. Promising.” Viago chose his words very carefully.
For a brief moment he had been tempted to call his sister clever, headstrong and brash, in order to scare Caterina away from her idea.
But he knew he would do Cara no service in pitching her as hard to handle - because Caterina would get what she wanted no matter what he had to say. And right now she wanted Cara to work and train at Villa Dellamorte.
Already being advertised as difficult before even arriving would make Cara’s life even more miserable.
And as many migraines his sister may have caused him in the years since she followed his example and decided to become an Antivan Crow, this was between him and her.
Family business.
Caterina seemed to be satisfied with the description given to her and did not pry any further.
“Of course, she is well versed in poisons and toxins.” not even a question and Viago did not bother to answer.
It was a given.
“I will send my negotiator to set up a contract according to what you asked for.” he offered with a bit of resignation in his voice, but bitterly accepting there was no way to avoid it anyway.
Caterina shook her head.
“Again, back in my days we were able to negotiate and acknowledge contracts like this with a handshake.” she glanced over Viago’s neatly gloved hands. “Or whatever you would consider a binding agreement’s gesture.”
“You will not swipe her from House de Riva and in return I will make sure she will be ready and able, doing what you need her to help with.” a bold demand but the matriarch just nodded with no visible emotion.
“I have no interest in a royal bastard, a girl even, to have among my fledglings. She is supposed to tutor my grandsons in matters of alchemy, poisons and toxicology. She will be assisting and participating, when I teach Lucanis and Illario about courtly manners and how to generally engage and interact with nobility. They all will need to know, how to dance and how to engage in distinguished small talk. In return she will have the privilege, to participate in my personal training lessons and will greatly benefit from it. We may call it squireship if it makes you feel better.”
Nothing could make Viago de Riva feel better about any of it.
He just had agreed to temporarily send his own sister to House Dellamorte.
To be trained by the most ruthless and well known to be one of the cruelest trainers of all Antivan Crows: The First Talon Caterina Dellamorte.